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

Recreational drug use has evolved over the years and "pharming" - kids lifting pills from the folks' medicine cabinets - is now second only to marijuana use.

A growing body of data supports greater pharmacist involvement in medication safety, said speaker Deb Saine at a recent Pharmacy OneSource webinar.

The pharmacist sitting in the office is interested in squeezing out another penny per prescription. The pharmacist behind the locked gate is interested in going home before midnight. Both cannot happen. A side must be chosen.

Interventions for medication adherence should be multifaceted, speakers told attendees at the recent Pharmacy and Technology Conference in San Diego sponsored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

Ongoing diabetes education facilitated by qualified diabetes educators can reduce healthcare costs and improve health outcomes for those diagnosed with diabetes and those at high risk for the disease.

Kathleen Jaeger's appointment as executive vice president and CEO of the NCPA was announced October 25 at the association's annual Convention and Trade Expo in Philadelphia.

The Office of the Inspector General found that CMS reimbursed plan sponsors $43.3 million for prescription drugs on the market that FDA classifies as less than effective.

A growing body of evidence links use of proton pump inhibitors to increased risk of nosocomial Clostridium difficile infection and other morbidities.

As the nation rolls out the new healthcare reform law, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores is urging more recognition for the role of pharmacists in medication adherence.

In a unique partnership, Walgreens, the YMCA, and United Health Group are teaming up on a diabetes prevention and control program.

CMS moved to withdraw provisions of the Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement formula under the AMP model, according to a statement issued by the NACDS and NCPA.

FDA has approved saxagliptin and metformin extended-release (XR) (Kombiglyze XR, AstraZeneca/Bristol-Myers Squibb) tablets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. Kombiglyze XR is the first and only once-a-day metformin XR plus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor combination tablet offering strong glycemic control across glycosylated hemoglobin levels, fasting plasma glucose, and postprandial glucose.

FDA has approved acetaminophen injection (Ofirmev, Cadence Pharmaceuticals), the first intravenous (IV) formulation of acetaminophen for the management of mild-to-moderate pain, moderate-to severe-pain with adjunctive opioid analgesics, and the reduction of fever.

FDA has issued a complete response letter (CRL) for lorcaserin's (Arena and Eisai) New Drug Application. Lorcaserin is intended for weight management, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, in some patients who are obese or patients who are overweight and have at least 1 weight-related co-morbid condition.

OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox, Allergan) has been approved by FDA as prophylactic treatment of headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It is the first clinically studied prophylactic treatment to receive FDA approval specifically for this debilitated patient population.

Bromfenac ophthalmic solution (Bromday, ISTA Pharmaceuticals) 0.09% has been granted FDA approval as a once-daily prescription eyedrop for the treatment of postoperative inflammation and reduction of ocular pain in patients who have undergone cataract extraction.

Dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) has received FDA approval for the prevention of stroke and blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. It is the first replacement for warfarin to win FDA approval.

The former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, will be the keynote speaker for the 12th Annual National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Dinner on November 30, 2010, in New York City.

The American Pharmacists Association has announced 6 new 2010 offerings of the Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate program.

"Know Your Medicine, Know Your Pharmacist" is the theme of American Pharmacists Month (APhM). Sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association, APhM is a time to recognize the significant contributions to healthcare made by pharmacists around the country.

The National Community Pharmacists Association announced a new division of the association dedicated to advancing the interests of independent long-term-care pharmacy providers.

The California Pharmacists Association has appointed Jon Roth its new CEO.

The National Institutes of Health awarded ScriptPro a contract to provide pharmacy automation systems to assist in the internal control and identification of drugs and to enhance the safety and efficiency of medication dispensing as well as use by patients.

Four acute-care hospitals have chosen ROBOT-Rx, an automated medication-dispensing and pharmacy-integration system manufactured by McKesson Corp., as part of a total bar-code-based pharmacy system for medication safety and operational efficiency.

With this issue of Drug Topics' e-newsletter, we expand our OTC Product Update page to showcase products and product news that fell outside the parameters of recently featured categories or ran up against space limitations in the print edition. Look for more OTC Product News in upcoming issues of the Drug Topics e-newsletter!

Pfizer plans to acquire King Pharmaceuticals for $3.6 billion in cash, expanding its current portfolio of treatments for pain relief and pain management.

The Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Long Island University's Brooklyn campus and the Liberty Partnership Program debuted a "Future Pharmacists Program" this past summer.