Sat.Dec 14, 2024 - Fri.Dec 20, 2024

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First Severe Case of Bird Flu Detected in Louisiana

Drug Topics

Recent upticks of the bird flu virus in both dairy cattle and humans have also led to a state of emergency in California.

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Treatment Advances for Alzheimer Disease Provide Hope

Pharmacy Times

New mechanisms of action are proving more effective than ever, offering slowed progression.

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Trending Sources

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‘I want help’: Behind bars, pleas for addiction medications often go nowhere

STAT

James Mannion knew what he needed. For nine months, while incarcerated in a county jail in Portland, Maine, he pleaded for a medication called buprenorphine. Mannion, a barber, recreational fisherman, and father of two, was once a regular heroin user, but had used the medication to eliminate the cravings and withdrawal he experienced whenever he tried to quit opioids cold turkey.

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Congress' end of year health deal may be falling apart

Fierce Healthcare

It still needs to pass, but an end-of-year package for healthcare is looking probable. The legislation includes PBM reform, telehealth extensions and more.

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From Diagnosis to Delivery: How AI is Revolutionizing the Patient Experience

Speaker: Simran Kaur, Founder & CEO at Tattva Health Inc.

The healthcare landscape is being revolutionized by AI and cutting-edge digital technologies, reshaping how patients receive care and interact with providers. In this webinar led by Simran Kaur, we will explore how AI-driven solutions are enhancing patient communication, improving care quality, and empowering preventive and predictive medicine. You'll also learn how AI is streamlining healthcare processes, helping providers offer more efficient, personalized care and enabling faster, data-driven

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PBM Reform Pulled Back in Late Change to Spending Package

Drug Topics

With pressure from the House GOP, expected PBM reform was not included in Congress end-of-year spending package.

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Study: Fatal Disseminated Herpes Zoster in Immunocompetent Individuals

Pharmacy Times

Varicella-zoster vaccination could prevent fatal outcome among individuals with disseminated herpes zoster.

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More Trending

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DOJ sues CVS, alleging it knowingly filled unlawful opioid prescriptions

Fierce Healthcare

The Justice Department has filed suit against CVS, alleging that the retail giant unlawfully dispensed opioid prescriptions. | The Justice Department has filed suit against CVS, alleging that the retail giant unlawfully dispensed opioid prescriptions.

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Long-Awaited PBM Reform Included in Congress’ End-of-Year Spending Package

Drug Topics

The American Pharmacists Association announced the inclusion of pharmacist-backed PBM reform in Congress end of the year spending package.

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Study: Predictive Screening Models Less Likely to Widen Existing Health Disparities in PMAD Diagnosis

Pharmacy Times

The findings show a need for researchers and health care professionals to consider model designs to minimize disparities when diagnosing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).

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STAT+: Health plan formularies lowered barriers to fair access to some drugs, analysis finds

STAT

Most of the formularies run by some of the largest health plans in the U.S. generally provide “fair access” to 11 treatments for several serious diseases, although transparent coverage information is often lacking for some medicines, a new analysis has found. Almost uniformly, the 11 formularies made the drugs available fairly when judged on three criteria: eligibility based on clinical data, restrictions placed on prescribers, and step therapy, which requires patients to try other

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Position Your Pharmacy for Expansion

Speaker: Chris Antypas and Josh Halladay

Access to limited distribution drugs and payer contracts are key to pharmacy expansion. But how do you prepare your operations to take the next step? Meaningful data: Collect and share clinical data regarding outcomes, utilization, and more Reporting: Limited distribution models require efficient tracking and reporting systems Workflows: Align workflows with specific pharma and payer contractual requirements For in-depth, expert insights on pharmacy expansion, watch this webinar from Inovalon.

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Peculiar Articles: 10 Potential Conversation Starters From The Medical Literature

IDStewardship

In this posta list of peculiar journal articles are highlighted, which may serve as conversationstarters from the medical literature. Authored by: Timothy P. Gauthier, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP Social events like holiday parties or kids birthday parties can be unpredictable. Sometimes you know everyone and it is a lot of fun. Sometimes you do not know many people and you are stuck trying to make conversation with new acquaintances.

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FDA Approves Tirzepatide for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Obesity

Drug Topics

Zepbound from Eli Lilly is the first and only prescription medicine approved by the FDA for adults with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.

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FDA Affirms Decision on Tirzepatide Shortage Resolved, Sets Transition Period for Compounding

Pharmacy Times

Compounding pharmacies have a 60- to 90-day grace period to complete production as it continues to monitor supply and demand.

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STAT+: FDA confirms shortage of weight loss drug tirzepatide is over, gives compounders a grace period

STAT

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday confirmed that a shortage of Eli Lilly’s obesity drug tirzepatide has been resolved, a move that will soon put a stop to companies making cheaper copies of the injection. The agency said it would give these compounders a grace period of 60 to 90 days before enforcing rules that would put a halt to their work, in an effort to avoid disruption for patients.

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What the FDA's New Dosage Guidance Means for the Future of Clinical Research

Speaker: Dr. Ben Locwin - Biopharmaceutical Executive & Healthcare Futurist

What will the future hold for clinical research? A recent draft from the FDA provides valuable insight. In "Optimizing the Dosage of Human Prescription Drugs and Biological Products for the Treatment of Oncologic Diseases," the FDA notes that "targeted therapies demonstrate different dose-response relationships compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy, such that doses below the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) may have similar efficacy to the MTD but with fewer toxicities.

