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The author calls for a transparent system for reimbursing pharmacists for their drugs and services that takes into account their operating costs and allows for cost-of-dispensing adjustments.

New drug approvals for branded drugs, generics, plus OTCs, home health care, health and beauty, etc.

Chlorofluorocarbons substances responsible for thinning the ozone layer, have been almost phased out of use. A few uses deemed essential are still allowed, including some inhalers for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association is providing educational programs to stop DXM abuse in teens. It also discusses what manufacturers are voluntarily doing to stop teens from purchasing large quantities of cough and cold medicines which contain the ingredients dextromethorphan.

Concerns over the drug diversion and the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment converge as federal and health experts look for new models to control the impact of unused drugs.

A miscalculation in a prescription for Zinc slipped through the hands of three pharmacists and several nurses at a Las Vegas hospital and led to the death of a premature baby girl last fall. The error prompted the hospital to implement several changes to its policy and procedures for filling TPNs.

Pharmacists begin to organize into trade associations.

OIG plans to continue their investigation into differences between the retail and chain pharmacy participation in Part D. They intend to examine reimbursements to independent and chain pharmacies for specific drug products and to compare the terms of the contracts offered to chains and independent pharmacies.

New tools are available for independent pharmacies for better business management.

Opinions are divided over how to dispose of unwanted drugs that minimize damage to the environment.

CMS thinks AMP is a reasonable way to reimburse pharmacists for generic drugs if states do their part, but NACDS claims the new methodology pays pharmacists below cost.

A federal judge certified a class-action lawsuit that accuses North America's largest pharmaceutical distributor of inflating wholesale drug prices.

ASHP voiced its support this week for legislation that reauthorizes FDA prescription drug user fees. I

ASHP is urging the World Medical Association to use pharmacists and other allied healthcare professionals more frequently as research investigators.

By 2010, half of all FDA drug approvals will be in the area of specialty drugs.

Pharmacy schools are reporting an acute shortage of faculty members.

Shaughnessy joins AMCP; APhA names new governance director

MSLs provide information and education to insurers and doctors but differ from sales representatives in their ability to provide peer-level interaction.

Medco claims that PolyMedica Corp. is the nation's largest provider of blood glucose testing supplies and related services to people with diabetes.

The grants are designed to reduce the number of annual hospital patient deaths from medical errors.

Humana is waiving its prescription refill rule for health plan members in three Minnesota counties damaged by flooding.

Studies have also shown that receiving the flu shot reduces death by 72% in diabetics aged 18 to 64 years.

The study, published recently in Drug Safety, looked at 650 patients who were experiencing side effects from statins and reported that 87% spoke to their doctors about a possible connection between a statin they had been prescribed and the symptom they experienced afterward.

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon has introduced a Generics First AntiDepressant Program.

Total costs to purchase prescription drugs under the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health's Prescription Drug Program increased just 3.7% in 2006, marking the third consecutive year of single-digit increases. PBGH is an employer-led coalition of more than 60 organizations.

NABP is now offering on-line applications for its Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors and Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites programs.

In the 16 months that the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has been in existence, it has developed an initial starter set of 37 measures to assess quality in pharmacy.

The "Just Ask!" campaign features a tool kit that can be used to urge patients to talk to hospital pharmacists when they have questions about their medications.