Formulary Watch |

Pilot program explores use of 2D barcodes in vaccine record-keeping

In an effort to help facilitate accurate and uniform records of US vaccine usage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and immunization community stakeholders are exploring the potential of 2-dimensional (2D) barcoding to streamline immunization practices.

One quarter of heart disease deaths are preventable

At least one quarter of the 800,000 deaths annually attributed to cardiovascular disease could be prevented if people stopped smoking, reduced salt intake, and adopted other healthy habits, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Reducing adverse drug events by targeting at-risk patients

Knowing which patients are most at-risk for adverse drug events would help hospitals direct pharmacist-led counseling services to those who need it the most. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Foundation is funding research it believes will make it easier to identify those patients.

Health insurance exchange formularies: Charting new waters in the world of formulary

New regulations in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have led to the birth of essential health benefits. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new division, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), is responsible for the oversight of the insurance offerings on the new health insurance exchanges, which have 10 required essential health benefit categories. One of these essential categories is prescription drugs. Prospective qualified health plans, prescription benefit managers, and consultant agencies have struggled through the legislation and guidance from CCIIO in an attempt to build benefits that meet the requirements. With elements of typical commercial offerings as well as those of Medicare Part D, there are many nuances that one must consider when building an exchange formulary and creating the surrounding benefit.

The risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after influenza vaccination

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated flaccid paralysis that can range from muscle weakness and tingling to respiratory paralysis requiring prolonged respiratory support and ventilation. Overall, GBS is a rare disease, with annual incidence averaging 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 individuals.1

Catamaran anticipates new advantages with recent mergers

Catamaran, a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) has been on a buying binge since 2008, snapping up its sixth PBM, Restat. The $409.5 million cash purchase is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Naltrexone plus prolonged exposure therapy helps alcohol-dependent PTSD patients

In a study of patients with alcohol dependence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment with naltrexone resulted in a decrease in the percentage of patient drinking days. Prolonged exposure therapy was not associated with an exacerbation of alcohol-use disorder.

State limits specialty copays to $150 maximum per fill

Antipsychotics increase type 2 diabetes risk for children and youth

Children and youth on antipsychotics appear to have a 3-fold increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to a study published by JAMA Psychiatry.

Kaiser Permanente’s large-scale hypertension program nearly doubles BP control rates

Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California nearly doubled the rate of blood pressure control among adult members with diagnosed hypertension between 2001 and 2009 through a large-scale community-based program, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported recently.

FDA investigating fingolimod after report of rare brain infection

In a Drug Safety Communication, FDA has reported that a patient in Europe being treated for multiple sclerosis and who had no history of using natalizumab (Tysabri) developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) while taking fingolimod (Gilenya).

Antipsychotic Rx use in nursing homes declines

Eleven states have reduced antipsychotic use in nursing home residents by at least 15%, meeting a CMS partnership goal set last year.

When fixed-combination is viable option brinzolamide-brimonidine may benefit patients who have contraindications to beta-blocker

The new fixed-combination of brinzolamide 1% plus brimonidine 0.2% (Simbrinza Suspension, Alcon Laboratories) is a safe and effective option for lowering IOP in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension uncontrolled on monotherapy.

One in 10 Americans have taken someone else’s Rx

One in 10 Americans admit taking someone else’s Rx, according to an ongoing Reuters/psos online survey. About a quarter of those people used the prescription drugs to get high, according to the survey

Insulin pumps outperform injections in diabetic children

Insulin pumps control blood sugar in children with diabetes better than insulin injections, according to a new study.

FDA Pipeline Preview-September 2013

Priority review, breakthrough therapy, fast-track designations, orphan drug designations, first-time generic approval

FDA Actions in Brief-September 2013

FDA approvals

More than 28 cups of coffee a week may endanger health in under-55s

Drinking large amounts of coffee may be bad for under-55s, according to a recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Canadian Medical Association calls expanded pharmacist functions beneficial

Pharmacists in Canada were recently given broader responsibilities including, in certain provinces, prescribing privileges, vaccination abilities, and the ability to order and interpret laboratory tests. This newly expanded role for Canadian pharmacists can benefit both patients and physicians, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Real-world performance becomes key in drug selection

Drug evaluation and selection models are changing. Safety and efficacy have become the starting point for consideration by many payers. What they really want to see is evidence of superior performance in real world patient populations.

FDA warns of neuropathy risks with fluoroquinolones

According to FDA, the risk of peripheral neuropathy occurs only with fluoroquinolones that are taken by mouth or by injection.

Broader-spectrum antibiotics over-prescribed in ambulatory settings

The majority of antibiotics prescribed for adults in ambulatory care settings are broad-spectrum agents, most commonly fluoroquinolones and macrolides. These are frequently prescribed for conditions where no antibiotic therapy is needed at all, such as for bronchitis and colds, which are caused by viruses, according to a study published online July 25, 2013, in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Alabama targets doctor shopping and Rx diversion

Alabama has targeted so-called “doctor shopping” and Rx diversion with three bills designed to stop such lawbreakers.

Last season’s flu outbreak no incentive for more to get shots

Despite last season’s flu outbreak, less than half the people surveyed (46%) by CVS/pharmacy said they were more likely to get a flu shot this year.

With emergence of ACOs, P&T committees will need to re-evaluate their medication analysis to support contractual arrangements

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to the patients they serve. Coordinated care helps ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, with the goal of avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. When an ACO succeeds in both delivering high-quality care and spending healthcare dollars more wisely, it will share in the savings it achieves for the Medicare program.1 The overall goal of the ACO is to reduce costs by focusing on preventative care and disease management.

INFOGRAPHIC: Oral oncolytics

The pros and cons of oral oncolytics and intravenous drugs.

Recognizing pharmacists as healthcare providers-a solution for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act roll-out

It is estimated that 30 million people will gain access to medical care beginning in 2014, with implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Administratively, the federal government and most states have not worked out the details of how patients will gain access to the healthcare system, let alone receive care. Primary care providers (PCPs) are ill-prepared to accept this enormous influx of new patients, which will place an even greater strain on the already strapped primary care workforce. Estimates are that an additional 17,000 PCPs are currently needed, and another 40,000 PCPs may be needed by 2025 to care for the nation’s aging population. How best to handle this large influx of patients into the healthcare system is at issue.

New HIV drug approved

FDA this week approved integrase strand transfer inhibitor dolutegravir (Tivicay, ViiV Healthcare , GlaxoSmithKline) to treat HIV-1 infection.

Health economic analysis shows canagliflozin monotherapy may reduce costs of type 2 diabetes

Results from a health economic and outcomes research (HECOR) simulation analysis show that canagliflozin (Invokana, Janssen), along with lifestyle management, may reduce long-term complications and associated costs for adult patients with type 2 diabetes compared to a treatment sequence without canagliflozin.

Breakthrough therapy designation: FDA’s newest mechanism for accelerating approval for promising pipeline therapies

In July of 2012, a provision in the newly ratified Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), paved the way for the FDA to further assist drug manufacturers in expediting the development and introduction of new drugs demonstrating early signs of advancement in the treatment of key conditions. Known as the “breakthrough therapy” designation, this new tool is seen by many as yet another positive sign that the FDA is committed to ensuring that innovative drug products are brought to market even more quickly for the millions of patients with serious medical conditions, desperately in need of new therapeutic options.