Chain Pharmacy

From controlled substances to retail chains in trouble and back to controlled substances, Drug Topics readers found plenty to talk about during the month of April.

An 18-month statewide program to decrease painkiller prescriptions and lower addiction risks resulted in 6.6 million fewer doses dispensed, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts recently announced.

CVS Pharmacy is once again in hot water regarding its handling and dispensing of controlled substances-this time being sued by an insurer and 18 states that claim the pharmacy chain collected hundreds of millions for invalid prescriptions that were diverted to the black market.

An eight-week regimen of ledipasvir-sofosbuvir was highly effective in treating non-cirrhotic HCV patients with genotype infection.

Nearly one-third of the ADHD-diagnosed foster-care youth received atypical antipsychotics regardless of age group.

The sublingual tablet provides a new treatment option for patients who decline allergy shots

Study finds that targeting the pharmacy service to patients who are most likely to benefit is important.

“Healthcare professionals should consider whether the benefits of Doribax treatment are likely to exceed its potential risks in patients who develop pneumonia while on ventilators,” says FDA.

A recent victory for New York State pharmacists fighting against reduced Medicaid reimbursements may be a victory for pharmacists across the country.

There is no testimony without tests. How are we handling ours?

Drugs dispensed by physicians are far more expensive than those dispensed by pharmacies. And there are other issues.

The fight over whether pharmacists serve "patients" or "customers" continues. And now there's a new question: How come a major national pharmacy organization has no opinion?

How does it feel to have your brainchild critiqued by an audience of your peers? Dennis Miller gives us an idea.

They play their company policy, you raise 'em one federal regulation.

Pharmacies that don't use social media will soon go the way of the dinosaur. Here are six tips for making these modalities work for you.

By maintaining a strong knowledge base about HCV infection and management, pharmacists can be a resource to providers and patients alike.

Things aren't as simple as the DEA would have us believe.

Pharmacists and consumers alike need to educate themselves about the proper use of these products, taken either alone or with Rx medications.

As opposition to execution drugs grows, manufacturers are cutting off supplies and compounding pharmacies are under pressure.

Some early adopters - well, beta testers - give us the lowdown on current and future applications of Google Glass in pharmacy.

Conditions targeted by the first guidelines geared specifically to women include migraine, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and atrial fibrillation.

Once-daily simeprevir should be used in combination with peginterferon alpha and ribavirin. It is not a monotherapy.

Like oral medications, topical analgesics can offer patients well-controlled pain relief, but they do so without adverse systemic effects.

Groundbreaking new therapies for HCV are now available. As experts in screening and treatment guidelines, pharmacists can lead in managing these new options for patient care.

Letters, e-mails, comments, and posts from Drug Topics readers

New Rx, formulations, indications, and generics

Family members and caregivers can be ready to act swiftly if they suspect opioid overdose.

CVS Caremark agreed on Tuesday to pay a $20 million fine to settle the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges that it misled investors in 2009 about financial setbacks and used improper accounting methods for boosting its financial results, according to a SEC statement.

Contributor Steve Ariens takes another run at the question of how to deal with prescriptions for controlled substances.

Publix’s 622 Florida Pharmacy stores are promoting the Lock Your Meds ® campaign throughout April.