News

In a move widely seen as a way to better compete with the other major chain drugstores, Rite Aid Corp. has announced an agreement on Feb. 11 to buy the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) EnvisionRx for about $2 billion.

Results from a national survey show that one-third of American adults use complementary medicine practices or products, including yoga, fish oils, massage therapy and ginseng.

Two-thirds of organizations will increase spending on analytics in 2015, according to a new survey by CDW Healthcare.

A pivotal phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of investigational ixazomib (Takeda), the first oral proteasome inhibitor (PI), conducted in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma achieved its primary end point of improving progression-free survival (PFS) at the first pre-specified interim analysis.

Imprivata Confirm ID is the first comprehensive product that simplifies the adoption of DEA requirements for the electronic prescribing of controlled substances.

The confluence of two factors is making it increasingly seductive for stakeholders to consider entering the MA market, but all is not idyllic.

Nearly four in 10 organizations that offer health insurance through state exchanges also operate a Medicaid managed care plan in the same state, offering an opportunity for continuous coverage for low-income consumers.

Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Trade Press Scientists are working to develop breakthrough therapies for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers affecting men and women.

Amgen has announced positive results from a clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of biosimilar candidate, ABP 501, compared with Humira (adalimumab) in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.

The American Lung Association has called for a halt to the sale of all tobacco products at all retailers with pharmacies.

Because there was no approved medication treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) until mid-October, 2014, physicians primarily focused on non-pharmacological treatments to help patients improve. Even with FDA’s approval of nintedanib (Ofev) and pirfenidone (Esbriet), physicians will continue to recommend certain therapies that generally ease symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life.

While physicians laud FDA’s approval of nintedanib (Ofev) and pirfenidone (Esbriet) for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)-the first approved medications to treat the disease in the United Sates-they don’t know how to use them.

New York’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) will take steps to help strengthen cyber hacking defenses for insurers.

Antiviral drug oseltamavir (Tamiflu, Roche) shortens the length of flu symptoms by about 1 day, and reduces respiratory infections that sometimes develop by 44%, according to a study published in The Lancet.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has issued 6 new funding announcements offering up to $138 million in support for studies comparing how well different approaches to care work for patients given their particular circumstances and concerns.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently issued a final rule that updates requirements and strengthens program integrity efforts.

Public and private insurers are seizing the opportunity to devise programs that promote preventive care and positive behaviors.

The demand for price transparency in healthcare continues to grow, spurred in part by the increase of high-deductible healthcare plans.

The percentage of employers and plans offering wellness incentives is steadily rising, and program designs are becoming more diverse.

Payers recognize a growing need for more comprehensive payment methodologies that adequately represent the true market cost of health services today.

Two recent studies show that members who obtain health insurance through state or federal insurance exchanges use more specialty and generic drugs than their counterparts in commercial plans.

FDA has expanded the approved use of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) to treat diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).

It is possible to get treatments to stroke patients even before they arrive at a hospital, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Managed care and hospital decision-makers are in a key position to “move the needle” at the system level on improving adult immunization coverage rates in the United States.

After six years on the job, FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, is resigning from her position. Her tenure has ushered in personalized medicine and faster approval of several drug classes.

Non-medication strategies were effective in hospital patients with delirium, according a new study published in the February 2 edition of the JAMA Internal Medicine.

A reprieve has been granted for Medicare beneficiaries who may have been confused or misinformed about the pharmacy details of their 2015 Aetna prescription drug plans.

In what may be the biggest breach in healthcare, as many as 80 million records of current and former Anthem customers have been hacked, The New York Times reported.

FDA has approved olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution (Pazeo, Alcon, a division of Novartis) 0.7% for the treatment of ocular itch relief related to eye allergies.

Ibrance is a potent and selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 4 and 6, which complex with a regulatory protein, called cyclin, to control cancer cell cycling. The FDA has approved it for use in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.