Category Archives: Pharmacy

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In keeping with West Coast Universitys history and reputation in health care education, Dr. Barry Ryan, WCUs President, is pleased to announce plans to begin a Doctor of Pharmacy program at its Los Angeles campus. The program will be the Universitys first professional doctoral degree program, pending approvals by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The School of Pharmacy anticipates seating its inaugural class in the fall of 2013. West Coast University School of Pharmacy plans to offer a traditional 4-year degree program, which will provide an educational program that blends innovative clinical experiences and challenging interprofessional education opportunities in our technologically advanced patient simulation centers, all within a rigorous academic curriculum. This integrated approach facilitates the ability of students to capture the big picture of health care, and appreciate a wider breadth of understanding of the interconnectedness of pharmacy within the wider range of health care professions, said Dr. Ryan. In anticipation of its launch, construction has commenced on what will be the new School of Pharmacys technologically advanced facility, located at 590 North Vermont Avenue, Los … Continue reading →

A Winnipeg-based internet pharmacy, believed to be Canada's biggest, has been ordered by U.S. officials to stop marketing drugs to American customers through 3,700 websites registered in different countries. CanadaDrugs.com, owned by Manitoban Kris Thorkelson, was sent a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Sept. 21. "We continue to see the proliferation of illegal online pharmacies that sell potentially dangerous medicines. FDA targeted those websites selling unapproved and potentially dangerous medicines that can be detrimental to public health," an FDA public affairs officer said in a statement to CBC News. "Some of these products contain active ingredients that are approved by FDA only for use under the supervision of a licensed health-care practitioner or active ingredients that were withdrawn from the U.S. market due to safety issues." Thorkelson has already been named in an FDA investigation into an international wholesale drug distribution network that has allegedly sold counterfeit versions of cancer drugs Avastin and Altuzan to American oncologists. CanadaDrugs.com could not be reached for comment today. However, earlier this year a spokesperson said the company doesn't sell Avastin. Last month's stern warning to stop marketing was part of an international crackdown on the sale of illegal … Continue reading →

ST. LOUIS & PLYMOUTH, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LDM Group, LLC (LDM), a leading provider of behavior based health management programs, and Thrifty White, a Minnesota based pharmacy chain, today announced that they are partnering to support the Million Hearts Initiative, a national public and private initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services whose goal is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Under this partnership, Thrifty White will use LDMs technologically advanced direct-to-patient messaging program CarePoints to deliver targeted health and wellness information to patients at the pharmacy. Pharmacists will be uniquely positioned to educate patients about the importance of adhering to medication and the specific role each medication plays in improving blood pressure control, lowering heart attack risks and reducing strokes. We at the LDM Group are extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Million Hearts Initiative and the ongoing fight against heart disease, said Mark Heinold, President of LDM Group. Thrifty White continues to find ways to enhance the patients experience in the pharmacy and LDM is happy to support their efforts to help reduce heart disease by providing patients with reliable and trusted health … Continue reading →

28-09-2012 11:22 The Food and Drug Administration is warning the public that most Internet pharmacies are fraudulent, selling drugs that likely are counterfeit and could harm or even kill people. (Sept. 28) Go here to see the original: FDA Warning Public of Risks of Online Pharmacies - Video … Continue reading →

BARCELONA, October 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's pharmacists now have a tremendous degree of influence on patients, triggering life sciences company's pharmacy and over-the-counter (OTC) sales teams to focus onthis important group. Veeva iRep now fully supports the modernpharmacy sales repwith a single solution that brings together all of the tools they need to be successful, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Closed Loop Marketing (CLM), inventory monitoring, signature capture and order management - all integrated and available on the Apple iPad. Globally, pharmacists' influence on consumer's healthcare decisions has grown exponentially, especially considering the choices now available with the influx of generics. "Pharmacists today are often the first ports of call for patients to get advice. They are trusted by the community to offer professional advice and therefore can either drive adherence to a certain drug brand or encourage a swap - which also might be driven by obligatory generic substitution (aut idem) legislation," said Arno Sosna, Veeva's Director of Product Management, Europe. Veeva's upgrades are seamless, frequent and transparent with no additional cost to the customer to ensure that reps have the latest tools available in this rapidly changing industry. Pharmaceutical companies have responded to this trend by ramping … Continue reading →

