Category Archives: Pharmacy

May 10, 2012 Harry W. Hind, a 1939 graduate of the UCSF School of Pharmacy who invented solutions that revolutionized contact lens use, as well as a topical patch to treat pain from shingles, died on April 12. He was 96. Harry W. Hind, 1915-2012 Hind co-founded Barnes-Hind Pharmaceuticals Inc., which developed drugs to treat tuberculosis and glaucoma. He was a trustee of the UCSF Foundation and a major benefactor of the School of Pharmacy. Hind and his wife, Diana, who passed away in 2011, gave a total of $5.3 million to establish the schools first two distinguished professorships. In 2005, he also gave $1 million to establish the Harry William Hind Deans Endowment Fund, a discretionary fund for use by the dean of the School of Pharmacy to meet pressing priorities and opportunities. The first Harry W. and Diana V. Hind Distinguished Professorship in Pharmaceutical Sciences is held by James Wells, PhD, supporting his work in drug discovery. Wells is chair of the School of Pharmacys Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The second professorship is held by Shuvo Roy, PhD, supporting his work in the development of medical devices, including a project to create an implantable bioartificial kidney. Roy is … Continue reading →

Authorities say thousands of tablets missing State authorities cracked down Thursday on a longtime Des Moines pharmacy by seizing medications and prescription records, all part of an investigation into hundreds of thousands of unaccounted-for pain pills. The Iowa Pharmacy Board is investigating how controlled substances were handled by Bauder's Pharacy at 3802 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines.Bauder's has been a fixture in the Ingersoll neighborood since 1916. Documents show a number of administrative charges have been filed in the case -- some 20 counts. An audit was conducted for the period Jan. 1, 2008 to March 21, 2012. It "revealed a shortage of approximately 740,888 tablets of various strengths of hydrocodone APAP, a schedule III controlled substance." Hydrocodone is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Documents show the pharmacy received 1,098,900 hydrocodone tablets and dispensed 358,012 to customers. The document details how many tablets were not accounted for in records: 229,846 in 2008, 163,185 in 2009, 155,436 in 2010, 182,732 in 2011 and 9,689 in January through March 2012. Pharmacy board investigators say in official documents that Bauder's "...followed a practice of ordering from an unsually diverse number of drug wholesalers." The Iowa Board of Pharmacy filed the charges … Continue reading →

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., May 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armada Health Care (Armada), the nation's largest specialty pharmacy group purchasing and channel management organization, showcased the enhanced versions of its on-line therapy management software, "ReachRx OTM" along with its prior authorization service, "ApproveRx" at the recent 2012 Armada Specialty Pharmacy Summit. These proprietary technology platforms are considered "best in class" in the industry. They are designed to help pharmacies save time and increase profitability while also providing improved patient care. "The manufacturers I work with and our members have embraced these new programs," said Anthony Davino, Vice President of Manufacturer Relations for Armada. "We utilize cutting-edge technology to develop and deliver the most comprehensive manufacturer contract portfolio of specialty products available in the industry." ReachRx OTM set an industry standard upon its release in 2010 and quickly became a highly valued resource for Armada's Specialty Pharmacy members. Some highlights of the recent ReachRx OTM enhancements include: customized protocols for more than two dozen disease states, additional reports on specific patient data assessments, more extensive prescription compliance programs and new access to limited distribution programs. ApproveRx helps practitioners streamline the prescription payment submission method via a web based platform that organizes … Continue reading →

LEESBURG, Va., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --RxAlly, the first-of-its-kind alliance of more than 22,000 pharmacies nationwide, announced today the expansion of its national network with the addition of nine Independent Pharmacy Organizations and ten Regional Chains. These organizations collectively represent more than 2,000 pharmacies with a footprint spanning from the Northeast through Appalachia and the Midwest out to the Western United States.In just over three months since the company launched, RxAlly has grown its membership by more than 2,000 pharmacies. The newest Independent Pharmacy Organization members of RxAlly are: The newest Regional Chain members of RxAlly are: "The addition of these esteemed independent pharmacy organizations and regional chains to our network makes us that much stronger as a national alliance," said Bruce Roberts, R.Ph, CEO of RxAlly. "The continued expansion of our network is testament to the importance of advancing the role of local pharmacists and improving our health care system." RxAlly is a performance network of aligned pharmacies united to help patients achieve better health through personalized pharmacist care, while reducing costs.The company was developed to provide a new solution to the critical issues of providing additional access to care and ensuring effective health care spending at a time … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire -05/08/12)- Triton Pacific Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm headquartered in Los Angeles, today announced that it has established and funded PharmaSync, LLC to acquire the assets of an institutional pharmacy located in Portland, Oregon. A leading provider of institutional pharmacy services in the Oregon market, PharmaSync focuses on the needs of adult foster care, assisted living centers and other residential care facilities. "The PharmaSync acquisition continues the successful investment strategy Triton Pacific has carried out since its inception, focusing on opportunities where a combination of capital, strategic guidance and operational expertise can accelerate growth in an already well-positioned business," said Triton Pacific's Managing Partner Craig Faggen. Targeting companies in industries including healthcare services, software/IT, business services, financial services, light manufacturing, restaurants, consumer products and logistics, Triton Pacific has established a set of well-honed business insights used to identify strong portfolio companies. "For more than 30 years, PharmaSync's predecessor was a leading institutional pharmacy serving the Pacific Northwest," said Joe Davis, a managing partner and head of Triton Pacific's Healthcare Services Group. "With new leadership and growth capital, PharmaSync is positioned to build on that legacy and achieve tremendous growth." About PharmaSyncPharmaSync, LLC is a Portland, … Continue reading →

