All News

Four topics from our exclusive Drug Topics survey: Community pharmacists' influence over patients via counseling; Has OBRA boosted retail R.Ph.s' clout?; How hospital pharmacists feel about the creation of a CPO position; To what extent hospital R.Ph.s are taking part in rounds.

Patients with uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) taking either a calcium-channel blocker (CCB) or an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) alone, may now find benefit from a new agent that combines the two. Exforge, from Novartis, was approved by the FDA in late June and is the first product to contain both classes of drugs.

At the recent Pharmaceutical Care Management Association symposium, David Snow (Medco Health Solutions) told the audience why now is the time to push for a pathway for biogeneric drugs.

Do authorized generics stifle competition? Prasco and PhRMA have come out with white papers on the subject of authorized generics and the writer examines the subject.

This article for the generics II supplement examines mergers and acquisitions as well as which brand patents are expiring.

This story covers which generic companies are making gains.

This article examines and explains the proposed legislation that will end the practice of allowing brand name drug companies to pay makers of generic drugs to delay the release of the cheaper prescription drugs into the market.

This article examines generic dispensing rates and reveals which organizations have the highest dispensing rates.

This article tackles whether generic substitution should be banned for antiepileptic drugs. More states have introduced such legislation, raising concerns.

This article examines the dropping of copays by insurance plans for generics and the link to increased patient compliance.

NACDS announced that it remains committed to support efforts to reduce the hidden costs of interchange fees to retailers and consumers.

Baxter Healthcare Corp. and the FDA have notified healthcare professionals and consumers of a Class I Recall of Baxter Upgraded Colleague Triple Channel Volumetric Infusion Pumps, Model numbers 2M8153, 2M8163, and 2M9163.

Duane Reade, a leading drugstore chain in New York, and the New York Yankees announced that they have teamed up to raise more than $157,000 in their "Strike Out ALS" campaign.

Colloidal silver, peddled as an old medicine, a decongestant, an all-around germ fighter, and a kind of cure-all, may have serious and strange side effects, according to a report in the August issue of the Harvard Health Letter.

ScripNet, a pharmacy benefit manager that specializes in workers' compensation insurance, is backing the Texas Department of Insurance mandate that workers' compensation carriers accept e-billing from healthcare providers as of Jan. 1, 2008.

Few consumers rely on Web sites created by pharmaceutical companies for drug treatment information.

Are you planning to seek accreditation so you can sell durable medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies (DMEPOS) under Medicare Part B? If so, you might find a new course by Cardinal Health helpful.

The practice of randomly assigning low-income beneficiaries to Part D prescription drug plans could be wasting millions of dollars according to an analysis by Consumers Union

A new study by the National Institute of Mental Health has revealed receptors that could help researchers develop antidepressants that will work in hours instead of weeks or months.

Leiner admitted the validity of the Unigen patents and agreed not to sell any products containing the ingredients Scutellaria and Acacia catechu while the Unigen patents are in force, unless it were to receive a license to do so from Unigen.

A new guide designed to help pharmacists respond to pandemic influenza has been created through a collaborative effort by APhA, ASHP, and the NACDS Foundation.

Insurers cut back on coverage of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

The two-year project will focus on preventing deceptive providers from operating in the greater Los Angeles and Houston areas.

The product was recalled because the meters reported the wrong units of measurement for Canadian users.

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry is embracing on-line media to build relationships with consumers and is cutting back on traditional broadcast and print media to promote drugs.

Fourteen senators have urged Medicare to extend the deadline for the competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment (DME) until quality and patient access issues are resolved.

Pharmacy organizations are pushing hard to introduce new legislation in Congress that would repeal all or parts of the final average manufacturer price rule recently released by CMS.

Lawrence Kocot, senior adviser to the administrator at CMS, announced that he is leaving the agency.