Top Stories from Drug Topics: November 2015

With the ever-increasing demand for retail pharmacists to fill more scripts in less time, it’s not surprising that the most-read Drug Topics story of November was Anna Leon Guerrero’s blog “Pharmacy staffing levels can threaten patient lives.”

Guerrero, a PharmD candidate at Touro University in Vallejo, California, urges state pharmacy boards to adopt regulations that create safe working environments for pharmacists and, by extension, patients. She suggested that fines imposed on pharmacies should be increased in cases of excessive dispensing and failure to counsel patients.

The Cynical Pharmacist’s blog “We have met the enemy, and he is us” was the second most-popular article during November. Problematic prescriptions have continued to plaque pharmacists. See how the Cynical Pharmacist handles them.

The Drug Topics November cover story, the third best-read article of the month, discussed the growing number of states passing laws legalizing the use of medical marijuana and what role, if any, pharmacists will play in dispensing the drug. Drug Topics spoke with a number of pharmacists who are blazing the trail for this new business model.

During the past several years, we have covered numerous story involving metrics and age discrimination, such as successful lawsuits brought by pharmacists against retail chains. It’s not surprising that Eddie Morales blog “Key performance metrics and age discrimination in pharmacy” resonated with our readers.

Finally, Caremark’s announcement that it would create 500 jobs, including pharmacist jobs, by expanding its operations near Orlando, Fla., was the fifth most-read story of the month.

The next five top-read stories were:

10 ways to avoid fatal methotrexate errors

Senate to conduct investigation into Rx drug pricing

New Hampshire medical board rejects governor’s strict opioid Rx proposal

Long-term use of NSAIDs following MI is risky, study shows

Overview of pharmaceutical excipients used in tablets and capsules