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Osphena (Ospemifene) Approved for Reducing Painful Sex After Menopause

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:50:38 +0000

Postmenopausal women who experience pain during intercourse -- a condition called dyspareunia -- have a new treatment option with Shionogi Inc.'s Osphena (ospemifene).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the once-daily pill on February 26, 2013...

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SlimXtreme Diet Pills Seized for Containing Dangerous Prescription Drug

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 07:26:45 +0000

Any pharmacy or health and wellness store stocking SlimXtreme, SlimPlus, SlimLee, GetSlim, SlimDrops or Colonew should stop selling the weight loss aids immediately.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on ...

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Gilead Recalls One Lot of Vistide (Cidofovir Injection)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:36:12 +0000

The detection of particulates in some vials from a single lot of Vistide (cidofovir injection) has led Gilead Sciences, the medication's manufacturer, to recall the potentially contaminated products.

Vials from the affected lot bear the production code B120217A...

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Drug and Dietary Supplement Maker Titan Medical Ordered to Shut Down

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:49:30 +0000

Any pharmacies stocking Rad Block KI potassium iodide dietary supplements or 600 mg enteric-coated guaifenesin tablets produced by Titan Medical Enterprises should remove the products from their shelves immediately.

The U.S. ...

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Study: MTM Improved Outcomes for Diabetes Patients

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:22:02 +0000

In news that should not surprise members of the pharmacy profession ...

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Celgene's Pomalyst (Pomalidomide) Approved for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 06:34:06 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Feb. 8, 2013, announced its approval of Celgene's Pomalyst (pomalidomide) for treating the blood cancer multiple myeloma.

The new medication comes in tablet form, ...

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Most Mass. Compounding Pharmacies Fail Unannounced Inspections

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 06:02:03 +0000

Initial reports from unannounced inspections of 40 compounding pharmacies in Massachusetts are in, and the news is not good.

On Feb. 5, 2013, the state health department announced that 32 of ...

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FDA: Stop Dispensing, Report All Altuzan (Bevacizumab)

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 06:24:00 +0000

Feb. 5, 2013, headlines about a counterfeit Avastin warning missed the mark by a wide margin.

What the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was trying to bring to pharmacists', pharmacy technicians', ...

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Religious Institutions Offered Work-Around on Contraception Coverage

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 07:07:45 +0000

Update Feb. 10, 2013: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has reaffirmed its opposition to any federal requirement that employer-subsidized health insurance plans include coverage of birth control without co-payments. The bishops published a statement directed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 7 that reads, in part, "In obedience to our Judeo-Christian heritage, we have consistently taught our people to live their lives during the week to reflect the same beliefs that they proclaim on the Sabbath.We cannot now abandon them to be forced to violate their morally well-informed consciences."

My Reaction: Taken at face value, the bishops are demanding that federal regulators compel Catholics to make health care decisions based on church doctrine. That should raise legitimate concerns from all involved about the separation of church and state.

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A major sticking point in implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may have been overcome. That is, if nonprofit religious institutions like Catholic universities and Baptist hospitals go along with a proposed rule regarding offering women zero co-pay contraceptive coverage issued by the Obama administration on Feb. 1, 2013.

As originally enacted, the Obamacare law included all forms of hormonal birth control on a long list of preventive services health insurance policies had to cover at no additional costs beyond premiums to beneficiaries. When that provision took effect in early 2012, religious leaders, led by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, objected to institutions under their control paying for contraceptives. They argued that their faith leads them to believe the medications end human lives.

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Generic Doxorubcin Liposomal Injection May Ease Chemo Drug Shortage

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 07:03:28 +0000

A persistent shortage of a critical chemotherapy medication may soon be resolved.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Feb. 4, 2013, announced its approval of Sun Pharma Global's generic version of doxorubicin liposomal injection...

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