- How much does U.S. rely on China for drugs? FDA simply doesn’t know (fiercepharma.com)
As the spread of COVID-19 threatens to disrupt pharma supply chains and create drug shortages, the Trump administration is reportedly looking for ways to reduce U.S. dependence on APIs and drugs from China. So, how dependent is the U.S. on China for its drugs? The fact is, the FDA doesn’t know...“The FDA doesn’t know whether Chinese facilities are actually producing APIs, how much they are producing, or where the APIs they are producing are being distributed worldwide, including in the United States,...Similarly, we do not have information that would enable us to assess the resilience of the U.S. manufacturing base, should it be tested by China’s withdrawal from supplying the U.S. market.”...READ MORE
- COVID-19 Update: Pharmacy Meetings Cancelled, New Law Expands Florida Pharmacists’ Roles (drugtopics.com)
Three major spring meetings for pharmacists have been cancelled due to the coronavirus...
- APhA...to cancel its APhA 2020 Meeting and Exhibition...March 20-23
- NACDS was...forced to cancel its 12th Annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill...planned for March 10 to 11
- The American College of Clinical Pharmacy...cancelled its 2020 ACCP Spring Forum...held in St. Louis, Miss., April 25 to 26
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law allowing pharmacists to test and initiate treatment for influenza and Group A Streptococcus...“The bill will improve convenient access to quality care while removing avoidable pressures on hospitals and acute settings–a meaningful benefit at all times, and a benefit that is top-of-mind amid demanding public health situations ranging from flu outbreaks to the current coronavirus concerns...READ MORE
- Sisolak declares state of emergency over COVID-19 outbreak (thenevadaindependent.com)Nevada Health Response: COVID-19 Prepare, Don't Panic (nvhealthresponse.nv.gov)Coronavirus outbreak causes empty Nevada sportsbooks, reduced gaming and hotel revenues (thenevadaindependent.com)
Governor Steve Sisolak
Sisolak announced during a press conference in Las Vegas that he had signed the emergency declaration, which included activating a State Emergency Operation Center and emergency team to centralize response to the virus, loosening regulations for government agencies to purchase food and other supplies, creation of a website with centralized information and reinforced the attorney general’s office’s ability to enforce consumer protection laws...“At this time it has become clear that this extra step is necessary in order to meet the goal, to ensure that the public health and safety of our citizens and to ensure that we have the resources at our disposal to immediately and aggressively respond,” Sisolak said...READ MORE
- Trump restricts travel from Europe as coronavirus disrupts life in U.S. (reuters.com)President Trump announces landmark restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus (cbsnews.com)
Trump ordered travel from Europe to the United States restricted for 30 days, responding to mounting pressure to take action against a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak disrupting nearly all corners of U.S. daily life...“We are marshaling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people,” Trump said in a prime-time televised address from the Oval Office on Wednesday...READ MORE
- Trump declares virus emergency; House passes aid package (apnews.com)
Trump also announced a range of executive actions, including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations, as Washington tries to subdue the new virus whose spread is roiling markets, shuttering institutions and disrupting the lives of everyday Americans...READ MORE
- Drug Shortages Act Needed As Coronavirus Threats Grow (drugtopics.com)
Legislation recently introduced in the US House of Representatives will help curb drug shortages, particularly in light of potential COVID-19 supply chain issues...The Preventing Drug Shortages Act (H.R. 6080) was introduced by a group of Congressional representatives...It would help mitigate shortage triggers by enhancing transparency throughout the drug supply chain process and strengthening FDA interagency efforts to fend off drug shortages...READ MORE
- Pharmacy Week in Review: March 13 (pharmacytimes.com)
Nicole Grassano, PTNN, Pharmacy Week in Review, this weekly video program provides our readers with an in-depth review of the latest news, product approvals, FDA rulings and more.
- Trump declares virus emergency; House passes aid package
- This Week in Managed Care: March 13, 2020 (ajmc.com)
Christina Mattina, welcome to This Week in Managed Care from the Managed Markets News Network
- What we know about drugmakers’ response to the new coronavirus (biopharmadive.com)
The new coronavirus is moving quickly around the world. Since December, when it was first identified in Wuhan, China, the virus has spread to more than 100 countries. Some 105,000 cases have been confirmed, though the true number is surely higher, and at least 3,500 people have died. Already, the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 is straining healthcare systems in the hardest-hit regions, and threatens to do the same elsewhere as the infection total grows...BioPharma Dive compiled a roundup of our coronavirus coverage so far. There are many unanswered questions, and the drug industry's response is just beginning. We will update the roundup as we get more information...READ MORE