From the Desk of the CEO

FDA is drawing attention to dental problems linked to buprenorphine-containing medications that are dissolved under the tongue or placed against the inside of the cheek to treat opioid use disorder and pain.

Pharmacists are well aware that polypharmacy is a major issue among patients, especially older adults. Recent studies have estimated that approximately 36% of older adults take at least 5 prescription medications, and 67% take 5 or more medications or supplements, including OTCs.

To encourage the appropriate use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid), the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) released an alert for dispensing pharmacists.

A new study in JAMA Network Open analyzed data from more than 125,000 patients who received lower-extremity revascularization between 2014 and 2019.

CDC now advises all clinicians to talk to their patients who are sexually active, including adolescents, about HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at least once and to prescribe the prevention medication to anyone who requests them.