Drug Topics- August 11, 2008

12 DRUG TOPICS August 11, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Latebreakers NACDS urges Congress to support HIT legislation NACDS is supporting legislation to adopt health information technology (HIT). In a statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means’ Subcommittee on Health, NACDS urged Congress to consider a balanced approach that considers privacy concerns but also pushes for the adoption of HIT. “It is critical that communications between the prescriber, the pharmacist, and the patients not be hampered while assuring adequate safeguards for protected health information,” Steven Anderson, NACDS president and CEO, said. “We are pleased that the committee has engaged pharmacy in discussions and look forward to continued communications on this important issue.” ASHP said it would publish the summit’s recommendations in short order to prevent further unnecessary deaths and injuries. that found that 5.6% of patients had the genetic variant. The screening test recommendation is now included in a black box on the drug’s label. The Personalized Medicine Coalition applauded FDA’s move, saying that it represents a shift in therapy from one size fits all to an individualized approach. Merger talks underway between Teva and Barr, Roche and Genentech The dog days of summer are usually quiet, but not this year. Merger and acquisition activity is at a high level. Teva announced that it is planning to acquire Barr for $7.6 billion. The deal, if approved, will further strengthen Teva’s position as the No. 1 generic drug company in the world. Teva hopes to complete the deal before the end of this year. On another front, Roche, which already owns about a 56% stake in Genentech, reported that it plans to gobble up the rest of the biotech company at $89 a share. Genentech executives were reportedly blindsided by the offer. Mercer survey finds pharmacists’ salaries on the rise Despite the slumping national economy, a new survey from Mercer indicates that pharmacists have seen healthy pay increases this year. The survey is conducted semiannually and examines pay levels in more than 380 metropolitan areas. It found that the salaries of retail staff pharmacists, including base salary and annual bonus, has risen 5.8% thus far in 2008, to $108,700 from $102,800. The salaries of hospital pharmacists have jumped 6.5%, to $105,200 from $98,800, while clinical pharmacists have seen a 5.2% pay increase to $105,000 from $99,800. The largest pay increase has been for pharmacy team managers, who have experienced an 8.1% hike to $118,000 from $109,200. “The ongoing shortage of pharmacy professionals continues to drive up pay,” David Dross, principal with Mercer’s managed pharmacy benefit business, said. “With the need for more pharmacists growing as baby boomers age and need more medications, pharmacy operators are continuing to raise salaries to attract pharmacists and remain competitive.” The survey found that pay varies by geographic region. For example, retail staff pharmacists in San Jose ($118,000) and Charlotte ($115,400) received higher salaries than their counterparts in Pittsburgh ($97,800) and Omaha ($97,200). DT FDA: Conduct genetic testing before giving AIDS drug Safety summit yields ways to prevent IV drug errors Recent news about heparin errors gave added legitimacy to an ASHP I.V. Safety Summit that the association held last month in Rockville, Md. An invitation-only event, the summit drew participation from USP, ISMP, the Joint Commission, and other groups. Some strategies participants came up with include: • standardizing product concen trations, patient care procedures, and equipment, • developing toolkits to enhance the adoption of the recommenda tions, • improving ways to communicate about drug errors to health pro fessionals. The FDA is warning doctors that AIDS patients should undergo a genetic test before receiving Ziagen (abacavir, GlaxoSmithKline) because some are at an increased risk of life-threatening side effects. The government said abacavir treatment for patients who carry a particular human leukocyte antigen allele, HLA-B*5701, “is not recommended and should be considered only under exceptional circumstances when the potential benefit outweighs the risk.” Those patients carrying the immune system gene and using the drug suffer hypersensitivity problems, such as fever, rash, nausea, and breathing difficulties. Glaxo paid for a study http://www.drugtopics.com

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Drug Topics- August 11, 2008 Contents Latebreakers Letters DEA Proposes Rule To Allow Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances Merger, Medicare Reform Could Mean Broader E-Prescribing Adoption New Combination Pill Approved for Type 2 Diabetes New Eczema Guildlines Promote Use of Emollients, Then Topical Corticosteroids Agencies Flush Original Strategies in Favor of Promoting Drug Take-Back Programs JP at Large: You Laughing at Me? Pharmacists Find Themselves at Mercy of Prior Authorization State Law Requiring PBM Transparency See Some Gains, Some Losses Global Counterfeiting Still Growing, Says U.S. Commerce Official FDA Saftey Page: Prophylthiouracil Still Confused with Purinethol (mercaptopurine) New Products Bring Lice Treatment to a Head NACDS Marketplace Showcases New Product that Fill Unmet Needs Update on Respiratory Tract Infections Execs Share War Stories About Adopting Technology in their Stores New Products Advertisters Index Classified Viewpoint: Medicare Part D Revisions sorely needed

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