Formulary Watch |

Combination BP meds raise risk of mortality in elderly

Researchers raised concerns about the safety of prescribing combination antihypertensive medications in elderly patients with low blood pressure, in a new JAMA Internal Medicine study.

Cancer drug prices not linked to survival rates

The pricing of oncology drugs is not necessarily based on their novelty or effectiveness, according to a new JAMA Oncology study. Instead, researchers found, “current pricing models are not rational but simply reflect what the market will bear.”

Study: Cancer drug prices vary widely depending on who’s paying

Patients without insurance could be asked to pay twice as much or more than insurers pay for chemotherapy, according to a study published in he April issue of Health Affairs.

Study: FDA should warn consumers about chemical in weight loss supplements

Several weight loss and fitness supplements contain the chemical BMPEA, a stimulant similar to amphetamine, according to a new study.

Researchers discover IPF biomarkers

In a large, mutli-center study, researchers discovered potential biomarkers for accurately assessing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) disease progression. The study, published in the March 11 issue of The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, was led by R. Gisli Jenkins, PhD, with the Division of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. The PROFILE study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline R & D and the Medical Research Council.

FDA approves breath test to help diagnose gastroparesis

The FDA has approved the Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT), manufactured by Advanced Breath Diagnostics, a new, non-invasive test used to help diagnose gastroparesis.

Report: Diabetes drives traditional drug trend, specialty trend increases 20%

According to Catamaran's 2015 Informed Trends Report, diabetes accounted for a major share of the increase in traditional drug trend. The study also found that specialty medications accounted for 28% of drug costs but only 1% of claims.

Study questions use of paracetamol for lower back pain and osteoarthritis

Paracetamol is ineffective in reducing pain, disability or improving quality of life for patients who suffer from low back pain or osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, and its use may affect the liver, according to a study published BMJ.

Cigarette smoke makes MRSA more aggressive

Antibiotic-resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exposed to cigarette smoke become even more resistant to killing by the immune system, according to a study published in Infection and Immunity.

Children’s use of antipsychotics may increase risk of diabetes

Initiating antipsychotics may elevate a child’s risk not only for significant weight gain, but also for type 2 diabetes by nearly 50%, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics. Moreover, among children who are also receiving antidepressants, the risk may double.

Gilead sues to stop Actavis' generic bid for Letairis

Actavis plc on Friday said it filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market Ambrisentan Tablets, a generic version of Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s Letairis®, a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

DVT patients taking rivaroxaban had fewer hospital admissions, costs, similar subsequent hospital visits vs. standard of care

Patients diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and treated with rivaroxaban (Xarelto) were admitted to the hospital less frequently than those treated with the standard treatment of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and warfarin, according to real-world data presented at the Hospital Medicine 2015 Congress.

FDA drug approvals-April 2015

FDA actions in brief, priority review, breakthrough therapy designation, fast-track designations, orphan drug designations, first-time generic approvals

Specialty drug coverage varies across health plans

Coverage of specialty pharmaceuticals varies widely among health insurers, according to a new report from Atlantic Information Services in Washington, D.C.

FDA should pull diabetes drug ads, group says

Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen said this week that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must stop direct-to-consumer advertisements that market several “dangerous” diabetes medications for weight loss or blood pressure reduction.

CEO resignation linked to FDA drug approval process

Sarepta Therapeutics CEO Chris Garabedian resigned earlier this week, a move that may be linked to a dispute with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the approval process for its new drug, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Strep A rapid molecular test gets FDA clearance

FDA has granted marketing clearance for Alere I Strep A Rapid Molecular Test (Alere). The Alere I molecular test initially received marketing clearance in June 2014 for the detection and differentiation of influenza A and B virus, and in January 2015, the test became the first-ever molecular test to receive a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver from the FDA.

Indiana county “disaster” after HIV outbreak

Indiana Governor Mike Pence declared rural Scott County a public health disaster after it realized a spike in HIV cases linked to intravenous prescription drug abuse.

Study details problems with COPD drug

Roflumilast, a drug recently approved in the U.S. to treat severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), increases the production of a protein that causes inflammation – which possibly results in patients developing a tolerance to the drug after repeated use and renders it ineffective, according to a new study.

FDA: Final guidance on evaluation, labeling of abuse-deterrent opioids

FDA has issued final guidance to assist industry in developing opioid drug products with potentially abuse-deterrent properties.FDA is encouraging manufacturers to develop abuse-deterrent drugs that work correctly when taken as prescribed, but, for example, may be formulated in such a way that deters misuse and abuse, including making it difficult to snort or inject the drug for a more intense high.

HIV/AIDS drugs reclassified at Aetna, Coventry in Florida

Aetna and Coventry Health Care of Florida are reclassifying certain HIV/AIDS medications labeled as specialty drugs to either generic or non-preferred brand drugs, according to Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty.

FDA approves new administration option for Brilinta

FDA has approved a new administration option for ticagrelor (Brilinta, AstraZeneca) in acute coronary syndrome patients.

FDA approves label update for Zytiga

FDA has approved label update for abiraterone acetate (Zytiga, Janssen) in chemotherapy-naïve men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BioCryst receives $12 million to develop Ebola drug

On March 31, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) awarded approximately $12 million to BioCryst Pharmaceuticals of Durham, N.C., for the advanced development of a promising experimental drug for Ebola.

New hep C drugs will strain the system: MD Anderson study

The cost of treating people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) with newly approved therapies is likely to place a tremendous economic burden on the country’s healthcare system, according to a study published in the March 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

New insulin may get speedy FDA approval

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk, based in Denmark, said it will re-submit its new insulin drug, Tresiba, to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. The company could approval as early as this fall, which would signal a 2016 launch, according to Reuters.

Drugs boost virologic response for Hepatitis C patients with HIV

A combination of medications effectively produced a sustained virologic response (SVR) in Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients also infected with HIV, according to two new studies.

Statins: Discontinue in terminal illnesses

Discontinuing statin use in patients with late-stage cancer and other terminal illnesses may help improve patients’ quality of life without causing other adverse health effects, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Save the spoon: Use metric-dosing devices for kids’ liquid meds

Don’t use a kitchen spoon to give children liquid medications; instead use metric milliliter-only dosing, urges a statement, published online March 30 in Pediatrics.

AAD 2015: Secukinumab improves skin clearance in plaque psoriasis patients over widely used therapy

Plaque psoriasis patients treated with secukinumab (Cosentyx) over ustekinumab (Stelara)-a widely used biologic-can achieve clearer skin, according to a late-breaking research session at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), in San Francisco.