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Commercial medication therapy management programs are gaining in strength and popularity for medical, financial, and practical reasons. In Minnesota, a pilot program for state employees was so successful that two years later it expanded into a program for all fully insured members. Another program is in use by Minnesota Medicaid and General Mills. And in North Carolina, the Asheville Project is still going strong.

As many a pharmacist can testify, sometimes a momentary encounter makes an impression that will last a lifetime.

The kids are going back to school, and opportunities for exposure to head lice abound. In the U.S., an estimated 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year among children 3 to 11 years old. This year, some new products offer relief.

Alaska's first Walgreens drugstore will feature the only 24-hour pharmacy in the state.

Over the next several years, generic versions of many best-selling drugs will become available as patents reach their expiration dates.

For hospitals and health systems, Joint Commission accreditation is an ongoing issue of vital importance. With their specialized knowledge and skills, pharmacists can contribute greatly to the continuous process of refining goals and meeting standards.

Pharmacy mistakes can sometimes lead to injury or even death. Pharmacists can be held liable in a civil suit for money damages; now a pharmacist in Ohio may be convicted of a criminal charge in the accidental death of a two-year-old girl. It is possible that the effect of criminal liability upon professional practices will worsen outcomes rather than improve them.

Pharmacy in the 21st century will be more integrated into provision of health services than ever before. Electronic health records will become increasingly important, as will e-prescribing, prescription data, pharmacist intervention/counseling, and collaboration with other healthcare providers.

In coming years, nearly half of all newly approved drugs could come from biotechnology. With stakes so high, Congress is working to create a more direct pathway for the FDA to approve "biosimilars", the generic or "follow-on" versions of biologics. Two bills before Congress approach the issues differently.

The FTC has extended to November the compliance deadline for its "Red Flag" identity theft regulation, affecting all businessess that extend credit to customers.

Iowa proponents have sought legalization of medical marijuana for years. Now the state?s Board of Pharmacy Examiners (IBPE) wants to learn more about the issue.

As the American population is aging, so are retail pharmacy owners. In light of this reality, it is in the best interest of pharmacists and pharmacy owners to have a succession plan in place when they retire or prepare to sell their businesses, said Robert Wilbur, PharmD, pharmacy specialist with The Healthcare Acquisitions Group, Coral Gables, Fla., addressing attendees at the recent McKesson?s Pharmacy Strategies Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) recently wrote to a key standards-setting body requesting action on a number of regarding a new Internal Revenue Service requirement meant to ensure flexible spending account debit cards are used properly that is seen by the association as problematic.

The California State Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment recently held an informational hearing on the subject of workplace conditions in retail pharmacies. Among those testifying were pharmacists, academics, students, consumer advocates, and representatives of the California Retailers Association.

Orlando, Fla.--Pharmacists can collaborate with physicians and other health professionals in many ways, including through drug therapy management programs, pharmacy vaccine programs, and practice agreements, to build revenue streams and improve patient outcomes.

The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) has released its annual list of fellow awards and announced the recipient of its lifetime fellow award.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) is still working to urge Congress to exempt community pharmacies from the Oct. 1 accreditation and surety bond requirements needed to continue providing durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) to Medicare patients.

On July 23, Eli Lilly and Company announced the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new use for its osteoporosis drug FORTEO to treat osteoporosis associated with sustained, systemic glucocorticoid therapy in men and women at high risk of fracture.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has approved a vaccine for 2009-2010 seasonal influenza in the United States.

Earlier this week at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) in Boston, Mass., teams of pharmacy students from three universities were named as finalists in the Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition sponsored by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

Orlando, Fla.? National health care reform and the growth of generic drugs were the top issues noted by McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical executives during this week's pharmacy strategies conference here.

Carolyn Brackett, PharmD, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at Ohio State University?s College of Pharmacy believes it?s possible to bring more humanity and human-to-human interaction to pharmacy ? regardless of the area in which they practice.

On July 20, Steven C. Anderson, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), sent a letter to political leaders regarding the America's Affordable Health Choices Act.

As the 2009 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting started July 18, one of the first issues on the agenda was pharmacists who plan on entering academia and how graduate students can make the transition into a faculty position.

Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) jurisdiction over tobacco in June, but don?t look for any quick changes in tobacco policy, products, or marketing. The agency is asking the public for guidance before jumping into regulation.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Multaq 400 mg tablets to help maintain normal heart rhythms in patients with a history of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a boxed warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix and Zyban.

So what is actually happening behind the retail counter? To get an idea, Drug Topics took a brief, unscientific survey of individual community pharmacists. All the respondents felt that pharmacist counseling reduces medication errors.