Bulletin Today
APhA staff
Dismissing patient and caregiver concerns is top risk to safety, ECRI finds
Dismissing patient, family, and caregiver concerns is the biggest threat to patient safety, according to ECRI. The organization said that time and resource constraints are making it increasingly difficult for health care providers to address patient concerns.
More than 94% of patients reported instances when their symptoms were ignored or dismissed by a physician, according to a survey from HealthCentral. In a spin on a popular slang term, this can be perceived by patients as “medical gaslighting,” which the American Journal of Medicine defines as “an act that invalidates a patient’s genuine clinical concern without proper medical evaluation.” Unlike the term “gaslighting,” medical gaslighting is not considered intentional.
Biases can contribute to this behavior and cause health providers to attribute symptoms to mental illness, age, or weight. This could lead to missed or delayed diagnoses.
“Most clinicians have a deep commitment to healing and protecting their patients and would never intentionally make a patient feel unheard, but it nevertheless happens with alarming frequency,” said Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of ECRI, in a statement. “Providing high-quality health care starts with truly listening to patients. When we value their input, we gain critical insights that improve patient outcomes and build trust. A health care system that prioritizes patient voices is one that delivers safer, more efficient, and more compassionate care for all.” ■
Vaping erases progress in reducing tobacco use
CDC researchers reported a decline of 6.8 million U.S. adults who smoke only cigarettes between 2017 and 2023. However, there was a 7.2 million-person increase in the number of people who exclusively use e-cigarettes or vapes. As a result, overall tobacco consumption has not meaningfully changed since 2017. CDC used data from the National Health Interview Survey to analyze the changes.
“Comprehensive strategies, such as price increases, smoke-free policies, high-impact media campaigns, and cessation support, are critical to preventing and reducing tobacco product use, nicotine addiction, and their associated adverse health outcomes,” researchers said.
The number of people who exclusively smoke cigarettes is at the lowest level in 60 years, but alternative tobacco products have ensured that tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. ■
Which older adults are more likely to receive an RSV vaccine?
In a study published on April 1, 2025, researchers foundthat sociodemographic differences in RSV vaccine uptake were evident with older adults. The team analyzed 6,746 adults 60 years and older hospitalized in 20 U.S. states from 2023 to 2024 and found that residents of long-term care facilities, a medically vulnerable population at high risk for severe RSV disease, were less likely to be vaccinated against RSV.
“Furthermore, patients with Medicaid insurance and uninsured patients, those with a high school education only, and those residing in areas of high social vulnerability were also less likely to be vaccinated, highlighting socioeconomic differences in vaccine uptake that have been observed in studies of other vaccines and national data on RSV vaccination,” wrote researchers.
RSV vaccines were recommended for U.S. adults 60 years or older only a few years ago, in 2023. During the 2023–2024 respiratory virus season, national vaccine coverage surveys estimated that 24% of adults 60 years or older in the United States received an RSV vaccine.
Overall, RSV-vaccinated patients were more likely to be older and have pulmonary disease or immunocompromizing conditions, suggesting evidence of appropriate prioritization of vaccine among some groups at increased risk of RSV disease.
The researchers hope the findings can inform future RSV vaccine outreach efforts. ■
Can capping cost sharing save money for Medicare beneficiaries?
A research letter published in JAMA on March 24, 2025, finds that a 2023 HHS proposal to cap cost sharing for Medicare beneficiaries at $2 for a monthly supply of select generic drugs has promise. Researchers analyzed savings projections based on 2021 Part D claims data.
The analysis included 101 covered generic drugs, with researchers looking at actual out-of-pocket payments for 381 million claims that year. Medicare patients paid a mean $5.30 per claim, they calculated. The estimate is more than what they would have paid if the proposed HHS model had been in place, limiting outlays to $2 for a 30-day supply, $4 for a 31- to 60-day supply, and $5 for a 61- to 90-day supply.
Instead of the actual $1.28 billion in out-of-pocket costs recorded for 2021, the Medicare $2 drug list model would have cut that amount by 63% to $751 million, according to the analysis.
However, the study authors noted that because those specific generic drugs generally had lower copayments, savings per beneficiary were modest, at only about $41.60 per patient for the year. “There is nonetheless potential for savings,” they concluded, as almost all Part D beneficiaries used one or more generics in 2023, but fewer than 20% were enrolled in plans limiting costs to $2 (or less) for a month’s supply. ■
FDA OKs first home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis
FDA has granted marketing authorization for the first diagnostic test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The single-use, at-home test, called the Visby Medical Women’s Sexual Health Test, can be purchased over the counter. The test is intended for females with or without symptoms and provides results in about 30 minutes. It includes a collection kit and a powered testing device that communicates securely with the Visby Medical App, which shows the results when available.
FDA said the test is able to correctly identify 98.8% of negative and 97.2% of positive Chlamydia trachomatis samples, 99.1% of negative and 100% of positive Neisseria gonorrhoeae samples, and 98.5% of negative and 97.8% of positive Trichomonas vaginalis samples.
Individuals who test positive for any of the three infections should seek medical care, and those with symptoms, recent exposure to an STI, or with other concerns despite a negative result should talk to their health care provider about additional testing. FDA reviewed the test under the De Novo premarket review pathway. ■
Pharmacy boards recognized for well-being
The Alaska Board of Pharmacy, Idaho Board of Pharmacy, and North Dakota Board of Pharmacy are paving the way for well-being in pharmacy. Earlier this year, they were awarded Wellbeing First Champion badges by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation.
As Wellbeing First Champions, these boards verified that their credentialing applications do not include any intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language.
“To serve patients and protect public health, it is imperative that health care workers feel empowered to seek help without fearing repercussions from their licensing boards,” said Lemrey “Al” Carter, PharmD, NABP executive director, in a statement. He said they look forward to seeing more boards of pharmacy receive their badges over the coming months. ■
Survey finds tech in pharmacies enhance in-person interactions with pharmacy team
New survey findings from CVS Health’s Rx Report found that 70% of patients surveyed said that in-person interactions with their pharmacy team are important and 48% indicated they might change pharmacies if they could only interact with their pharmacist digitally.
Pharmacists agree. The results also found that 95% of pharmacists surveyed said that in-person interactions with their patients are key to their care and outcomes.
The findings, CVS said, emphasize “the importance of a pharmacy experience that prioritizes human connection and uses technology to enhance, not replace, the pharmacy team.”
CVS’s digital-first approach, the company said, helps to create capacity for a broader role for pharmacy. “Our tech-enabled approach is key to ensuring a personalized, convenient, and accessible pharmacy experience and supporting our pharmacy colleagues, so they can spend more time on what matters most: patient care,” CVS said. ■