
An Illinois appeals court recently upheld a ruling that pharmacists are permitted to refrain from prescribing emergency contraceptives, finding that healthcare professionals are protected by an Illinois state law.

An Illinois appeals court recently upheld a ruling that pharmacists are permitted to refrain from prescribing emergency contraceptives, finding that healthcare professionals are protected by an Illinois state law.

FDA has approved Boston Therapeutic’s petition to file an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a new, chewable tablet formulation of the diabetes drug metformin hydrochloride. The company plans to market the new formulation under the name Pazamet.

Metformin is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and can be used in patients with varying degrees of renal impairment, according to a long-term observational study that was published online in the British Medical Journal.

Most adults – 71% – believe it's important to be up-to-date on immunizations to be healthy, but that isn't reflected in the number of adults who actually get vaccinated, according to a new Walgreens Immunization Index study.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA are jointly investigating a meningitis outbreak that has affected approximately 35 people in six states so far. Five patients have died and 30 are ill after receiving an epidural steroid injection contaminated by fungus, according to a report issued from CDC yesterday.

Abbott Laboratories Inc. was sentenced Oct. 2 to pay a total of $700 million after pleading guilty in May to misbranding divalproex (Depakote), a criminal misdemeanor.

Biologic response modifiers developed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of cancer, according to a study published September 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Children with asthma who use glucocorticoid inhalers may grow shorter on average than those who do not use inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), according to a study published September 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

FDA has granted delafloxacin (Rib-X) as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) for the indications of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).

While beta-blocker use continues to be the standard of care for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), especially for those patients who have had a myocardial infarction (MI), these drugs may not be effective long term, according to an online report published Oct. 3 in JAMA.

Apixaban (Eliquis), an investigational anticoagulant developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer, has lower rates of stroke, systemic embolism, and bleeding than warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation, regardless of level of risk for these events, according a recent online analysis published October 2 in The Lancet.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is teaming up with Walgreens to better serve patient with cystic fibrosis (CF).

The level of satisfaction reported by customers who use community pharmacies is higher than the satisfaction of customers who use mail order, according to a recent JD Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Pharmacy Study.

The acellular pertussis vaccine that was introduced in the 1990s may not offer long-lasting protection against whooping cough in immunized children after the fifth dose, according to a case-control study published September 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation is providing 15 additional academic institutions with educational grants for the Community Pharmacy Residency Expansion Project (Community PREP).

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is urging pharmacists to get involved in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

Long-term users of methamphetamine compared with heroin users in an urban setting had a high prevalence of dental disease, much higher than the general U.S. population, according to a small cross-sectional study published September 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Knowledge is power. In case you haven't looked at your company's P&P manual lately, contributor Steve Ariens takes you straight to a very basic reason for staying informed.

October marks the beginning of American Pharmacists Month, and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is urging pharmacists to build relationships with their patients.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is making it easier for pharmacists and healthcare professionals to look up drug information by launching an online scientific resource tool.

Thirteen New York City public high school nurses are taking on the role of the pharmacist by dispensing emergency contraceptive pills to hundreds of students, according to a Reuters report.

A new survey of retail pharmacists revealed that cost remains a key barrier to medication adherence, with approximately one-third of patients deciding not to fill a prescription at least once.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is urging pharmacists to get involved in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

The National Community Pharmacist Association (NCPA) Foundation announced a number of activities held during the NCPA’s 114th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition in mid-October.

FDA has approved regorafenib (Stivarga, Bayer HealthCare) tablets for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have been previously treated with currently available therapies.

Fewer 18- to 25-year-olds are abusing prescription drugs, but illicit drug use stays constant, according to results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), sponsored by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

A higher risk for end-stage renal disease or other adverse renal outcomes is associated with patients who have had at least one symptomatic kidney stone episode, according to study results published in BMJ.

Researchers in one study advise caution in long-term use of NSAIDs for patients who have experienced a first-time myocardial infarction.

For patients with refractory chronic cough, gabapentin may be an effective treatment to help improve cough-specific quality of life, according to a study published in The Lancet.

FDA is supporting antibacterial drug development by launching a new internal task force, according to a press release today.