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Fierce Healthcare - Untitled Article

Fierce Healthcare

HHS released a list of 64 drugs on Friday that will have reduced co-insurance for patients with Medicare Part B. The discounts come from the Inflation Reduction Act which requires drug makers to give rebates to the federal government when a drug's cost rises more than inflation.

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Pfizer Vaccine Reduces Risk of Long COVID in Pediatric Patients

Drug Topics

Authors concluded that that the benefit of the vaccine in preventing long COVID is due mainly to the fact it mitigates the risk of infection.

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FDA Approves Expanded Use for Trikafta in Cystic Fibrosis

Pharmacy Times

Vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor (Alyftek) also received approval for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in people 6 years and older who have at least 1 F508del mutation.

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Opinion: AI’s dangerous mental-health blind spot

STAT

As we approach the end of 2024, First Opinion is publishing a series of essays on the state of AI in medicine and biopharma.  “ How far away was Oswald from Kennedy? ” “ Major depressive disorder.

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5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Pharmacy Management Software

Are you still using workarounds to manage your daily operations? To achieve peak performance, it's time to explore other options for specialty and infusion pharmacy software. Streamline pharmacy operations and improve clinical performance with automated processing, real-time data exchange, and electronic decision support. Download this helpful infographic to: Drive efficiency and patient adherence from referral receipt to delivery and ongoing care – all with our Pharmacy Cloud.

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CMS sunsets Medicare Advantage value-based model, citing billions in costs

Fierce Healthcare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is discontinuing the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design model at the end of 2025. | The Value-Based Insurance Design model for Medicare Advantage plans will be terminated at the end of next year.

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High Comorbidity Burden in Resistant, Refractory Migraine Vs Chronic Migraine

Drug Topics

Treatment of comorbidities may help patients overcome resistance or refractoriness to migraine therapies.

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Men With History of Cannabis Use Have Less Cognitive Decline From Early Adulthood to Late Midlife

Pharmacy Times

The investigators also find that age of initiation and frequent use were not associated with a greater age-related cognitive decline.

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STAT+: Feds accuse CVS of filling ‘thousands’ of illicit opioid prescriptions

STAT

CVS Health was accused of contributing to a nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose by filling illegal opioid prescriptions and billing federal health insurance programs, according to a lawsuit unsealed Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit alleged that, since October 2013, CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for “dangerous and excessive quantities” of controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and were not issued

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2025 outlook: What's next for Medicare Advantage

Fierce Healthcare

Medicare Advantage has steadily grown over the past decade, and now encompasses more than half of all seniors eligible for Medicare. | Medicare Advantage has steadily grown over the past decade, and now encompasses more than half of all seniors eligible for Medicare. However, over the past year, the industry has faced significant headwinds that have stymied some of their expansion plans.

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DOJ Lawsuit Alleges CVS Helped Fuel Opioid Epidemic Through Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions

Drug Topics

The lawsuit alleges that the company knowingly violated both the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act.

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ASHP Midyear: New Oral Treatment, Antibody Drug Conjugates Offer Additional Options for Breast Cancer

Pharmacy Times

Pharmacists identify appropriate patients for new oral and antibody drug conjugate treatments and provide counseling to help patients navigate the evolving treatment landscape.

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If Zyrtec doesn’t work what should I try?

The Checkup by Singlecare

Zyrtec ( cetirizine ) is an over-the-counter ( OTC ) medication and antihistamine used to treat allergy symptoms. Signs of allergic rhinitis, hay fever , and seasonal allergies include sneezing , runny nose , stuffy nose , swollen nasal passages , itchy eyes , and watery eyes. These conditions are similar to nonallergic rhinitis in that they cause the same symptoms, but they are different in that the latter isnt caused by contact with an allergen.

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STAT+: FDA deputy commissioner Namandjé Bumpus to leave agency

STAT

Namandjé Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, is leaving the agency. Commissioner Robert Califf shared the news with staff Tuesday morning, according to an email reviewed by STAT.

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Inhaled Insulin for Pediatric Patients Shows Positive Results in Phase 3 Trial

Drug Topics

MannKind announced results from the INHALE-1 study that examined Afrezza in children and adolescents with diabetes.

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Paxlovid’s Double-Edged Sword: Treating COVID-19 and the Risk of Viral Load Rebound

Pharmacy Times

The conversation of VLR has sparked a discussion as to whether or not other COVID-19 treatment agents are associated with a surge in symptoms and if so, how those agents compare with the rebound effect of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.

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CMS: Health spending grew by 7.5% in 2023 amid increase in insurance coverage, care utilization

Fierce Healthcare

Healthcare spending reached nearly $5 trillion in 2023, growing by 7.5% from the prior year, according to new data from the federal government. | Healthcare spending reached nearly $5 trillion in 2023, growing by 7.5% from the prior year, according to new data from the federal government.

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Can you drink while taking metoprolol?

The Checkup by Singlecare

Mixing alcohol with metoprolol can come with various side effects, some of which can be serious. Many people take metoprolol, either as metoprolol tartrate or metoprolol succinate , to help manage high blood pressure and heart conditions. If youre considering drinking alcohol while taking this prescription drug, you should know the possible risks. For some people who know how they react to the medication and alcohol, drinking in moderation may be doable.

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Specialty Pharmacist Working to Improve Biosimilar Adoption

Drug Topics

Chelsee Jensen, PharmD, BCPS, senior pharmacy specialist at the Mayo Clinic, discusses her career and how biosimilars will impact the pharmacy profession in the coming years.

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FDA Approves Tapinarof Cream 1% for Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in Adults, Children 2 Years and Older

Pharmacy Times

The approval builds on previous indications for tapinarof, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, for the topical treatment of atopic dermatitis.

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