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The Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) announced Oct. 28 at a press conference that it will be adding five more inspectors to the Board of Pharmacy to continue its investigation of the New England Compounding Center, the Ameridose pharmacy, and other unannounced inspections at compounding pharmacies that prepare sterile injectables.

A pharmacist describes an evening that he feels is typical of being a pharmacist and crystalizes how pharmacists are important.

FDA and the CDC confirm that the fungus Exserohilium rostratum contaminated one of the three implicated lots of preservative-free methylprednisone acetate (80 mg/mL) from the New England Compounding Center which the company recalled September 26.

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A survey of new Rx, new generic, and new OTC products

Numerous health and safety violations related to the practice of pharmacy at the New England Compounding Center have been documented by investigators from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and FDA.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation has invited General Colin L. Powell, the former U.S. Secretary of State and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as the keynote speaker for the 2012 NACDS Foundation dinner, which will be held in New York City on Nov. 27.

The cost of medication for conditions that are the result of normal aging is greater than the cost of medication for most chronic conditions, according to a recent study from Express Scripts.

The FDA recalled the Symbiq pump touchscreen (Hospira Inc.) on Oct. 29. The screen may not properly respond to user selection, may have a delayed response, or register a value other than the one selected by the user, an FDA press release said.

The National Community Pharmacists Association, other retail associations, and retailers, including Walmart and Target, are more than disappointed by the proposed settlement of a lawsuit that they brought against Visa, MasterCard, and several of the largest U.S. banks for allegedly conspiring to fix their credit card swipe fees.

The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the use of Meningococcal Groups C and Y and Haemophilus b Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine (MenHibrix, GlaxoSmithKline) in infants at increased risk for bacterial meningitis.

FDA posted New England Compounding Center’s customer list, including all that received its products that were shipped on or after May 21 from its Framingham, Mass. facility, according to an FDA statement.