Protecting the public health from counterfeit drugs entering the US is a top priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), stressed FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, at a September 10, 2012, symposium. As part of its efforts, the agency has developed handheld devices that help identify counterfeit versions of FDA-approved drug products. The Counterfeit […]

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Responding to the significant increase in deaths due to overdose of illicit or prescription drugs, federal legislators have introduced a bill that would fund programs to prevent overdose death and require additional tracking of overdose deaths. If it becomes law, the Stop Overdose Stat Act (S.O.S Act) (HR 6311) would allow the Centers for Disease […]

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Aimed to improve health care access for children in Illinois, a new law (SB 3513) will authorize pharmacists to administer influenza and Tdap vaccinations to children age 10 and older with a doctor’s prescription. Signed by Governor Pat Quinn on Tuesday, the new law is effective immediately. Prior to the law, pharmacists were authorized to […]

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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that consumers should not use Reumofan Plus products due to serious health risks related to the presence of prescription drug ingredients not listed on product labels. In a news release, FDA explains that the products, Reumofan Plus and Reumofan Plus Premium, which are marketed as natural dietary supplements for […]

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Removing pharmacies’ ability to re-sell drug products to wholesalers would help to prevent medications from being leaked into the gray market, as highlighted in a recent Drug Topicsarticle. NABP Executive Director/Secretary Carmen A. Catizone, MS, RPh, DPh, explained that some pharmacies choosing to resell drugs to wholesalers may not necessarily be violating the law, rather […]

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The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana retail shops from doing business in the city. The Associated Press (AP) reports that the measure could affect about 900 dispensaries in the area; however, a similar prior ordinance failed to be implemented due to lawsuits and conflicting rulings. […]

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Targeting drug diversion by employees, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that investigative assistance will be offered to every nursing home, assisted living agency, and residential care facility in Ohio. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is authorized to review and investigate complaints of elderly abuse, neglect, and drug […]

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Since the introduction of tamper-resistant OxyContin in 2010, abuse of other prescription opioids, as well as heroin, has increased, report researchers from Washington University in St Louis. The reformulated pill is more difficult to crush or dissolve, helping to prevent ingestion by inhalation or injection of dissolved medicine, means used by some abusers to get […]

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As part of the federal initiative to address the prescription drug abuse, misuse, and overdose epidemic, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioids. The REMS introduces new safety measures designed to reduce risks and improve the safe use of ER and […]

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The Center for Pharmacy Practice Accreditation (CPPA) seeks review and comment on the newly released draft standards for community pharmacy practice accreditation. The draft standards will serve as the basis for community pharmacy practice accreditation. They are designed to facilitate the delivery of quality pharmacy services to patients, as well as recognize and stimulate innovative […]

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