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Sixteen pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists from nine countries were honoured at the opening ceremony of the 75th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences…Their contribution to pharmacy was recognised through a number of awards from the International Pharmaceutical Federation…

Two of these were the federation’s highest awards, recognising excellence in the fields of pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences, namely:

• Dr Thomas Lönngren - André Bédat Award
• Professor Hans Junginger - Høst Madsen Medal

Other awards presented today were:

• Professor Theo D.K. Raynor - Lifetime Achievement in Pharmacy Practice Award
• Dr Régis Vaillancourt - Distinguished Practice Award
• Professor Henri R. Manasse - Joseph A. Oddis Award for Exceptional Service to FIP

FIP Fellowships

• Professor Claire Anderson
• Mrs Jane Dawson
• Dr Jennifer Dressman
• Dr Linda Hakes
• Mr Dominique Jordan
• Professor Jennifer Marriott
• Dr Rebekah Moles
• Professor Hiroshi Suzuki
• Dr Agathe Wehrli
• Professor Albert I. Wertheimer
• Mr Nobuo Yamamoto

Minnesotans could get their prescription drugs from Canada by 2017 if a state representative has his way…State Representative Joe Atkins plans to introduce a bill next legislative session that would make it legal for Minnesotans to buy…prescription drugs from Canada through their local pharmacies…"Right now – we're turning Americans into criminals. We've got Minnesotans driving up to Canada to buy these drugs at much lower prices.".. His bill would require the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services to establish the program where local pharmacies could sign up, as well as creating a web site for ordering prescriptions.

…last January, the total verdict for the pharmacist plaintiff who complained he was discharged in violation of the ADA for refusing to provide immunizations in light of his documented fear of needles was upwards of $2.6 million. On September 23, the Court responded to a defense motion for judgment as a matter of law by largely finding that the jury had a sufficient basis for awarding back pay, front pay, and some amount of compensatory damages. However, the amount of compensatory damages was $900,000, and the Court agreed with the defendant that this amount was excessive. The Court ordered a remittitur of the compensatory damages to $125,000...

..recently the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association along with several partners came up with a Therapeutic Decision Cascade for Animal and Public Safety. This is a great tool for reminding all of us how to properly select drugs for any species we are treating. By considering that all we want is to look after the health of our patients and that what we do ultimately affects human health, this guide is invaluable to both veterinarians and their clients as a reminder of which medications are approved for each species.

Despite our gleaming new hospital at the Glen offering state-of-the-art facilities, when Université de Montréal researcher Damien Contandriopoulos gives the closing address on the future of hospitals for the Hospital Conference at McGill University…he will paint a bleak portrait of health care in Quebec….new Montreal hospitals, even those which haven’t opened yet, would be fantastic answers to the problems of the health care system of 10 years ago,"… "There is a disconnect between what people expect and what hospitals have to offer,"…"People waiting in a corridor seems normal in a hospital — but it’s not normal." Quebec is lagging behind the rest of Canada in terms of the performance of its health care system.

Thousands of Americans in communities across the country discarded more than 350 tons of unused, expired, or unwanted drugs as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Initiative on Saturday, September 26…This past weekend, more than 3,800 federal, state and local counterparts took in more than 702,365 pounds of unused, expired or unwanted drugs at more than 5,000 collection sites....

Montreal pharmacist who was fined a hefty $50,000 by the disciplinary council of the Quebec Order of Pharmacists for his lucrative, but unethical, practice of repackaging single doses of an expensive eye medication into three applications is now appealing the decision…John Di Genova,...has lost his license for 19 months　after the council concluded　that his repackaging of the drug Lucentis (ranibizumab),..was a violation of the professional code of pharmacists…After subdividing the single-dose…Di Genova proceeded to charge the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec for three full doses,…the Order found that Di Genova "illegally demanded money from the drug insurance board."

Summer was a busy season for FDA drug warnings...Now that fall is in full gear, pharmacists should get familiarized with the drug safety communications sent out this past summer...Here are the FDA’s medication safety alerts since June, starting with the most recent:

1. Ceftazidime and avibactam (Avycaz) - drug strength
2. Tramadol (Ultram, Ultram ER, Conzip) – pediatric use
3. Clozapine (Clozaril) – neutropenia management , REMS Program
4. Ingenol mebutate (Picato) - adverse reactions
5. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors - joint pain warning
6. Fingolimod (Gilenya) - progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
7. Gadolinium-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging - brain deposits
8. Vortioxetine (Brintellix) and ticagrelor (Brilinta) – name confusion
9. Codeine-containing cough-and-cold medications – pediatric use, respiratory conditions
10. Methylphenidate transdermal system (Daytrana patch) - permanent skin discoloration

Two brothers were arrested today on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges for allegedly utilizing a bogus pharmacy to obtain and distribute large quantities of prescription narcotics,..Berry Kabov, and Dalibor Kabov, 32, are charged in a 40-count indictment that also alleges they operated Global Compounding Pharmacy in West Los Angeles to illegally import large quantities of anabolic steroids… records show…Kabov brothers purchased massive quantities of drugs, including nearly 100,000 oxycodone pills, as well as tens of thousands of pills of hydrocodone…and hydromorphone...

The state is accusing the University of Washington Medical Center of not keeping critical pharmacy areas clean enough…Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission says this could affect public health, safety and welfare…"...daily cleaning of sterile compounding areas either had not occurred ... or were not documented."…It also found that, "multiple facility controls had rust, glue and dirt visibly present." And that there was "an open window to the area, high traffic in the area, and personnel who were not properly garbed."… both the director and manager of the Pharmacy - as well as the Pharmacy itself could face suspension or revocation of their licenses.