Cladribine is a new oral medication, manufactured by Merck KGaA, designed to treat patients with multiple sclerosis. This medication has been under intense scrutiny in both the United States and in Europe. The European regulators recently advised against approving the medication but the FDA feels the drug deserves a closer examination. This is significant because […]
Most teenagers over the last few decades have been exposed to information about the dangers of driving while drunk or using drugs. However, many teens and adults do not make the same connection with prescription drugs. There are numerous prescription drugs that are being used properly, and many that are being abused, that can cause […]
Physicians will often prescribe a medication for conditions that the drug has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat. This is a common practice because physicians discuss treatments amongst themselves and share techniques that have helped their patients in the past. However, the physician may not make the patient aware […]
Maintaining constant awareness of medications that are being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as those which have been recalled or have been voluntarily removed from the market is an important aspect of a pharmacist’s career. By knowing about potential concerns, and the eventual results of those concerns, pharmacists are able […]
As a pharmacist you will most likely be inundated with offers to join various local, state, and national organizations targeted at your profession. Joining one, or more, is a great way to expand your connections and get current information related to your field. The following four national pharmacist associations each have something special to offer […]
Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to pay out $750 million in fines to settle civil and criminal lawsuits alleging that the company knowingly sold contaminated drugs and products. The whistleblower lawsuit was filed in 2004 by Cheryl Eckard, a former GSK quality control manager. Eckard accused the company of dismissing her reports that its Puerto […]
Drug stores are returning to their roots by reemphasizing the role of the pharmacist in overall patient care. In some cases, drug companies are paying pharmacists to take a more active approach to managing medications and providing health care advice. The move comes in response to a countrywide initiative to lower healthcare costs. Patients and […]
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley recently asked federal officials to investigate physicians that have unusually high prescription rates for mental health drugs for Medicare and Medicaid patients. The request came after the completion of a review of prescription drug rates for the state and federal health programs. Grassley quoted figures from a Florida doctor who wrote […]
