Category Archives: Pharmacy

Q: At age 71, my mother was taking medicine for diabetes, high cholesterol and a few other conditions. Her doctor changed her statin drug but didn't modify the dose. Within a few months, she lost the ability to move from the neck down and was in the hospital going through test after test after test. I started looking into her meds and discovered the reason for her rhabdomyolysis: The effect of the more potent statin was eight times higher than it should have been. This was in part because it interacted with other medications she was on. She was in the hospital for three months. After she got out, she survived at home for just six more months. A: Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially fatal reaction in which the muscles break down and the kidneys fail. Older people may be particularly susceptible to such rare but dangerous side effects from statins. We are so sorry to learn that your mother suffered this deadly consequence. Statin drugs vary in their potency. More powerful statins are generally prescribed at lower doses. Some statins interact with other medications and require dosage adjustment. Lower doses of simvastatin are needed, for example, when people are also … Continue reading →

A man stole prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from a pharmacy in Park City on Wednesday afternoon, threatening violence if it was not handed over, the Park City Police Department said. The man was given an undisclosed amount of the medicine Adderall after making the threat, the police said. He was captured later that day in Salt Lake City. The suspect lives in Ogden., the police said. He is 26 years old. The Summit County Jail said he was booked into the jail on a robbery charge, a second-degree felony. Formal charges had not been filed by Friday morning. He remained incarcerated on Friday morning. Bail is set at $10,000. A second-degree felony is punishable by a state prison sentence of between one and 15 years and a $10,000 fine upon conviction. The Police Department said charges under consideration also include obstruction of justice and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Phil Kirk, a police captain, said the case was reported at 4:14 p.m. According to Kirk, the suspect went into the Park City Clinic Pharmacy on Round Valley Drive twice. The first time he asked about Adderall and then left, Kirk said. He … Continue reading →

A Church Hill pharmacy, open for more than 60 years, will be closing its doors next week. Edloe's Pharmacy, open at 25th and Carrington Streets since 1945, will close next Tuesday, a move which upsets many long-time customers. Doctor Leonard Edloe tells 8News he will turn the store over to CVS, after doing everything he could for his customers. "We would find a way if we could, to get your medications covered," said Edloe. "I'm a little unhappy because anything I needed was here, old remedies you can always find here," said long-time customer Joanie Gillison. "People are very friendly, treat you like family more than a customer." Edloe, also a lecturer and pastor, said he knows the void that will be left behind once his business is gone. "I'm still going to be around to make sure they get the right drugs, to help the people when they need to be helped," Edloe said. He also said he plans to open a private practice to offer advice on medication. Copyright 2012 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond Read more: Edloe's Pharmacy Closing Shop In Church Hill … Continue reading →

Dayton-based AIDS Resource Center Ohio will open a medical center and pharmacy serving people with HIV and AIDS in Columbus next week. The 7,100-square foot facility in a neighborhood north of downtown Columbus will focus on people not currently receiving any HIV/AIDS treatment or those not getting the best treatment for managing the disease, said Bill Hardy, president and CEO of ARC Ohio. It is the first center of its kind in the state, he said, and accessible to Columbuss gay community and Ohio State Universitys Wexner Medical Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about a fifth of the 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. dont know theyre infected. A third are getting the best treatments now available antiretroviral medications and only about a fourth have their viral infection under control. In Ohio, an estimated 23,700 to 26,300 people are believed to have HIV or AIDS. The ARC Ohio Medical Center and Pharmacy will open Thursday at 1033 N. High St. Services will include a pharmacy, medical care, mental health counseling, housing assistance and medical case management services, along with free HIV testing and education on HIV prevention. The unique feature is that … Continue reading →

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Joseph A. LoCicero, President & CEO of The Segal Company, announced that Daljit Johl, PharmD has joined the firms National Pharmacy Benefit Practice as a Pharmacy Benefits Consultant for the West Region. Mr. LoCicero said, Adding Dr. Johls expertise in designing and implementing prescription drug benefit programs, brings more value to our clients as they seek opportunities to control pharmacy benefit costs. Dr. Johl has more than 20 years experience in pharmacy benefits, most recently as a Clinical Program Manager for MedImpact Healthcare Systems. She has also worked for Blue Shield of California, Statscript Pharmacy, PharmMerica and Longs Drug Store. Dr. Johl has deep expertise in client management, strategic planning, PBM clinical programs, product and formulary management strategies, and analysis of prescription data. Dr. Johl holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California San Francisco and a BS in Biological Sciences from California State University. Dr. Johl is reporting to Ritu Malhotra, Vice President and National Pharmacy Benefit Practice Leader, and is working out of the San Francisco office. The Segal Company (www.segalco.com) has been a leading, independent firm of benefit, compensation and human resources consultants since its founding in 1939. Segal is headquartered … Continue reading →

