Drug Topics - October 15, 2007 - (Page 16)

16 DRUG TOPICS OCTOBER 15, 2007 www.drugtopics.com The Week at a Glance now considering versions of the Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act of 2007, which would fix the average manufacturers price rule, slated to go into effect in January. The AMP rule is expected to cut more than $8 billion from pharmacy reimbursement over five years. According to a study by the Government Accountability Office, under the new rule many medications will be reimbursed on average 36% below their costs for generic drugs. Both NACDS and PhRMA lauded the House version, which was introduced last week. The legislation changes the definition of AMP to more accurately reflect pharmacy acquisition costs, uses a pricing benchmark based on average acquisition costs, and sets federal upper limits only when there are three or more equivalent drugs on the market. formed personnel, their families, and retired military worldwide. Monday 10/1/07 Unapproved hydrocodone ordered off the market by FDA As part of its crackdown on marketing of unapproved drugs, the FDA has ordered manufacturers of hydrocodone products that have not undergone agency review to cease further production and distribution. The action is enforceable under the agency’s Compliance Policy Guide, which was published in June 2006 and highlights the risks associated with such products. The FDA said it has received reports of medication errors associated with formulary changes and similarity of names of the unapproved hydrocodone, and it is particularly concerned with the fact that some products list dosages for children as young as two years despite the fact that no hydrocodone cough suppressant has been established as safe and effective for children younger than six. Companies must cease manufacture and distribution of products currently labeled for use in children under the age of six years by Oct. 31. Any other unapproved hydrocodone-containing products must stop production by Dec. 31 and cease further shipment by March 31, 2008. Prepaid flu vaccination card launched by Bartell Drugs, Novartis Bartell Drugs is partnering with Novartis Vaccines to introduce FluGram, a prepaid influenza vaccination card. Card holders can visit designated Bartell Drugs’ locations to receive their flu vaccination from a qualified health professional. The FluGram card can be used by recipients 18 years old and over (aged 14 to 17) with parent approval. It expires if it is not used by Dec. 31. FluGram cards will be available at all 55 Bartell Drugs locations in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties in Washington. For more information, visit www.bartelldrugs.com. CMS reveals 2008 Medicare Part D plans In 2008 most Medicare beneficiaries will have access to at least one Part D prescription drug plan with lower premiums than they are paying this year, CMS has announced. PDPs have already submitted plan proposals to CMS for the 2008 plan year. According to CMS, there will be 17 nationwide Part D plans and the national average monthly premium for the basic Medicare drug benefit in 2008 is projected to be roughly $25. Open enrollment for Part D beneficiaries begins Nov. 15 and concludes Dec. 31. CMS has released a complete list of Part D plans for 2008 on its Web site. NACDS applauds move to ensure equal pharmacy access for military NACDS sent a letter thanking Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D, N.J.) for sponsoring an amendment to prohibit increased copayments for military beneficiaries using retail pharmacies in the TRICARE health benefits program. The amendment was subsequently adopted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2008 (H.R. 1585), which is currently being debated in the Senate. The language in the amendment will help ensure that TRICARE patients do not face higher co-pays next year that would steer them to use mail order rather than local retail pharmacies. TRICARE is the military health program that provides care to more than nine million uni- FDA: Baxa customers no longer using recalled mixing software Customers of Baxa Corp. affected by a recall of the company’s Exacta-Mix 2400 Operating Software Pharmacy Compound System are no longer using the product, the FDA reported. A malfunction of version 1.07 of the software prompted the agency to recall the product, which is used in hospital http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=408151 http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=408151 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07239r.pdf http://www.bartelldrugs.com http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/ http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/

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Drug Topics - October 15, 2007 Contents Drugs in the Pipeline for Diabetes Vanquishing Med Errors from Abbreviations What Pharmacy Schools Never Taught You The Week at a Glance What Kinds of Mistakes Do Pharmacists Make?

Drug Topics - October 15, 2007

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