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Washoe County Health District reports gastrointestinal illness outbreaks in schools and daycares have sickened 1,762 staffers and faculty as of ..Oct. 23...A Health District spokesman says a total of 17 schools continue to be in outbreak mode, including 15 schools, one daycare and one charter school.

Next week, on October 27 and 28, the FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee is reviewing ten (nine) active pharmaceutical ingredients to be included on the list of approved bulk drugs that traditional compounders can use in preparing prescriptions. As required within 503A, a bulk ingredient must have an applicable USP monograph, be a component of an FDA approved drug, or be added to an official list authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The ten (nine) drugs to be reviewed were nominated by stakeholders…in response to formal requests issued by the agency…FDA has released documents for the PCAC that show their recommendations on each of the nominated drugs. (each item, FDA does not recommend addition to the approved bulk ingredient list)

1. Methylsulfonylmethane
2. Curcumin
3. Germanium Sesquioxide
4. Rubidium Chloride
5. Deoxy-D-Glucose
6. Alanyl–L-Glutamine
7. Glycyrrhizin
8. Glutaraldehyde
9. Domperidone

In a setback to AbbVie, the Food and Drug Administration yesterday warned of liver damage from its two hepatitis C treatments, setting off a chain reaction that is reverberating across the pharmaceutical industry. With as many as seven patient deaths and several liver transplants attributed to the drugs, AbbVie stock plummeted and Wall Street fortune tellers went to work betting on winners and losers…FDA review found five cases that were probably related to the drugs, called Viekira Pak and Technivie…Another five were possibly related. Of the 10 patients, seven died and each seemed to have advanced liver disease or cirrhosis before using the drug. So the FDA is not willing to rule out the possibility that “some events might have occurred even if the patient hadn’t received treatment.”

…let’s take a look at how pharmaceutical wholesalers benefit from inflation in brand-name drugs…Growing drug prices are boosting wholesalers’ top-line revenues…the twelve months ending June 30, 2015, U.S. drug distribution revenues …reached a record $353 billion… wholesalers also generate substantial gross profits as prices increase...agreements with manufacturer and negotiations with customers, however, reduce wholesalers’ ability to retain the full benefit...A wholesaler’s basic business model remains straightforward: Buy low, sell high, collect early, and pay late. These four offsets highlight how wholesalers should never promise what they can’t deliver.

• INFLATION GIVETH
• THE MARKET TAKETH

Join Together Northern Nevada teamed up…with UNR's Medical School to educate community members about a Sacramento-based pilot program that's treating addiction with a non-narcotic, non-addictive drug (naltrexone)…Prescription drug abuse is the number one growing problem in the country and Nevada is one of the highest-ranked states when it comes to prescription painkillers…"It's a big problem; we're the number two prescriber of oxycodone and hydrocodone in the nation,"…"People may not want to intentionally abuse prescription drugs but let's say they get injured, they take a narcotic prescription painkiller and become addicted to it, then they just keep coming back for more."...

Sam Kaufman has been named the chief executive officer of Henderson Hospital…He will also continue serving as the CEO of Desert Springs Hospital…has set two initial goals for the 142-bed, $168 million facility…"We want to be operational by late October of 2016, staffed with employees who care as much about an excellent patient experience as I do," said Kaufman. "We're also working with Ensemble Real Estate Solutions to lease and manage a medical office building adjacent to Henderson Hospital"

Eli Lilly & Co., seeking to rebound from declining sales, reported third-quarter profit that topped analysts’ estimates and raised its forecast for the year as revenue from key drugs exceeded expectations…Adjusted earnings of 89 cents a share beat the average analyst estimate of 76 cents. Revenue rose 2 percent to $4.96 billion, compared with the $4.98 billion average projection of analysts. Lilly shares climbed 3.5 percent to $79.71 in early trading. (video, John Lechleiter, CEO)

University of Nevada School of Medicine is asking residents of Minden and Gardnerville to open their homes and hearts to medical students studying in their community later this year…Starting now, some members of the Class of 2016 will begin their four-week small community rotation requirement in these communities. The required program for graduation relies on the goodwill and generosity of community members to help house students during their four-week rotation…"We have placed students in the Minden and Gardnerville area in the past and hope we can rely on the town's willingness to do so again this year," said Jamie Anderson, director, Rural Medical Education for the medical school. "Our students have truly loved learning about these communities and working with the physicians there."

Ron Lanton with True North Political Solutions interviews Jennifer Mallon, VP & General Counsel of NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association) on the Health Policy Check-up segment. Ms. Mallon gives great insight on the status of PBM (pharmacy benefit manager) litigation in IA and AR that affects pharmacy.  (podcast 19 min)

James Schiffer, RPh, associate at Allegaert Berger & Vogel LLC, talks about the 18 times he was burglarized over the course of his career.