Chain Pharmacy

FDA advisors decided against recommending over-the-counter (OTC) marketing approval of Primatene HFA inhaler (Armstrong Pharmaceuticals) for the temporary relief of mild symptoms of intermittent asthma in patients 12 years and older, at last week’s joint meeting of the FDA’s Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee.

The DEA proposal to move hydrocodone combination products from Schedule III to Schedule II could have a major impact on pharmacies.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has endorsed a congressional proposal to establish a workgroup to collaborate on solutions to reduce prescription drug abuse and without comprising access to medications.

Health Mart launched its 2014 Healthy Living Tour during the Independent Pharmacy Business Growth Conference in Orlando, Fla. Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals will visit more than 130 communities across the United States providing health education and free health screenings.

Blood pressure medications used by many older adults can increase the risk of serious fall injuries by 30% to 40%.

18 research centers are working to establish guidelines for safe step-down procedures for patients with well-controlled asthma.

Azithromycin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for common infections since the early 1990s, is becoming less effective because of growing antimicrobial resistance.

Forest Laboratories plans to discontinue the sale of memantine HCl (Namenda) 5-mg and 10-mg tablets effective August 15, 2014. Forest has notified FDA of this decision.

Hy-Vee has announced it is expanding its specialty pharmacy business with the purchase of Amber Pharmacy, which has locations in Omaha, Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Actavis plans to purchase Forest Laboratories for approximately $25 billion in a cash and equity deal, creating a combination of “two of the world’s fastest growing specialty pharmaceutical companies, with combined annual revenues of more than $15 billion in 2015,” according to a Feb. 18 announcement.

Missouri is the only state that has not adopted a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) for controlled substances.

A Christian pharmacist in Tennessee has filed a federal lawsuit against Walgreens claiming the chain fired him for refusing to sell the Plan B morning after pill.

Michigan will be the first state to standardize concentrations for children’s liquid prescriptions, due to a statewide initiative to reduce pediatric medication errors.

A federal grand jury has indicted a Michigan pharmacy CEO and several of its employees in a $60 million fraud case in which drugs previously dispensed to nursing homes and adult foster care homes were restocked and resold.

Employers believe specialty pharmacies provide better access to pharmacists and lower costs for specialty drugs, according to a recent survey by Pharmacy Benefits Management Institute.

Patients who take low-dose aspirin daily can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20%.

Among patients with high ASCVD risk, lower-intensity statin plus a bile acid sequestrant or ezetimibe lowered LDL cholesterol as well as higher-intensity statin mono therapy did.

Analysts expect to see key developments in categories that include cancer, heart failure, obesity and diabetes, and hepatitis C. They also look toward some greatly needed antibiotics to deploy in the war against superbugs.

FDA approved vortioxetine as oral tablets indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Medicare patients with only two chronic diseases and two Rx meds would be eligible for CMS-funded MTM services.

With horses, it happened when they couldn't work anymore. Pharmacists, not so much.

Your district manager is bashing you with metrics at the expense of your patients and pharmacy practice. You're in professional hell. It may be time to activate plan B.

The year-long CPE series will include knowledge-based education in the magazine and online; online interactive cases; and live MTM and motivational interviewing training at regional meetings.

An overly aggressive government is making a tough job tougher, but the pharmacist's first ethical concern must be for the patient.

Any physician office that dispenses medications should be informed about its state's legal/regulatory obligations.

There are many definitions of family. Pharmacists share a world of experience, and that can mean a lot.

Among more than 4,500 patients studied, there were 45 strokes and 103 major bleeding events after an average follow-up of 325 ± 164 days.

Eight months ahead of the event, only 10% of exhibit space remains.

Hawaii does not permit the return of medications to retail pharmacies once they are dispensed, making the need for take-back events even greater..

More than 40,000 domain names may be connected to online pharmacies at any given time.