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UNLV will launch a program this fall that allows students to earn both a medical doctor and master of business administration degree in five years...The university will join about half of the nation’s MD-granting medical schools — including University of Nevada, Reno — that already offer a similar dual degree program...For leadership roles in medicine — particularly, in hospital leadership — a master of business administration (MBA) or equivalent degree is often recommended or required...READ MORE

A few state lawmakers are hoping to establish greater legislative oversight over how the state spends billions of dollars in opioid settlement funds projected to be won by the attorney general in litigation throughout the next decade...SB390, a bill presented by Sen. Julia Ratti (D-Sparks) and sponsored by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, would create a state fund to house proceeds from opioid settlements, such as the $45 million Nevada is set to receive from the settlement of a lawsuit against consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which provided services for opioid manufacturers...READ MORE

In stark contrast to earlier this year, Clark County has plenty of COVID-19 vaccine this week, as well as staff to administer it and space in which to do so. Local public health officials now face a different challenge...“Now we need people to come and get vaccinated,” JoAnn Rupiper, chief administrative nurse for the Southern Nevada Health District, said...READ MORE

Fourth-year students in the UNLV School of Medicine’s first graduating class participated Friday in Match Day to find out where they’ll do their residency...The school held a small outdoor ceremony at its Shadow Lane campus in central Las Vegas. Each student was allowed to invite one guest to the ceremony, which was streamed live online...At 9 a.m., each student opened a deck of playing cards and pulled out one saying where they’ll spend the next three to seven years doing a residency in their chosen specialty...Match Day happened Friday across the United States — and even internationally — for students to learn which U.S. residency program they’re matched with. Touro University Nevada in Henderson and University of Nevada, Reno, also held events...READ MORE

When Gov. Steve Sisolak proposed establishing a Patient Protection Commission to conduct a top-to-bottom review of Nevada’s health care system, he told industry representatives that his goal was compromise — and that those not working toward that goal could lose their seats at the table...Under a bill Sisolak put forward and the Legislature approved in 2019, the commission was established as an industry-heavy body, with a few patient and general public representatives added in, that would come together to address pressing health care issues in the state — in the vein of an industry working group that had successfully compromised on surprise emergency room billing legislation earlier that year...READ MORE

A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to bilking North Carolina Medicaid out of $13 million, prompting the forfeiture of an airplane, a sports car, a pickup, land and luxury jewelry...Timothy Harron, 52, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Authorities said the guilty plea requires him to forfeit cash and luxury items...READ MORE

Nevada was awarded $30.2 million from the Centers for Disease Control to beef up the state’s COVID-19 vaccine program, including a push to vaccinate communities of color...“Millions of Americans are getting vaccinated every day, but we need to ensure that we are reaching those in the communities hit hardest by this pandemic,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said... “This investment will support state and local health departments and community-based organizations as they work on the frontlines to increase vaccine access, acceptance, and uptake.”...READ MORE

Four years after passing the state’s first drug transparency law, lawmakers may finally put dollars behind the effort as they continue to build upon the original legislation this session...Members of the Senate Finance Committee this week considered a $780,000 fiscal note from the Department of Health and Human Services on the latest drug transparency bill, SB380, which would allow state health officials to transfer the existing drug transparency database to the state’s Enterprise Information Technology Services Division, where it would live and be maintained moving forward. It also would allow the state to hire a pharmacist to manage the drug transparency program and a management analyst to assist with the program’s facilitation...READ MORE

• Electronic Prescribing Mandate for Controlled Substances
• National Pharmacy Compliance News
• Guidelines, Materials Available to Health Care Providers for Safely Administering COVID-19 Vaccines
• FDA Issues Guidance to Protect Consumers From Methanol Poisoning
• Standardize Concentrations for Oral Liquid Preparations
• Opioid Use Disorder Educational Programs, Resources Available for Pharmacists
• National Diabetes Prevention Program – How Pharmacists Can Get Involved
• Surgery Patients Receive More Opioids in the US Than in Other Countries
• Study Finds 94% Drop in Symptomatic COVID-19 Cases With Pfizer’s Vaccine
• NABP Executive Director/Secretary Addresses Pharmacists’ Involvement in COVID-19 Vaccination During FIP Webinar

Nevada has struck a $45 million settlement deal with McKinsey & Company for the global consulting firm’s role in advising opioid makers how to sell more prescription painkillers amid a national overdose crisis...The western state reached the deal after sitting out a multi-state settlement with McKinsey announced in February. The hard bargaining has allowed Nevada to win a settlement that’s three and a half times larger than the average settlement with other states...READ MORE