Formulary Watch |

Joint Commission raises awareness of unsafe injection practices

To raise awareness of the prevalence of unsafe injection practices, the Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert to educate healthcare organizations and healthcare workers on the risks of misusing vials of injectable medical products.

Chronic hep C: More effective, better-tolerated therapies still needed, researchers say

Future therapies for chronic hepatitis C that have greater tolerability, simplified dosing schedules, shorter treatment duration, and more favorable safety profiles are needed to improve adherence and enhance treatment effectiveness, according to an abstract published in Value in Health. Treatments with fewer contraindications are also needed to expand available treatments to more patients in need of effective therapy.

Metformin controls blood sugar more effectively in African Americans: Study

African Americans taking the diabetes drug metformin saw greater improvements in their blood sugar control than white patients who were prescribed the same medication, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

5 ways to manage sepsis

Sepsis or “severe infection” has returned as a major cause of death in inpatients, and disability among survivors, according to a new issue brief from the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation (CHRT).

FDA approves first hemophilia A drug to extend interval between prophylactic infusions in adults and children

FDA has approved Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Fc Fusion Protein (Eloctate, Biogen Idec) for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes, perioperative (surgical) management and routine prophylaxis in adults and children with hemophilia A.

Drugs in Perspective: Zohydro ER (hydrocodone bitartrate extended release)

Pain management is gradually becoming a topic of conversation and gaining considerable attention as it relates to providing quality services for those with acute or chronic pain ailments. Pain can affect millions of Americans and it contributes significantly to national rates of morbidity, mortality, and disability.

Study bolsters support of ibrutinib as second-line therapy in CLL treatment

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) outperformed ofatumumab as a second-line therapy, for the treatment of relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to a multicenter interim study published in the OnLine First edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Cigna uses predictive risk modeling to identify patients likely to benefit from aggressive LDL-C lowering statin treatment

In a move that is intended to foster access to cholesterol-lowering therapy for patients who will best benefit, Cigna has entered into a first-of-its-kind contract with AstraZeneca to help ensure that patients are given an appropriate cholesterol-lowering medication based on their treatment needs.

Merck to boost hep C drug portfolio with Idenix purchase

The acquisition of biopharmaceutical company Idenix Pharmaceuticals by Merck exemplifies the strong market opportunity in the hepatitis C market, according to industry watchers.

ASCO: Second-line treatment with ramucirumab with standard docetaxel extends survival in NSCLC

Ramucirumab (Cyramza) combined with docetaxel (Taxotere) extended overall survival 1.4 months in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when compared to standard second-line therapy (Taxotere alone), according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

ASCO: Bortezomib-based regimen shows improved outcomes for mantle cell lymphoma

A bortezomib (Velcade)-based regimen significantly improved progression free survival (PFS) and consistently improved secondary efficacy end points in previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients compared to standard therapy, according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

ASCO: Ceritinib shrank tumors in most patients with ALK+ NSCLC regardless of prior ALK treatment

Ceritinib (Zykadia) previously known as LDK378,shrank tumors in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including those who had received previous treatment with an ALK inhibitor as well as patients receiving one for the first time, according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. Results were also observed in patients with ALK+ NSCLC who entered the study with brain metastases.

Pneumonia patients treated with azithromycin had lower risk of death, small increased risk of heart attack

In older adults hospitalized with pneumonia, treatment that included azithromycin compared with other antibiotics was associated with a significantly lower risk of death and a slightly increased risk of heart attack, according to a study in the June 4 issue of JAMA.

Delay in filling clopidogrel prescription after coronary stent linked to adverse clinical outcomes

A delay in filling the first prescription for clopidogrel after coronary stenting is associated with an increased risk of death and myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online May 28 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

[BLOG]: Effective collaboration can help to mitigate drug shortages

Patients across the country continue to feel the impact of critical prescription drug shortages. As formulary managers understand, an integrated approach to solving shortages, involving all supply chain stakeholders, can have a profound effect on mitigating the impact of shortages on patients.

Prescription drug abuse drives heroin use increases among suburban, rural whites

Heroin use has become pervasive in all sectors, inner cities, suburbs and rural areas. It is no longer an isolated problem, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

FDA drug approvals-June 2014

FDA actions in brief, breakthrough therapy designations, fast-track designations, first-time generic approval

BLOG: The goal of vaccines: It’s worth a shot

When vaccines eradicate illnesses (eg, smallpox), life is grand. However, when eradication is impossible (eg, pneumococcus), what is the goal of vaccination? The most essential vaccine function is to reduce the number and/or severity of infections.

MERS, an interferon/innate immune deficiency state, continues to surge

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is an infectious viral disease with about 30% mortality caused by viral pneumonia and associated lung damage. The etiologic agent of MERS, MERS-CoV, is a member of the coronavirus family. Coronaviruses are responsible for a variety of pathologic effects in a broad spectrum of vertebrates including the virus currently responsible for epidemic piglet deaths in hog farms in the United States. The pathogenicity of MERS is due, in part, to the innate immune deficiency state that results from inhibition of a first responder to viral infection, interferon (IFN).

FDA approves panitumumab plus FOLFOX for wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer

FDA has approved panitumumab (Vectibix, Amgen) for use in combination with FOLFOX, an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen, as first-line treatment in patients with wild-type KRAS (exon 2) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Keys to managing Alzheimers: Accurate diagnosis, education

Timely and accurate diagnosis, as well as patient access to local resources, are key to managing Alzheimer’s, according to a report from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Screen high-risk people for hepatitis B: USPSTF

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is taking a stand on trying to reduce the incidence of hepatitis B (HBV) by recommending that individuals who are at high risk of infection should be screened.

FDA approves new IV antibacterial drug used to treat adults with skin infections

FDA has approved dalbavancin (Dalvance, Durata Therapeutics) for injection for the treatment of adult patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Investigational drug in phase 3 study has potential to be first DMARD for knee osteoarthritis

With global disability concerns rising, Voltarra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Menzies Research Institute at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia, have initiated a phase 3, randomized multicenter clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of VOLT01 for controlling knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Botulinum toxin injection may ward off postop AFib

Injecting botulinum toxin injection into the epicardial fat pads prevented recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmia in the postoperative period in patients with prior paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, according to results of a study presented at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting in San Francisco.

Afatinib shows improvement in overall survival in lung cancer patients whose tumors have the most common EGFR mutation: Study

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have the most common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (exon 19 deletion) lived longer if treated with first-line afatinib (Gilotrif) compared to chemotherapy, according to data presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), in Chicago.

Pirfenidone reduces disease progression of IPF

Pirfenidone (Esbriet), an oral antifibrotic therapy, was able to reduce progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and reduce the risk of mortality, according to phase 3 trial results presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego.

FDA approves treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s

FDA has approved vedolizumab (Entyvio, Takeda) injection to treat adult patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and adult patients with moderate to severe Crohn‘s disease.

Fixed-dose combination shows improved lung function in COPD patients: Study

The fixed-dose combination of tiotropium and olodaterol (T+O FDC) has the potential to become a viable once-daily chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment, according to data presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference, in San Diego.

Study: Statins don’t reduce mortality rates or days off the breathing machine in sepsis-associated ARDS

Clinicians should not start or continue statins in patients with sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), according to a study published in the May 18, 2014, New England Journal of Medicine, along with accompanying editorials evaluating the research’s goals and outcomes.