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To help pharmacists advise people on COVID-19 tests, FIP has...issued a guidance document produced by its SARS-CoV-2 Testing Working Group, which has evaluated the diagnostic testing methods and devices currently available...The document covers how different types of diagnostic tests work and the interpretation of results. It also addresses the question of whether or not the presence of antibodies confers immunity to SARS-CoV-2, and makes recommendations on information to give to patients who have tested positive or negative...READ MORE

FDA investigators cited Tennessee compounder Surgery Pharmacy Services for a host of cleanliness issues at its Chattanooga plant, including workers' failure to change gloves after removing trash bins and to sanitize supplies carried between clean rooms...Inspectors further knocked Surgery for using a laminate work surface in one of its clean rooms that was "worn, stained, and chipped," as well as using a nonsterile disinfectant to clean one of the rooms...READ MORE

Needs in the European Region in order for pharmacy to deliver breakthroughs for better primary health care are described in a new report...The report summarises the key messages from a conference for the European Region, held by FIP in collaboration the Turkish Pharmacists’ Association in 2019, which facilitated mapping and prioritisation of pharmaceutical practice, service, education and workforce development needs in the context of primary health care. At that conference, pharmacy leaders and pharmacists representing 37 countries in the region committed to deliver better primary health care through pharmacy, and the report presents findings of a survey of FIP member organisations conducted between June and September 2020 to evaluate national pharmacy priorities and strategies towards the implementation of that commitment...READ MORE

Despite multiple published guidelines and antimicrobial stewardship programs, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing persists. Can simple behavioral “nudges”—including low-hanging fruit such as tip sheets and posters, as well as default-choice restriction of microbiology lab reports to a list of selected antimicrobials—steer providers in the appropriate direction, thus reducing both the inappropriate use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance?...READ MORE

A draft NHS England report on overprescribing leaked to HSJ [paywall], proposes that the law should require wider access to healthcare data, in a bid to improve patient safety...The review carried out for health secretary, Matt Hancock, highlights the issue of poor interoperability between NHS computer systems, which means clinicians cannot see or understand what medications patients are taking or when a medication should be reviewed...According to report author, chief pharmaceutical officer Keith Ridge, prescribers should be identified in the electronic health record so they can be contacted by other clinicians. He adds that a free-text box should be created in EHRs so clinicians can explain why a certain medication has been prescribed...READ MORE

Police in Oakland and other East Bay cities have been dealing with a rash of brazen robberies and other incidents since Tuesday night...Among those businesses hit, was Oakland's longtime High Street Pharmacy...It started with a blow torch at the back door of the 73-year-old pharmacy, as seen on the store's surveillance cameras. Several men show up just after 10:30 p.m., cut their way through a metal back door and then the marathon begins...For five hours, until after 3:30 in the morning, dozens of people run into the pharmacy, smashing computers, wrecking displays, stealing drugs and other merchandise and ransacking a business that..."We feel like we deserve a little bit better," said owner Gareen Avakian, who told us she's heard from neighbors who called 911 almost as soon as the brazen break-in began. An alarm company also apparently tried to call, but Oakland police didn't respond for five hours...READ MORE

Walmart has filed suit against the United States Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration, asking a US District Court judge to clarify the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacies under the Controlled Substances Act...Although Walmart’s pharmacies have blocked “thousands” of questionable physicians from having their opioids scripts filled by its pharmacists, “certain DOJ officials have long seemed more focused on chasing headlines than fixing the crisis,” the retailer said. “They are now threatening a completely unjustified lawsuit against Walmart, claiming in hindsight pharmacists should have refused to fill otherwise valid opioid prescriptions that were written by the very doctors that the federal government still approves to write prescriptions.”...READ MORE

The online colossus opened an online pharmacy Tuesday that allows customers to order medication or prescription refills, and have them delivered to their front door in a couple of days...The potential impact of Amazon’s arrival in the pharmaceutical space rippled through that sector immediately. Before the opening bell, shares of CVS Health Corp. fell almost 9%. Walgreens and Rite Aid both tumbled more than 10%...Amazon will begin offering commonly prescribed medications Tuesday in the U.S., including creams, pills, as well as medications that need to stay refrigerated, like insulin. Shoppers have to set up a profile on Amazon’s website and have their doctors send prescriptions there. The company said it won’t ship medications that can be abused, including many opioids...READ MORE

Despite APhA’s concerns that compliance with certain Drug Supply Chain Security Act requirements undermines pandemic response efforts, FDA has confirmed that “dispensers,” including pharmacies, must meet a requirement that goes into effect on November 27, 2020. APhA and pharmacy partners had requested that FDA delay enforcement of certain portions of the DSCSA—also known as “track and trace”—mandate...READ MORE

The most pressing healthcare, health workforce and pharmaceutical education needs in sub-Saharan Africa are described in a report published...by FIP, alongside recommendations towards achieving universal health coverage. The new report, “FIP pharmacy education in sub-Saharan Africa”, documents the outcomes of the FIP-UNESCO UNITWIN Global Pharmacy Education Development Network, launched in 2010 to advance research, training and curriculum development in pharmacy education by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation worldwide...READ MORE