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The National Community Pharmacists Association announced the results from their latest survey, which found that nearly 90% of neighborhood pharmacies have experienced drug shortages since March 1, 2020, according to a press release...Among the most common drug shortages reported by neighborhood pharmacists were albuterol inhalers, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, as well as others that have seen spikes in demand since the outbreak began...READ MORE

Following the first approved Medicaid section 1135 waiver for Florida, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved 33 more waiver requests in the last 2 weeks....The waivers are intended to provide the states with relief during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic by providing states the flexibility to focus resources on managing the outbreak. Some waivers available under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act include temporary suspension of prior authorization requirements; extension of existing authorizations; modified timeline requirements for state fair hearings and appeals; and relaxed provider enrollment requirements to allow states to quickly enroll out-of-state or other new providers...READ MORE

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has been awarded a contract from the FDA to assess medication safety practices in the perioperative setting from the time patients are prepared for a procedure until they are discharged home...Due to the complexity and fast-paced setting of perioperative care procedures, ISMP’s Medication Safety Self-Assessment for Perioperative Settings will provide facilities with a way to examine their medication safety practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and compare their experiences over time with the aggregate experience of demographically similar organizations...READ MORE

The roles that pharmacists in community, hospital and clinical biology can play in preventing the spread of the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV and supporting the efficient management of infection by healthcare systems are outlined in a new document published by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) today. The document was developed by an emergency taskforce set up by FIP following the World Health Organization’s declaration that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a public health emergency of international concern...READ MORE

A coalition of national and local pharmacy organizations is praising the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to allow licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests during the new coronavirus disease pandemic...“The accessibility and distribution of retail and independent community-based pharmacies make pharmacists the first point of contact with a healthcare professional for many Americans,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett P. Giroir, MD...“This will further expand testing for Americans, particularly our healthcare workers and first responders who are working around the clock to provide care, compassion and safety to others.”...READ MORE

Doctors are hoarding medications touted as possible coronavirus treatments by writing prescriptions for themselves and family members, according to pharmacy boards in states across the country...The stockpiling has become so worrisome in Idaho, Kentucky, Ohio, Nevada, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Texas that the boards in those states have issued emergency restrictions or guidelines on how the drugs can be dispensed at pharmacies. More states are expected to follow suit...None of the drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for that use. Some of them — including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine — are commonly used to treat malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions...Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, said state boards across the country were “trying to stop the hoarding and inappropriate prescribing, but balancing what patients need.”...READ MORE

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.

CVS Health Corp said that it will launch two new drive-through COVID-19 testing sites in Georgia and Rhode Island...using new, faster tests than had previously been available, with up to four more locations to follow...The company said both drive-through testing sites will use testing equipment made by Abbott Laboratories that can deliver results within minutes. It expects to be able to perform around 1,000 tests per day at each site...“We want to get some experience under our belt with these sites and understand exactly sort of what the volume looks like. And we’ll also be improving the logistics associated with each of the sites over time,” CVS Chief Medical Officer Troy Brennan said...READ MORE

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

Chain pharmacies and US government agencies are doing everything they can to mitigate shortages of facemasks, hand sanitizers, and other products as consumers rush to purchase supplies due to coronavirus...fears..."The extreme demand in some areas certainly is affecting supplies," Chris Krese, spokesperson for NACDS, told Drug Topics®...Meanwhile, the FDA announced the first drug shortage due to COVID-19, but declined to list the drug in shortage...This information is considered proprietary...hand sanitizers and facemasks have been virtually stripped from store shelves, and that Amazon, Walmart, and other retailers’ web sites are running out of affordable hand sanitizers..."Due to high demand and to support all customers, we will be limiting the number of sanitization, cold and flu-related products to 5 each per order," Kroger said on its website...READ MORE