Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - (Page 6) 6 DRUG TOPICS MAY 26, 2008 www.drugtopics.com > > >NEWS Roundup Chains and Business Survey finds many patients don’t consult pharmacists A Consumers Union survey of pharmacies and readers found wide variations in prices for some medications from pharmacy to pharmacy and that patients are now less likely to consult with pharmacists when picking up medications than before. In the survey, CU, publisher of Consumer Reports, called 163 pharmacies and culled data from more than 40,000 reader responses. The magazine found that prices for Plavix (clopidogrel, sanofi-aventis), which prevents blood clots, ranged from $382-$541 for a three-month supply. The survey found that Costco was the cheapest for four of the five drugs and that Walgreens and Rite-Aid were among the most expensive. In addition, the consumer organization found that only 38% of responding patients asked pharmacists for advice on their medications, down from 50% in 2002. According to CU, approximately one-quarter of the 57,000 medicine-buying experiences were with pharmacy benefit managers. New smoking cessation guidelines advocate counseling and drugs New guidelines related to smoking cessation have been released by the U.S. Public Health Service. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update found that there are now seven medications approved for smoking cessation: bupropion SR, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, nicotine lozenge, nicotine nasal spray, nicotine patch, and varenicline. The guidelines recommend the use of counseling and pharmacotherapy as the most optimal way to help people quit smoking and contend that insurers should pay for these treatments, since they are very cost effective. A consortium of organizations collaborated to sponsor the 2008 update, ranging from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The 2008 update also includes a consumer guide and a pocket guide for clinicians. Physician dispensing vendor claims its drugs are safer than those from drugstores Here’s a new tack a supplier to physicians who dispense is now taking to market its service. Bryant Ranch Prepack is now touting that it supplies physicians with medications packaged by machines that have never been touched by human hands and in climate-controlled chambers. “If a pharmacist fills a thousand prescriptions, he or she does it one at a time. We fill one prescription a thousand times in a safe environment. Which do you think has the greater accuracy and safety?” asked Fred Ganjian, VP of sales for Bryant Ranch Prepack and a pharmacist himself. The Los Angeles firm calls its new initiative Untouched Filling Operation (UFO) and is promoting it in an open house. Government & Law AAHomecare says DMEPOS bidding program is flawed In testimony before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) urged Congress to suspend what it calls a controversial, flawed Medicare bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS), claiming it is "a train wreck." Past AAHomecare chair Tom Ryan testified as follows, "The bidding program is poorly conceived, it is fundamentally flawed, and it does not account for the way that homecare providers currently compete for business. But the real tragedy is the negative impact on Medicare beneficiaries. Problems with the design and operation of the bidding program will seriously reduce beneficiary access and the quality of care and products that beneficiaries currently receive." Also testifying at the hearing was the Government Accountability Office. It issued a report stating that while competitive bidding may reduce cost, adequate oversight of patient satisfaction is critical to identify problems with suppliers. Clinical Practice ASHP makes available emergency preparedness plan Need guidance on how to take care of severely injured patients when a large-scale catastrophe strikes? Look no further. Definitive Care for the Critically Ill During a Disaster is now available for health professionals. The resource consists of four papers and an executive summary and was prepared by a multidisciplinary task force. ASHP and other groups contributed to this Critical Care Collaborative Initiative. Image: Getty Images/Steve Wisbauer http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco http://www.ConsumerReports.org http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco http://bryantranchprepack.com/ http://bryantranchprepack.com/ http://www.ashp.org/s_ashp/cat1c.asp?CID=505&DID=7880 http://www.ashp.org/s_ashp/cat1c.asp?CID=505&DID=7880 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08767t.pdf
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 Contents Medication Errors: Why Record Near Misses? Pharmacist Finds Joy in Art Upon His Retirement New Products Latest News Roundup Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - Medication Errors: Why Record Near Misses? (Page 3) Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - Pharmacist Finds Joy in Art Upon His Retirement (Page 4) Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - New Products (Page 5) Drug Topics - May 26, 2008 - Latest News Roundup (Page 6)
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