Bulletin Today
APhA staff
GLP-1s could increase ophthalmic issues for patients with T2D
According to results of a large, retrospective cohort study in JAMA Network Open, regular screening for diabetic retinopathy is recommended for all patients with T2D receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists.
The research team analyzed data from 185,066 adults with T2D who were prescribed GLP-1s. They observed a modestly elevated risk of developing diabetic retinopathy compared with non-users.
No statistically significant association was found between GLP-1 therapy and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
Additionally, a subgroup analysis of more than 32,000 patients with baseline diabetic retinopathy found no association between GLP-1 use and progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema.
Treatment in this population correlated with lower risks of vitreous hemorrhage, neovascular glaucoma, and blindness, according to the findings, which were published August 11, 2025.
The study authors emphasized the importance of ongoing retinal monitoring for all individuals with T2D receiving GLP-1s, regardless of diabetic retinopathy status, to detect and manage potential ocular complications. ■
OTC birth control option seems to correlate with initiation
Recent evidence suggests that over the counter availability may improve equitable access to and uptake of oral contraception. An August 18, 2025, study published in JAMA Network Open found a high proportion of patients switched to OTC progestin-only tablets from an inferior contraceptive method or no protection at all when the over the counter option was available.
Having the over the counter option correlated to a 31.8% increase in patients initiating oral contraception after not using any contraception and a 41.0% gain in patients switching from condoms, emergency contraception, or other less-effective methods to OTC oral contraception, according to the study.
“As reproductive health care access faces growing threats, OTC contraception offers a promising strategy to support reproductive autonomy and reduce disparities in contraceptive use,” the authors concluded. “Improving community awareness of this option and insurance reimbursement policies will be essential to ensure equitable access and sustained impact.”
The study included 986 U.S. females aged 15 to 45 years who obtained oral contraception online or in a store between April 2024—when the OTC option of birth control was made available—and February 2025. Approximately one-third of them purchased the product without a prescription. ■
JCCP releases revised Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process
An updated version of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP), a resource meant to foster the delivery of person-centered care, is now available.
The Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCCP), with representation from 14 national pharmacy organizations, launched the modernization effort in June 2023. They spent the next 2 years reviewing the original 2014 document, assessing trends in the evolving landscape of health care in general and pharmacy in particular, sifting through internal and public feedback, and holding consensus meetings on proposed revisions.
The end result is the 2025 PPCP, which focuses on the use of person-centered language; health equity, health disparities, and social determinants of health; team-based care; and pharmacists’ growing scope of practice, along with new patient care delivery modalities.
As the PPCP rollout gets underway, a JCPP task force will create messaging and communication strategies to deploy the new resource, which is intended for all pharmacy practice settings, and will help with understanding what it means. ■
Pharmacists, prescribers are frustrated with prior authorization
A survey from Surescripts found that 94% of pharmacists and prescribers say that the prior authorization process for medications contributes to burnout. Specifically, 81% of pharmacists cited difficulty in getting a response from the prescriber as a major obstacle.
Additionally, 87% of pharmacists and 89% of prescribers indicated in the survey that prior authorization requirements have negative effects on patient health outcomes, with 87% of pharmacists and 70% of prescribers noting the process often or always causes treatment delays.
Almost 50% of pharmacists and 40% of prescribers indicated that the process frequently causes patients to abandon treatment. Still, 94% of prescribers noted there were benefits related to being able to obtain prior authorization for medications electronically in real time, at the point of care, while 91% indicated they were open to implementing this type of process. Being able to electronically process prior authorization for prescriptions would improve patient interactions, according to 92% of prescribers. ■
Quality of OUD treatment in Medicare is low, lags behind Medicaid
Many Medicare beneficiaries with OUD receive inadequate care, according to new research published in the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs.
Researchers looked at Medicare enrollment, claims, and encounter data in 2020 to determine whether the care provided to older adults with OUD was in accordance with eight nationally recognized quality measures. The metrics included engagement, emergency department follow-up visits at 7 and 30 days, hospitalization follow up at 7 and 30 days, and use of pharmacotherapy for OUD.
The share of Medicare beneficiaries with OUD whose OUD treatment met all eight quality measures was less than 40%—and it was less than 30% for six measures. Only a small fraction of beneficiaries received high-quality OUD care, from a low of 11% for engagement in treatment to a high of 38% for hospital follow up within 30 days.
Additionally, when compared with the three measures for which Medicaid data was available, the quality of OUD treatment among Medicare recipients was much lower.
“Our analysis of treatment in accordance with these metrics in Medicare revealed that the quality of OUD treatment for Medicare beneficiaries was low and lagged behind that for Medicaid enrollees,” the researchers wrote. “Routine monitoring by CMS using these measures would inform the development of policies to improve OUD treatment for Medicare beneficiaries.” ■
Pharmacists could benefit from more education on e-cigs and vaping
While pharmacists recognize themselves as obvious providers to address the teen vaping epidemic, a new study published in the July–August 2025 issue of JAPhA finds that many pharmacists don’t feel knowledgeable on the topic of e-cigarettes.
For the study, researchers interviewed 30 pharmacists practicing in Wisconsin. They were recruited through pharmacy organizations’ email listservs.
“Almost all pharmacists interviewed said they were interested in participating in continuing education to expand their knowledge on the subject and better serve their communities,” the authors wrote. E-cigarettes, as a new form of tobacco use, are not typically part of the pharmacy school curriculum.
Participants even noted that continuing education should come in a variety of formats, with a range of topics, including health risks associated with e-cigarette use, comparisons to traditional cigarettes, and vaping cessation resources.
The study findings also support the use of an educational tool, such as the Ph-EVER, for parents and adolescents to help pharmacists address adolescent vaping. ■