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Once-daily oral rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Bayer), a direct factor Xa inhibitor, appears to be as effective as dose-adjusted warfarin in preventing stroke or major embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, according to a study published online August 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

FDA has approved brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris, Seattle Genetics) to treat 2 types of lymphoma.

Apricus Biosciences and its wholly owned subsidiary, NexMed USA, have received FDA approval for over-the-counter sales of antifungal drug Tolnaftate-D, containing the company's NexACT technology, which transiently loosens the tight junction between the cells of the sealed skin to allow more permeation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that the antimalarial drug primaquine is not available until September, 2011.

Medication storage was one of the biggest problems that The Joint Commission found in hospitals in 2010, according to its new survey. During a webinar this week, sponsored by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Darryl Rich, PharmD, surveyor in the Joint Commission's Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations, also described some new requirements in the Commission?s National Patient Safety Goals for 2011.

FDA has approved 2 new strengths (11.25 mg and 30 mg) for 3-month administration of leuprolide acetate for depot suspension (Lupron Depot-PED, Abbott) for the treatment of children with central precocious puberty.

FDA has approved vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Daiichi Sankyo and Genentech), the second melanoma drug this year to improve overall survival. Zelboraf is indicated for the treatment of patients with late-stage (metastatic) or unresectable melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

Soon after a report revealed an average 650% markup on "gray-market" drugs, which are used when there is a shortage of other drugs, U.S. senators called for an FDA hearing on drug shortages.

FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of March 27, 2012, for the review of the New Drug Application for the investigational agent peginesatide (formerly known as Hematide). If approved, peginesatide will be the first once-monthly erythropoiesis stimulating agent available for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease in patients on dialysis in the United States.

Pharmacy benefit managers should be required to be more transparent in health insurance exchanges, the National Community Pharmacists Association asserted in comments recently submitted to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general, recently recognized the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and other organizations for their participation in the annual National Influenza Vaccine Summit.

Gary Pelletier, director and team leader for Pfizer Helpful Answers, was recently appointed the Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Together Rx Access program. The Together Rx Access card was created by several leading pharmaceutical manufacturers to help hardworking Americans and their families gain access to savings on prescriptions at their community pharmacies.

Retail pharmacy groups criticized a new study suggesting that adherence to oral antidiabetic medications improves when patients use mail-order pharmacies.

FDA has announced changes to the boxed warnings, contraindications, and warnings sections of the labels for 32 products.

On June 15, FDA published an online safety communication informing prescribers and patients that pioglitazone use may be associated with a 20% to 40% increased hazard of new bladder cancer.

Rite Aid Corporation and the Skin Cancer Foundation have launched a new healthy skin-care campaign offering free information online and in all Rite Aid stores to consumers, and increased professional information to the chain's pharmacists.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a serious, potentially fatal autoimmune disease that affects between 300,000 to 1.5 million Americans of all races. Restless legs syndrome is a disruptive neurologic disorder that affects up to 10% of all Americans.

On May 11, U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and National Consumers League launched "Script your Future," a 3-year national campaign to improve medication adherence. It is the responsibility of all pharmacists to support this campaign.

Readers speak out about "vocational schools" and certified techs.

Much ongoing research and discussion concerns the risks of using proton pump inhibitors with clopidogrel.

Pharmacy students who attend The Medco School of Pharmacy at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J., next year will be educated in several specialty pharmacy areas, including clinical trials management.

The National Consumer League has launched a nationwide campaign, Script Your Future, to improve medication adherence by stressing the importance of taking medications as directed.

The California Pharmacists Association is launching what may be the nation's first ombudsman program run through a professional association.

Walgreens' pharmacists will be better able to help patients manage chronic diseases and assist in new medical research as part of a unique training and research partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Pharmacy automation systems offer their users a way to improve and streamline their workflow.

Want to make sure you get medication therapy management when you need it? Be very good friends with a pharmacist.

Big Pharma is going on an involuntary diet this year.

Bioinformatics researchers at Stanford University have uncovered a never-before-reported drug-drug interaction between pravastatin and paroxetine.