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The percentage of Americans who are able to quit smoking has decreased over the past 2 decades, according to a new report, but retail pharmacists can play a key role in reversing that trend, one of the leaders of a team of tobacco researchers told Drug Topics.

In this final installment, an introduction to Maori culture and customs teaches our American visitor to New Zealand respectful ways to communicate with patients and win their trust.

Phthalate metabolites, chemicals commonly used in plastics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, were linked to an increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes in the elderly, a recent study found.

The supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has no benefit in treating multiple sclerosis, according to a clinical trial that appeared in the JAMA's Archives of Neurology. However, researchers acknowledged the randomized controlled trial was underpowered.

A set of 11 evidence-based recommendations for managing pain with pharmacotherapy in patients suffering inflammatory arthritis were reported by an international panel online March 24 in Rheumatology.

Current use of warfarin as a stroke prevention therapy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is associated with a lower rate of residual stroke or systemic embolism compared with previous data, according to a recent study.

Teenagers with high levels of uric acid have an increased risk for high blood pressure, according to a new study published in the April 2012 issue of the journal Hypertension.

The labels of 2 formulations of finasteride, used to treat enlarged prostates and male-patterned baldness, are being revised to indicate that additional sexual side effects may persist after the drug has been discontinued, FDA announced.

Doctors debate whether men with elevated cholesterol who are otherwise healthy should still take statins, in a new series in JAMA, Dueling Viewpoints.

U.S. healthcare costs associated with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) climbed from $39,400 in 2000 to $53,400 in 2009, and state Medicaid programs paid for the majority of the cases.

Pharmacists are finally eligible to get government support on repaying their student loans if they go to work in communities that are underserved by primary care providers.

The National Community Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores expressed their support and made recommendations for Congress's reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.

Several U.S. senators and representatives are speaking at the National Community Pharmacists Association's annual Legislative Conference, which will be held May 7-9 in Washington, D.C.

Owners of a ship that slammed into the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 2007 are trying to blame California pharmacists for the crash, claiming that they "recklessly" provided prescription medications that clouded the judgment of the ship?s pilot.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, FDA, and other government agencies have made considerable progress on fighting prescription drug abuse in the past year, but much more remains to be done, according to officials.

More than 75% of the nation's opinion leaders believe that the best way to control healthcare costs is through discovering innovative ways to deliver services, according to the new NEHI Innovation Barometer survey.

FDA has issued a safety alert, warning patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals about the dangers of accidental exposure to and improper storage and disposal of fentanyl patches.

Twice-daily dabigatran etexilate mesylate (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingleheim) was shown to be associated with lower rates of fatal and traumatic intracranial hemorrhage compared with warfarin, according to a retrospective subanalysis published online, April 5, in Stroke, the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Novartis has agreed with FDA to update US prescribing information on fingolimod (Gilenya) to include updated patient selection parameters based on certain cardiovascular considerations to aid in the identification of candidates for Gilenya.

The new chairman of the board of the National Association of Chain Drugs Stores emphasized that community pharmacies provide the value of ?an improved health outcome that only a face-to-face encounter with a community pharmacist can accomplish.?

FDA has strengthened its oversight of drugs after they?ve been approved, thanks to its updated postmarket drug safety program, according to a new report by the agency?s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and ACPE providers have teamed up to create the CPE Monitor. This new system will allow for the electronic transmission of continuing pharmacy education data.

Security experts and others offered their advice to community pharmacists during Protect Your Pharmacy Week that was held April 16-20.

More organizations are partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration this year on its National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day April 28.

As many as 80% of patients who are candidates for preventive treatments for migraine headaches could be helped by these treatments, the author of new guidelines issued by the American Academy of Neurology told Drug Topics.

Medicare Part D beneficiaries with cardiovascular conditions who had no financial assistance during the "donut hole" coverage gap were 57% more likely to discontinue their medications than beneficiaries with consistent drug coverage, according to a new study.

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations pertaining to pharmaceutical waste disposal is an essential part of pharmacy management. Here are some tips to make the process less daunting.

FDA has issued a Drug Safety Communication (April 20) warning of possible risks when using blood pressure medicines containing aliskiren with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in patients with diabetes or kidney (renal) impairment. These drug combinations are contraindicated in patients with diabetes.