Beginning in 2008, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield teamed up with Kroger pharmacies to launch a program aimed at helping 845 Cincinnati and the Kroger employees learn to manage diabetes and hypertension. The employees received individual attention via one-on-one meetings with Kroger pharmacists specially trained to address their needs. The results were very promising. [click to continue…]
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The FDA has issued a warning about new dosage recommendations for the antidepressant Celexa (citalopram). Aftermarket testing found that dosages higher than 40mg per day can result in dangerous changes to heart rhythm. Celexa is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that’s been marketed in the U.S. since 1988. [click to continue…]
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After four years of development, the FDA has finally published the new rules about sunscreen labels, and that’s good news for consumers. [click to continue…]
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In a move that could be a tremendous boon to legitimate U.S. pharmacies, Google was smacked down hard by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In one of the largest forfeitures, Google has agreed to pony up a whopping $500 million for allowing online pharmacies based in Canada to advertise to American consumers through its AdWords program, which resulted in a lucrative illegal prescription drug trade. As part of the agreement, Google admitted that they improperly assisted the online pharmacies to advertise illegal sales and agreed to establish compliance and reporting measures to prevent future transgressions. [click to continue…]
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According to U.K. research firm EvaluatePharma Ltd., the next year or so will see an unprecedented number of common brand name drugs go off patent. This will open the door to generic medications for the most oft-prescribed drugs used to treat blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, HIV, bipolar disorder, and other common ailments. Over the next 10 years, about 120 brands will lose market exclusivity, and low-cost generics will flood the market. [click to continue…]
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is working to address the Medicare Part D coverage gap for those receiving benefits for prescription drugs. The current plan includes a coverage gap, or “donut hole”, that suspends drug benefits when patients fall within certain limits of the plan. Early this year President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act which seeks to address the problem of the gap. The recently released CMS guidelines are the first step towards the eventual goal of closing the gap entirely. [click to continue…]
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