Three New Alabama Laws Aim to Crack Down on ‘Doctor Shopping’ and Prescription Drug Abuse
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed into law three bills aimed to reverse the state’s growing prescription drug abuse rate. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Alabama among the top 20 states in number of drug overdose deaths. In response to that report and other indicators, laws addressing the state’s prescription […]
Read More ›Proposed Law Calls for Commission to Focus on Prescription Drug Abuse Efforts
A bill calling for a 30-member commission to coordinate law enforcement and health agency efforts to combat prescription drug abuse was introduced to the United States Senate. Under the law, the commission would be composed of representatives from Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy […]
Read More ›NABP Delivers Testimony at House Subcommittee Hearing on Reforming Compounding Regulations
A United States House of Representatives subcommittee held a hearing (PDF) July 16, 2013, to examine various bills aimed to implement new frameworks for the regulation of compounding. The Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, convened to hear expert testimony from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other experts in health care […]
Read More ›State and Federal Regulators Continue to Combat Rogue Internet Drug Sellers, US GAO Reports
While facing the challenges of investigating and prosecuting complex, global operations, federal agencies in the United States continue to take action against Web sites illegally distributing prescription drugs to US consumers. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews how such sites violate federal and state laws and the challenges of investigating them, […]
Read More ›AMA Policy Deems ‘Inappropriate Queries’ From Pharmacies an Interference With Practice of Medicine
The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a resolution stating that the organization deems certain pharmacy inquiries relating to the verification of prescriptions to be “an interference with the practice of medicine and unwarranted.” AMA’s resolution, as adopted at its 2013 annual meeting, specifies that inquiries about the rationale behind prescriptions, diagnoses, and treatment plans […]
Read More ›Tennessee Board of Pharmacy Implements Rule to Facilitate Earlier Responses to Compounding Safety Issues
The Tennessee Board of Pharmacy has implemented a new rule that will effectively enable the Board to act more quickly when a potential safety issue at a facility engaged in compounding is detected. As indicated in a news release from the Board, the rule will “expedite suspension of sterile compounding by a pharmacy or manufacturer […]
Read More ›Plan B’ Morning After Pill to Be Available OTC Without Age Restrictions, According to Federal Judge’s Ruling
A ruling by Judge Edward R. Korman, Eastern District Court of New York, will effectively make the Plan B® One-Step, or “morning after” contraceptive pill, available as an over-the-counter product with no age restrictions, reports the New York Times. As part of the implementation process, the drug’s manufacturer, Teva Pharmaceuticals, must submit a supplemental new […]
Read More ›Bill To Expand Pharmacists’ Authority to Vaccinate Under Consideration in Pennsylvania Legislature
Pharmacists in Pennsylvania would be granted authority to vaccinate patients above the age of seven with a parent’s consent under two bills being considered by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The bills would also allow pharmacy interns to vaccinate under the supervision of a pharmacist. The bills, HB 776 and SB 819, are in the professional licensure […]
Read More ›NABP Testifies at US House Subcommittee Hearing Regarding Support for Federal Legislation to Distinguish Between Compounding and Manufacturing
NABP expressed its support for federal legislation that would distinguish between compounding and manufacturing, in testimony (PDF) presented at a United States House subcommittee hearing on May 23, 2013. The hearing, “Examining Drug Compounding” was held to provide US Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee members an opportunity to hear testimony from Food and […]
Read More ›New Missouri Law to Grant Board of Pharmacy Authority to Inspect Drugs in Inventory
The Missouri Board of Pharmacy will be allowed to test drugs in pharmacy inventories under a new law just signed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Under the new law, the Board will have the authority to establish a program for testing drugs, including compounded drugs, held by licensees. Board personnel currently may enter and inspect […]
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