- FDA Amends Liver Warning Labeling Guidance for Some OTC Drugs Containing Acetaminophen (raps.org)Acetaminophen Guidance for Industry (fda.gov)
Food and Drug Administration…unveiled amended guidance on the liver warnings that must be contained in labels of some over-the-counter drugs containing acetaminophen, saying it will allow manufacturers in some cases to warn patients against taking more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours… helps to clarify certain cases where manufacturers of internal analgesic, antipyretic and antirheumatic OTC drugs would be able to change liver warnings when the product’s directions for use result in a maximum daily dose of acetaminophen that is less than 4,000 mg for adults… FDA says that the optional statement, “for this product,” from the original warning is intended to help consumers understand that the maximum number of daily dosage units for a product might not reflect the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen… in certain circumstances, despite this optional statement, the wording might be interpreted as indicating that severe liver damage is associated with a total daily dose of acetaminophen that is less than 4,000 mg, which “is not the intent of the regulation.”
- Walgreens on Las Vegas Strip draws eight-figure sales price (staradvertiser.com)
...this Walgreens isn't your usual neighborhood pharmacy…Then again, it's not in a typical neighborhood. It's on the Strip, and investors have again paid big money for the building in America's gambling and party mecca…The 1.6-acre property, on Las Vegas Boulevard at Convention Center Drive, sold for $37 million on Friday, up 33 percent from what the sellers paid in 2012.
- Why You Should Have a Travel Section in Your Pharmacy (pharmacytimes.com)How to Market Travel Services at Your Pharmacy (pharmacytimes.com)
Beverly Schaefer, RPh, of Katterman's Sand Point Pharmacy in Seattle, Washington, talks about the benefits of having a travel section in a pharmacy.
- Drug Disposal Data Raises Questions Over Mail-Order Pharmacies (specialtypharmacytimes.com)
Mail-order disposals involve more expensive brand-name medications than retail disposals…Medication waste may be more likely among patients who use mail-order pharmacies, rather than retail pharmacies…also…mail-order disposals tend to involve more expensive brand-name medications than retail disposals…disposals that had more than 80% of the medication remaining were more likely to be from mail-order pharmacies than retail pharmacies...which raises questions about nonadherence among mail-order patients…patients who disposed 100% of their medication were more likely to have received their medication via mail-order pharmacies…the patient did not take any of it and, likely, the medication was not needed in the first place and should not have been shipped…medication…returned for disposal was more likely to be brand-name medication when it came from mail-order refill patients. Since brand-name medication is typically more expensive, it was money down the drain…
- Rite Aid launches genetic testing for Rx (chaindrugreview.com)Theranos isn’t the only diagnostics company exploiting regulatory loopholes (theverge.com)
Rite Aid Corp. has begun offering Harmonyx Diagnostics genetic testing for medications, making it the nation’s first drug chain to provide the service…Rite Aid said…that the self-administered oral swab test — available in all of its pharmacies…helps patients determine the efficacy of their prescription medication based on their genetic makeup…Patients can buy the test kit at any Rite Aid…In the pharmacy, patients then swab inside their cheek, and then a Rite Aid pharmacist takes the sample and returns it to Harmonyx for processing. Harmonyx provides a state-licensed physician to review each patient’s test, and detailed results are sent to the pharmacist and the treating doctor. The results are received as soon as 24 hours after the laboratory receives the test, according to Rite Aid.
- IMO warns on dangers of allowing pharmacists to take on the role of doctors (imo.ie)
“Pharmacy is first and foremost a commercial enterprise and allowing pharmacists powers to prescribe and treat patients will lead to serious conflicts of interest.”…The President of the Irish Medical Organisation has issued a strong warning of the risks that will arise for patient health and safety if pharmacists are given permission to expand their role into areas which are more properly undertaken by doctors. Due to economic reasons pharmacists are seeking to expand their professional roles and move their scope of practice into the treatment and management of patients thus undermining the role of doctors and the patient/doctor relationship. Dr. Ray Walley said that the IMO (Irish Medical Organisation) will strongly oppose attempts to allow pharmacists increase their roles in respect of activities like managing repeat prescriptions, diagnosing minor ailments, Chronic Disease Management and any further expansion of vaccination programmes.
