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CMS recently published its 2008 Call Letter, which will serve as a guidance and establish changes for Medicare Part C and D benefits in the next calendar year. The Call Letter includes several changes related to formularies, including one that AMCP has been advocating since the development of the Part D benefit.

The Iowa General Assembly unanimously passed legislation that would regulate PBMs, while the Texas Senate unanimously passed the first in a series of bills calling for transparency in contracts between the state of Texas and PBMs.

CMS proposes paying for darbepoetin (Aranesp, Amgen) and epoetin alfa (Epogen, Amgen; Procrit, Ortho Biotech) only to treat anemia in certain cancer patients. Still to be considered is the use of the antianemia drugs among patients with kidney failure.

While more than 100 House and Senate members have sent letters to CMS expressing their concern about the new rule, the bipartisan group at the news conference called for new legislation addressing the issue.

The number of deaths from medical errors is higher than that from motor vehicle crashes, breast cancer, or AIDS.

The benefits OneOncology brings to community oncology practices include: lowering costs by letting the open market set drug prices through a completely transparent negotiation that ensures the lowest possible price on a product line-item basis; freeing up staff time spent on drug shopping, drug ordering, and administrative tasks; and eliminating market basket and bundled contracts to give physicians greater freedom of choice in making treatment decisions and optimizing therapies.

Formoterol fumarate (Perforomist Inhalation Solution, Dey L.P.), a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA), has been approved by the FDA as a twice-daily maintenance treatment of bronchoconstriction for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, or COPD.

Merck's four-in-one vaccine ProQuad will not be available from July until at least 2008 because of a limited supply of the varicella component, according to the manufacturer.

SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, has recognized the use of naltrexone extended-release injectable suspension (Vivitrol, Cephalon/Alkermes) for the treatment of alcohol dependence as part of its Spring 2007 Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory.

The life of a small-town pharmacy is anything but ordinary. The days of soda fountains and bicycle delivery boys are long gone and have been replaced with bulky neon Coke machines and UPS. For one small-town pharmacy in Hazlehurst, Miss., the old way of life is exactly what this family wants to keep in place.

ISMP has reported that New Jersey's Department of Health & Senior Services recently received a report of a premature infant in a neonatal ICU receiving a bag of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) that contained insulin instead of heparin.

President Bush has nominated Kerry Weems, the current deputy chief of staff for Mike Leavitt, HHS secretary, to be the new CMS administrator.

Prodrug stimulant lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse, Shire) will be considered a Schedule II substance, according to recent word from DEA.

NCPA CEO Bruce Roberts voiced his support of the recently announced acquisition of MemberHealth by insurer Universal American group.

The Kansas and Iowa legislatures have both passed budgets that would channel projected Medicaid savings from lower pharmacy reimbursement back to pharmacists through higher dispensing fees.

Thirty-eight people accused of defrauding Medicare of more than $142 million have been arrested in southern Florida.

Dalteparin (Fragmin, Pfizer/Eisai) can now be used to reduce the recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer.

Central precocious puberty may now be treated with a once-daily subcutaneous implant called Supprelin-LA, from Indevus Pharmaceuticals.

A unique delivery for a new dopamine agonist has been approved to treat symptoms of early Parkinson's disease (PD).

At press time, the Senate has passed the Food & Drug Administration Revitalization Act (S. 1082), which gives the FDA more powers to require manufacturers to conduct postmarketing studies to improve patient safety.

A report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has found that most states have not decided whether to use average manufacturer price (AMP) data for Medicaid drug reimbursement due to concerns over the availability and quality of AMP data.

Many pharmacists will dispense oral contraceptives yet balk at dispensing Plan B. The author believes this practice is inconsistent.

Medication therapy management may hold the key to connecting managed care pharmacy and community pharmacy.

Interview with Susan Winckler from FDA, formerly with APhA, on FDA goals.

The differences between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are discussed along with emerging treatments for both conditions. The recent withdrawal of tegaserod (Zelnorm) for the treatment of IBS-c has left many searching for new therapies.

Pharmacy organizations and technology companies prepare emergency database to be ready for the next disaster

Study looks at impact of pharmacists on community project about metabolic syndrome and its implications for heart disease.

The FDA has approved Altabax (retapamulin, GSK) antibacterial ointment, the first in a new class of antibacterials known as the pleuromutilins to treat impetigo.