The apparently common practice of storing sterile compounded preparations or repackaging sterile pharmaceuticals in drug-administration syringes is an unapproved use of these medical devices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week. Read More »

OncLive added the US Oncology Network this week to its Strategic Alliance Partnership program, which is dedicated to raising awareness of cancer treatment and research. “The US Oncology Network was created with patients in mind,” Michael Seiden, chief medical officer of the US Oncology Network, said. Read More »

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) released a statement last week applauding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) efforts to improve Medicare medication therapy management (MTM) benefits.CMS recently unveiled a new MTM initiative aimed at evaluating the efficacy of offering prescription drug plans certain incentives to help achieve MTM program goals. Read More »

CVS Health said on Friday that it is expanding its partnership with the Arthritis Foundation to help progress advocacy, research and patient support.CVS/specialty, the specialty pharmacy of CVS Health, will be labeled an Arthritis Foundation 'Partner for Better Living' and will be the group's only specialty pharmacy partner. The announcement comes ahead of World Arthritis Day on Monday. Read More »

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) and its Biosimilars Council commended California lawmakers and the governor this week for a new law that gives patients access to more affordable versions of biologic medicines. Read More »

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer on Wednesday announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to avelumab, a treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Read More »

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a letter recognizing the role pharmacists play in improving access to vaccines.“Over the last 20 years, pharmacists have played an expanding role in reducing the risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses by increasing the public’s awareness of the importance of vaccines and improving patient access to vaccination services throughout the United States,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, said in the letter. Read More »

After the release of 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report last week, NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson voiced concern over provisions that disregard recommendations to ensure pharmacy access and choice for TRICARE patients. Read More »

Pfizer Inc. recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of GlaxoSmithKline’s quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY vaccines Nimenrix and Mencevax. Read More »

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) and its Biosimilars Council released a statement on Monday saying they believe the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will improve worldwide patient access to affordable medicines. Read More »

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. on Thursday announced it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Rimsa, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution company in Mexico. Read More »

Pennsylvania’s pharmacy business is strong and continues to grow despite a nationwide economic slowdown, an American Pharmacy News analysis of state records show. Read More »

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval on Friday for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to treat patients with advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has progressed after other treatments and with tumors that express a protein called PD-L1. Keytruda, marketed by Merck, works by targeting the cellular pathway known as PD-1/PD-L1, which are proteins found on the body’s immune cells and some cancer cells. Through blocking this pathway, Keytr Read More »

Sanofi US launched an authorized generic version of Arava Leflunomide tablets late last week through Winthrop, the company's U.S. generics division.Leflunomide blocks autoimmune antibodies to reduce inflammation and improve mobility for people who live with rheumatoid arthritis. Read More »

CVS Health said on Monday that it is opening hearing centers in seven CVS/pharmacy stores in the Dallas and Cleveland markets and will offer optical services through five CVS/pharmacy stores in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. market. Read More »

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) recently launched a five-part continuing-education video series examining how community pharmacies can adapt their pharmacy services to meet changing health care needs of customers. Read More »

A new global study on the advanced and specialized roles of pharmacists and the means supporting these developments was released last week during the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences late last week. Read More »

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a study of a pharmacy benefit pilot program the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) offers to beneficiaries of Tricare, a health care plan for veterans and active military members. Read More »

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals' (GSK) acquisition of Novartis Healthcare's vaccines business is complete, and GSK has sold its marketed oncology portfolio to Novartis India, while Novartis retains its influenza vaccine. Read More »

The malaria drug Daraprim, which sold in August for $13.50 a pill, underwent a price hike of more 5,000 percent to $750 per tablet last month.  Read More »