We averted the “twindemic” last year, but as hospitalizations from the COVID-19 Delta variant have increased, experts are feeling certain the country could be in for a difficult influenza cycle that could strain the health care system.

Loren Bonner

Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, there is legal protection from liability for those who perform specially authorized emergency activities during a pandemic.

David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD

Patients, particularly pediatric patients, can be harmed when medications are reconstituted improperly, or not reconstituted at all.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, PA

Patients may be unpleasantly surprised by a new rule finalized by CMS in July 2020—potentially forcing them to abandon their prescriptions due to unaffordable drug costs.

Clarissa Chan, PharmD

The number of adults using central nervous system (CNS) stimulants grew by approximately 80% over a 5-year period, according to new findings published in BMJ Open in August 2021.

Loren Bonner

As the holiday season approaches, pharmacists and their patients find themselves, like everyone, sandwiched between the grief brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the gratitude and thanksgiving of the upcoming holiday.

Sonya Collins

Updates from FDA

In the ongoing aftermath of the opioid crisis, it’s common for physicians to attempt to wean some patients off of opioids in favor of alternative means of pain management.

Sonya Collins

On September 9, 2021, HHS made its 9th amendment to the PREP Act to expand the authority of licensed pharmacists as well as certain pharmacy interns’ and pharmacy technicians’ to deliver COVID-19 therapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies.

Rachel Balick

“Paul” was sick with COVID-19 and starting to have trouble breathing. But when he went to the local emergency department (ED) on a Friday evening, they turned him away because they didn’t have any more beds. As a last resort, he went to De Queen Health and Wellness Pharmacy in De Queen, AR, where he heard he could get treatment.

Sonya Collins

Lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD), a strong predictor for future adverse cardiovascular outcomes, remains underrecognized in current clinical practice, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published online July 28, 2021, in Circulation.

Maria G. Tanzi, PharmD

In community pharmacies across the United States, ivermectin prescriptions averaged 3,600 prescriptions per week pre-pandemic to 88,000 per week during the pandemic in August 2021. This represents a 24-fold increase from the pre-pandemic baseline, according to CDC Health Alert Network.

Clarissa Chan, PharmD

Recent studies have shown an increase in alcoholrelated digestive and liver diseases as alcohol consumption grew during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients may embrace milk thistle—which has been promoted as a dietary supplement for hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice, diabetes, and indigestion—to protect the liver from environmental toxins.

Mickie Cathers

Improper oral hygiene is a direct cause of dental cavities, periodontal disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), halitosis, and some cases of denture-related discomfort. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many
people have postponed preventive services such as routine dental exams, which has led to a significant uptick in people with these types of conditions.

Daniel L. Krinsky, RPh, MS

Trending Topics in Health-System Pharmacy

COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in the United States. As a result of this surge, increased demand for COVID-19 treatments has strained supply.

Joey Sweeney, PharmD, BCPS

As part of FDA’s Compounding Incidents Program, pharmacists can share with the agency any identified potential issues with compounded products.

Maria G. Tanzi, PharmD

Pharmacists have all heard the phrase “children are not little adults.” It’s popular for a reason: it represents the dangers of simply scaling adult drug dosages to children.

Corey Diamond, PharmD

This third and concluding part of the series reviews 5 additional agents (see table on page 56) marketed in 2020: cefiderocol sulfate tosylate (Fetroja– Shionogi), fostemsavir tromethamine (Rukobia–Viiv), oliceridine fumarate (Olinvyk–Trevena), cenobamate (Xcopri–SK Life Science), and amisulpride (Barhemsys–Acacia).

Daniel A. Hussar, PhD

APhA Member News

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At the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals last month, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) and North Dakota delivered oral arguments in litigation over state laws regulating some PBM practices.

Rachel Balick