Chain Pharmacy

The acellular pertussis vaccine that was introduced in the 1990s may not offer long-lasting protection against whooping cough in immunized children after the fifth dose, according to a case-control study published September 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation is providing 15 additional academic institutions with educational grants for the Community Pharmacy Residency Expansion Project (Community PREP).

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is urging pharmacists to get involved in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

Long-term users of methamphetamine compared with heroin users in an urban setting had a high prevalence of dental disease, much higher than the general U.S. population, according to a small cross-sectional study published September 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

A higher risk for end-stage renal disease or other adverse renal outcomes is associated with patients who have had at least one symptomatic kidney stone episode, according to study results published in BMJ.

Researchers in one study advise caution in long-term use of NSAIDs for patients who have experienced a first-time myocardial infarction.

For patients with refractory chronic cough, gabapentin may be an effective treatment to help improve cough-specific quality of life, according to a study published in The Lancet.

A recent study shows that long-term use of gingko biloba extract does not reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly patients with established memory complaints.

Treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to prevent cardiovascular disease has been controversial. See what the overall results of one recent meta-analysis and review say about the issue.

Tight glycemic control can be achieved in children following cardiac surgery, but is this practice more effective than standard care?

An Endocrine Society task force has established new clinical-practice guidelines that recommend screening adults for high triglyceride levels. Find out the reason behind the new recommendations and how often the screening should be administered.

Retail pharmacies’ smoking cessation programs are effective in helping smokers quit, according to a study published in the September issue of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

What’s different in your drug stores this month or coming very soon? Chewable omega-3 jellies for kids. An oral antiseptic spray. A more-tapered cotton swab. Tasty vitamins that melt in the mouth. Shoes and sandals with arch supports. A non-habit-forming sleep aid. And there are even more new over-the-counter items featured in the print edition of Drug Topics.

Suppose a country were facing a flood of Biblical proportions but determined to focus on bringing in more tourism; what would you say about its priorities? Now suppose that country were a professional organization and ... well, read on.

Walmart has launched its own ReliOn brand diabetes products.

Remember when hardworking coal miners "owed their souls to the company store"? Look a little closer to home and you just might find that someone you know is in a very similar spot.

Great ideas are everywhere. Successful community pharmacists can spot them and tailor them to meet local needs. Here are four stories of how good ideas gave rise to even better ones.

If the Washington, D.C.-based Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative has anything to say about it, MTM will help shift pharmacists' roles from dispensing to direct clinical practice.

Healthcare delivery in the United States has evolved as more patients visit their neighborhood retail clinics for acute and preventive care.

While the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies program has come under fire for its inefficiencies, all is not yet lost.

A round-up of OTC products to help manage dandruff and head lice.

A survey of new Rx, new generic, and new OTC products

Despite growing consumer education, children and teenagers are increasingly abusing prescription drugs. Two manufacturers have recently launched products designed to keep Rx drugs secure in the home.

The Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board has developed a Certified Specialty Pharmacist credential, which it hopes to launch in early 2013.

Medication errors can't be completely eliminated, but can CQI programs keep them to a minimum?

An encounter with a police officer reminds JP that the world sees pharmacists only as pill counters.

Federal agencies have fined an LTC provider $50 million for improperly dispensing controlled substances.

Mandatory mail-order programs are hampering medication adherence, said Marie Smith, PharmD, during a recent roundtable on medication adherence.

The ways of PBMs are convoluted and mysterious. If we don't keep a sharp eye out, one of these days we'll be getting prescriptions out of vending machines.

Readers have their say on unionization, fair reimbursement, and self-regulation.