- Pharmacy staffing levels can threaten patient lives (drugtopics.modernmedicine.com)
The pharmacy profession is in jeopardy if it does not respond to the immediate crisis of the understaffing of pharmacies, especially those affiliated with chain stores. This understaffing has become increasingly apparent with the recent injunction and monetary fine of $502,000 given to Walgreens for not providing consultation services…A leading cause of mortality is medication errors, 21% of which result from dispensing errors…reasons for errors…too many telephone calls, overload, too many patients, no one available to double-check, illegible/misinterpreted prescription, and staff shortage…Non-provision of consulting services also contributes to the issue of medication non-adherence. Only half of the 3.2 billion prescriptions dispensed in the United States are taken as prescribed. Approximately 125,000 deaths are linked to medication non-adherence annually…Despite multiple citations and fines imposed on chain pharmacies, and lawsuits brought on behalf of the general public, chain corporations still fail to counsel patients, and the result is a steady stream of medication errors.
- 5 Tips to Keep Patients Loyal to Your Pharmacy (pharmacytimes.com)What Makes Patients Loyal to a Pharmacy? (pharmacytimes.com)Pharmacy Mistakes That Can Disrupt Patient Loyalty (pharmacytimes.com)
Once a pharmacy has attracted a solid base of patients, the next step is keeping them coming…pharmacies can maintain a loyal community of patients…patients are on autopilot, so their habits may lead them to the same pharmacy every time. However, other patients may have medications filled at multiple pharmacies, and some of them may be looking for a home base…Here are 5 tips to keep patients loyal to your pharmacy:
- Let patients know what you do, and tell your story
- Implement an adherence program
- Investigate your pharmacy’s challenges
- Know your market
- Find your niche
- Statement by the Irish Pharmacy Union in response to IMO attack on community pharmacy (ipu.ie)
The IPU (Irish Pharmacy Union) has reacted angrily to claims made in a statement about Community Pharmacists issued by the IMO (Irish Medical Organisation) this afternoon, calling it an ‘unprecedented and unfounded attack on the pharmacy profession’…The IMO claim, ‘that there is a risk to patient’s health and safety if pharmacists are given permission to expand their role into areas which are more properly undertaken by doctors’ goes against international evidence that clearly shows the benefits of expanding the role of pharmacists in areas such as providing treatment for minor ailments and vaccination services…Various GP organisations have pointed out that general practice in Ireland currently faces a manpower crisis, which they claim will be worsened by the expansion of free GP care. In England, Scotland and Canada, where demand for GP services exceeds the available capacity, the unique skills and expertise of pharmacists have been used to enhance access to healthcare, generating considerable benefits to both patients and the State...
- Challenges of Pain: Part 2 – Pharmacies in the crosshairs: Prescription drug crime and law enforcement (pharmacist.com) Pharmacy Crime: A Look at Pharmacy Burglary and Robbery in the United States and the Strategies and Tactics Needed to Manage the Problem (apps.phmic.com)Challenges of Pain: Part 1: Impact of government responses on frontline pharmacists and patients (pharmacist.com)
…law enforcement side of prescription drug abuse—including the rise in pharmacy crime, such as robberies, and second in Pharmacy Today’s “Challenges of Pain” series. The series shows how pharmacists and their patients with legitimate pain needs are affected by issues and efforts around prescription drug abuse.
- Concern for pharmacists’ safety
- Preventing robberies: Start with the basics
- DEA adds to its focus
- GAO report: Questions raised about DEA’s approach
- GAO surveys of DEA registrants
- DEA: Patient access not affected
- Be aware and prepared