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Jenelle Sobotka, PharmD, FAPhA, 2011-2012 president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association, started out at the U.S. Veterans Administration, where she helped improve patient health through medication management.

Excessive use of antibiotics has led to the development of drug-resistant pathogens. A sharp decline in development of new antibiotics has limited antimicrobial treatment options. Consequently, as infections become more difficult to treat, patient outcomes may worsen and healthcare costs may rise.

CMS is considering new regulations that would require Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to contract directly with long-term-care facilities rather than with consultant pharmacists. This doesn't sit well with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

In March the National Association of Chain Drug Stores relaunched its advertising campaign to promote new MTM legislation and pharmacists ' role in medication therapy management.

Many third-party payers have either switched to or are considering moving to a mail-order requirement for long-term prescriptions that would prevent patients from choosing to purchase medications through retail pharmacies. Pharmacists and patients are pushing back.

Letters: April 2011

Readers speak out about the increasing efficiency demands of chain pharmacies.

The role of pharmacists in medication adherence has taken center stage nationally since last year's passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, when medication adherence and medication therapy management were recognized as areas that should receive funding.

Finding stability in an unstable economy can be difficult, but it seems that many pharmacists have done just that. Pharmacists report low unemployment rates, high salaries, and high job satisfaction at a time when many industries are struggling with layoffs and budget cuts. But the perks of being a pharmacist don't come without stress.

As a counter-detailer, Mark Greg meets with physicians to encourage use of generic over brand-name medications in medically appropriate circumstances. He's a pharmacy rep's worst nightmare.

As America's diverse population continues to grow, disparities in healthcare delivery have become more prevalent. Studies show that when it comes to healthcare benchmarks, many racial and ethnically diverse populations are at a disadvantage

Tats and studs and rap and hip-hop can turn off patients and send them on a search for the real pharmacist. You're a medical professional. You need to look and sound the part.

A roundup of information on CHA2DS2-VASc score versus CHADS2 as a thromboembolism determinant; the incidence of pulmonary embolism in knee arthroscopy patients; the increase of venous thromboembolism with antipsychotic drug use.

DEA's "Office of Diversion Control" prevents, detects, and investigates the diversion of controlled substances from legitimate sources while ensuring an adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical needs. To accomplish this mission, the DEA sets forth regulations designed to prevent any such diversion.

FDA has approved peginterferon alfa-2b (Sylatron, Merck) for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma with microscopic or gross nodal involvement within 84 days of definitive surgical resection including complete lymphadenectomy.

The anticholinergic drug tiotropium is more effective than the Β2-agonist salmeterol in preventing exacerbations in patients with moderate-to-very-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a multicenter European study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease may need 2 doses of adjuvanted split influenza A vaccine to elicit the same antibody response as healthy individuals, reported a recent Swiss study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Clopidogrel hypersensitivity, which affects 6% of patients, can be successfully treated using short-course corticosteroids and antihistamines without interrupting drug therapy, reported researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.