Midway College's goal to put a pharmacy school in Eastern Kentucky is in question. The University of Charleston, the private West Virginia school that explored the possibility of operating a pharmacy school in the Midway building in Paintsville, announced in late April that "it is not in the best interests ... to proceed at this time." And a page on the Midway College Web site says: "The Midway College of Pharmacy is no longer seeking accreditation. At this time applications are no longer being accepted." The page directs students who had previously applied to the pharmacy school to complete a reimbursement form for a refund of application fees and deposits. Asked whether or not the program was dead, Midway College spokeswoman Ellen Gregory wrote in an e-mail Tuesday that issues related to the Paintsville campus will be discussed Thursday at the next board of trustees meeting. In an April 4 letter to the Kentucky Council of Postsecondary Education, Sarah Laws, accreditation liaison for Midway College, said the Woodford County school "has initiated conversations with the University of Kentucky concerning their possible interest in the Paintsville pharmacy school." Midway and UK officials met to discuss the issue, but Tom Harris, a … Continue reading →

MILWAUKEE, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --TRICAST, Inc. announced today that it is deploying a new suite of pharmacy program consulting services and software solutions developed specifically for pharmacy retailers. Increased concern for contract transparency requires active participation if you want to sustain strong pharmacy management. TRICAST's tools enable you to maintain this hands-on approach to PBM-vendor adjudication issues, and incorporate the oversight into your global program management strategy. "Decision-makers at retail pharmacy chains need to ask themselves three important questions," observes Rob Bigalke, Director of Business Development. "Do I have a solid understanding of the vast number of third-party contracts I already have in place? How do I track their performance? How do I use best-practice language to improve my contracts in the future?" Because pharmacy compensation is a complex, moving target, TRICAST can provide: TRICAST's sophisticated techniques provide clients with market-leading pharmacy program solutions. Our suite of software applications and comprehensive audit and consulting services can help you manage reimbursement amounts, improve overall efficiency and monitor costs. TRICAST's audit tools deliver immediate feedback on pricing and contracts/payors in compliance. Our consulting can assist with defining the range of profit and loss levels, provide guidance on ranges, and can support … Continue reading →

Q: Recently, several of my friends and I had bouts of extreme stomach cramps, severe bloating and uncontrollable gas. The common culprit in all these cases turned out to be snack bars with extra fiber! The common belief is that the chicory root in the bars is the culprit. There should be a warning on the box. A: Chicory root contains inulin, which is frequently used as a fiber supplement in some processed foods, such as ice cream, dairy drinks and juice in addition to breakfast bars. Because it is indigestible, it doesn't raise blood sugar but it can cause gas (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, June 2010). There are many causes of flatulence, ranging from your breakfast bar or bagel to cholesterol pills. Stealth fiber is in so many foods that it is hard to keep track. Q: Do you know anything about a new blood-pressure drug called Tekturna? Three months after my doctor prescribed this pill, I developed the most horrendous deep cough. I thought it was whooping cough. A chest X-ray showed my lungs were clear. A: Tekturna is a relatively new and different blood-pressure medicine. Cough is considered a relatively rare side effect, but we … Continue reading →

By KELLI KENNEDY, Associated Press MIAMI (AP) Federal health officials confirmed 33 cases of a rare fungal eye infection across seven states on Thursday, stemming from products mixed in a Florida pharmacy that also mixed supplements that killed 21 elite polo horses in 2009. The patients had all undergone some type of eye procedure, including surgery or injections. Twenty-three suffered some degree of vision loss and 24 patients had to undergo another eye surgery, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials traced many of the cases to a dye and an injection including triamcinolone and other products from Franck's Compounding Lab in Ocala. The Food and Drug Administration tested unopened bottles and unused syringes of the dye collected, finding multiple bacterial and fungal species. California health officials first alerted the CDC after nine patients developed the eye infection in March. Franck's recalled dye lots that same month. A single lot of triamcinolone was recalled on Mar. 31. CDC officials said the investigation to identify the root cause is ongoing and warned doctors and patients to stay away from "compounded products labeled as sterile from Franck's," according to the report. The pharmacy has not … Continue reading →

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --In just one convenient stop, CVS/pharmacy has gifts for every type of mom covered this Mother's Day. Shoppers can show their appreciation with a variety of gifts tailored to any mother's interests that will be sure to please this holiday. Quality gifts ranging from high-end fragrances, candies and popular gift cards, to personalized photo mementos and luxury spa products at affordable prices are conveniently available at more than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy locations nationwide. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/NE50800LOGO ) "With our wide selection of meaningful gifts, CVS/pharmacy has something for every type of mom," said Judy Sansone, senior vice president of merchandising for CVS/pharmacy. "From practical to pampering gifts as well as hundreds of popular gift cards options, our goal is to make finding a personalized Mother's Day gift easier than ever with one trip to CVS/pharmacy." Make this Mother's Day one to remember with a greeting card that sings a tune or records a personal message. Pair a greeting card with a gift card from any one of more than 220 popular retailers, such as Macy's, Gap, Dunkin Donuts, Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Olive Garden, American Express and Visa. Classic gifts like boxed chocolates and candies … Continue reading →