WATERBURY CENTER, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Choice Strategies a leading provider of consumer-directed benefit programs today launched RxAbility, an automated health reimbursement account (HRA) solution that allows employers and employees to share increasing out of pocket pharmacy costs. RxAbility is a paperless, debit card-based solution that enables employers to define customized cost sharing arrangements for Rx on a transaction by transaction basis instantly at the point of sale. This new automatic debit card-based feature makes it easy for employers to implement pharmacy cost sharing plans that strengthen participant engagement, encourage responsible utilization and increase plan satisfaction, said Nicole Williams, Senior Director, Choice Strategies. Its a solution that helps advance the goals of consumer-driven healthcare for both employers and employees. Unlike medical deductible expenses, which do not require upfront payment, pharmacy expenses must be paid at point of sale. Until now, employers seeking to help employees with a portion of their Rx expenses have had limited options. Traditional health debit cards have only given employers the option to pay either 100 percent or zero percent of each Rx claim. While partial pay plans are available through some HRA administrators, they require employees to pay up front and then submit manual claims for reimbursement … Continue reading →

Drugstore chain retailer, Rite Aid Corporation (RAD) recently announced that it has acquired Town Hill Pharmacy. However, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move came as a part of the companys strategy to boost its market share in the pharmacy business. Rite Aid has been taking several initiatives to expand its pharmacy and clinical services, which includes the Wellness+ program for diabetes as well as Flu Immunization program. We believe these programs will enable the company to solidify its customer base as well as its long-term profitability. However, liquidity remains a concern, as Rite Aid is a highly leveraged company (with approximately 176% debt-to-capitalization ratio at the end of first-quarter 2013), which limits its cash flow availability and its ability to obtain additional financing. Moreover, the debt burden from the 2007 Brooks Eckerd acquisition has increased interest expense, which has been weighing upon its bottom line. This has placed the company at a competitive disadvantage relative to its peers who are less burdened with debts. Earlier this month, the company announced its preliminary sales results for the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Rite Aids comparable store sales remained flat compared to last year, with front-end comps increasing … Continue reading →

17-09-2012 23:39 One family's struggle is leading to a neighborhood divide that was put on display during a zoning hearing Monday night. Follow this link: Neighborhood fights CVS pharmacy - Video … Continue reading →

EL CAJON Police are asking for the publics help to locate a man who broke into an El Cajon pharmacy and stole drugs. The thief burglarized the Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy on Travelodge Drive on August 18, El Cajon police said. He smashed a window in an office building at the facility and then broke another window to get into the locked pharmacy before jumping the counter and taking an unknown quantity of Oxycodone, police said. The thief, who was caught on surveillance video, was described as white and in his mid 50s, about 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a black polo shirt, tan knee-length cargo shorts, white tennis shoes and a blue baseball cap with an unknown logo, police said. He also had on glasses and wore latex gloves. The man may be responsible for other Kaiser burglaries, police said. Additional pictures of the burglar can be found here. Anyone with information is asked to call El Cajon police at (619) 441-5507. Read more: El Cajon pharmacy burglar sought … Continue reading →

BREWER, Maine (NEWS CENTER)--Over the last four years the number of pharmacy robberies in Maine has risen dramatically from almost none to nearly four a month. As a result some stores are working with police to beef up security. The number of pharmacy robberies in Maine went fromtwo in 2008 to 21 in 2010. In 2011, there were 24 pharmacy robberies. This year police officers say the number could be twice what it was in 2010.As of September,there have been 38 pharmacy robberies across the state in 2012. Officers say addiction is one of the underlying factors fueling prescription drug robberies. The Brewer Police Department has a new program to help pharmacies be more secure and less of a target to criminals. Officers say if you see some one suspicious around a store to ask them if they need help but if a robber happens to cooperate, be a good witness and preserve the crime scene for police. NEWS CENTER See the original post: 2012 Pharmacy robberies in Maine nearly double last years totals … Continue reading →