Today the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy renewed Planned Parenthoods license to distribute prescription drugs. The decision comes despite a complaint brought by a New Hampshire Pro-Life Group. New Hampshire Right to Life submitted a complaint last spring claiming that Planned Parenthood of Northern New England could not dispense prescription drugs without a contract with the state. Right to Lifes attorney, Michael Tierney points out one of Planned Parenthoods contracts with the state was not approved by the Executive Council earlier this year. Tierney: There was not sufficient guarantees that they werent going to be using the taxpayers money to support their abortion business. The Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to renew the license, which Planned Parenthood spokesperson Jennifer Frizzell says affirms that the organization is fully compliant with the law. Michael Tierney, Right to Lifes lawyer, is running for Executive Council, and state spending on Planned Parenthood has been a key issue in that race. Read more from the original source: Pharmacy Board: Planned Parenthood Can Dispense Drugs … Continue reading →

ORLANDO, October 3, 2012 - Omnicare Specialty Care Group`s specialty pharmacy, Advanced Care Scripts (ACS), has been added to the limited distribution network for Astellas` XTANDI (enzalutamide). As part of the XTANDI network, ACS will provide access and reimbursement support to physicians and patients and assist eligible patients without insurance. XTANDI (enzalutamide) capsules are approved for use in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have previously received docetaxel. ACS manages and dispenses specialty medications in multiple disease categories, including cancer, infectious diseases, auto-immune disorders, multiple sclerosis and hemophilia. Its expertise across both the specialty and long-term care channels enables it to provide comprehensive solutions for prescribers and patients. "The recent approval of XTANDI represents an important step forward to prolong the lives of patients with advanced prostate cancer who have received chemotherapy," said David Hileman, Senior Vice President of Omnicare Specialty Care Group. "We are excited to partner with Astellas to provide a new treatment option for this growing patient population for which there has been a significant unmet medical need." About Omnicare Specialty Care Group Omnicare Specialty Care Group (SCG) is a division of Omnicare, Inc., a Fortune 400 company and provider of comprehensive pharmaceutical services based in … Continue reading →

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - A Massachusetts company that produced a medical compound linked to a multi-state outbreak of a rare form of meningitis has suspended operations, according to a statement from the company. The New England Compounding Center, of Waverly, MA, released a statement Wednesday about the outbreak: "New England Compounding Center (NECC) is working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy and other regulators to identify the source of infection in patients who received injections of methylprednisolone acetate. Upon notification of incidents of infection, NECC immediately initiated a voluntary recall of this product on Sept. 26. As part of this process, we have voluntarily suspended operations while we assist authorities in their investigation." There have been 18 cases reported in Tennessee and two deaths, in addition to at least eight cases and two deaths in four other states. The company sent shipments of methylprednisolone acetate, a lumbar epidural steroid medicine, to Saint Thomas Outpatient Neurosurgery Center in Nashville, Specialty Surgery Center in Crossville and PCA Pain Care Center in Oak Ridge. The Channel 4 I-Team has learned compounding pharmacies, such as this Massachusetts company, that make these type of drug mixtures are not … Continue reading →

By Kay Lazar and Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff A Framingham compounding pharmacy has been identified by state and federal health officials as the source of a medication being investigated as a possible cause of an unusual fungal meningitis outbreak that has sickened 26 patients in five states who received steroid injections. Four of the patients have died. The pharmacy, New England Compounding Center, recalled three lots of methylprednisolone on Sept. 26, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. Eighteen of the meningitis cases have been reported in Tennessee, and cases also have been reported in Virginia, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina. A Nashville outpatient neurosurgery clinic closed last month after patients got sick after receiving steroid injections in their backs for pain. Here is a statement released Wednesday night by the Massachusetts health department regarding the investigation: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is collaborating with the CDC, FDA, and other state public health officials to identify the cause of an outbreak of more than 25 suspected cases of aspergillus (fungal) meningitis under investigation in Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The cause for this cluster of cases is not yet known. There are four products common to … Continue reading →

CAMP HILL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In honor of American Pharmacists Month in October, Rite Aid is again giving customers a chance to win $2,500 in Rite Aid gift cards by nominating a favorite member of their Rite Aid pharmacy team. In its ninth year, the contest is expanding and will for the first time recognize not only pharmacists, but also their full pharmacy support team including pharmacy technicians, cashiers and Wellness Ambassadors, who report to Rite Aid pharmacists and serve a customer service role bridging the front of the store with the pharmacy. To enter through Oct. 31, customers can vote for their favorite pharmacy team member via a mail-in nomination form available at any Rite Aid pharmacy or online at http://www.riteaid.com/vote. Customers who vote will automatically be entered into a random drawing to win $2,500 in Rite Aid gift cards. One nominated pharmacy team member also will win $2,500 in Rite Aid gift cards through a random drawing. For complete details and official rules, go to any Rite Aid store or visitwww.riteaid.com/vote. Our loyal customers choose Rite Aid as their trusted pharmacy because of the personal service they receive when they walk in our doors," said Dan Miller, Rite Aid … Continue reading →