From the Desk of the CEO

On April 30, FDA announced the approval of a higher dosage of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray (Kloxxado—Hikma Pharmaceuticals) to treat opioid overdose. The newly approved product delivers 8 mg of naloxone into the nasal cavity, compared with previously approved 2- and 4-mg naloxone nasal spray products.

Pregnant women should get the COVID-19 vaccine, said CDC. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, noted at a White House briefing that vaccination surveillance systems found “no safety concerns” for more than 35,000 women in their third trimester or for their babies.

Annual cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States continued to increase in 2019, hitting an all-time high for the sixth consecutive year, according to new CDC data.

More than 87,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in the 12-month period that ended in September 2020, according to preliminary CDC data, which indicate that the U.S. drug overdose mortality rate increased last year.

Patients will be coming to pharmacists with questions and concerns as the recommendation to suspend use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson, J&J) vaccine remains in place.