Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - (Page 5) DRUG TOPICS 5 DRUG TOPICS EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Of Interest to Pharmacists Philip P. Burgess, RPh, MBA National Director Pharmacy Affairs Walgreen Co. Deerfield, Ill. Perry Cohen, PharmD, FAMCP “Rotavirus is responsible for more than 200,000 ED visits annually, just in the United States,” CamposOutcalt said.“It is the cause of much mortality and morbidity each year.” Early concerns about vaccinated infants shedding live virus in feces have disappeared, he added. The vaccine can be given safely to infants whose households include pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals. It can also be given safely in hospital settings. If the infant presents with a gastrointestinal condition, the dose should be delayed until after the upset passes, Campos-Outcalt said. And if the baby spits the dose back up, it should not be readministered. As with other vaccines, RotaTeq should not be given if there is a known sensitivity to the vaccine or any of its components. The vaccine is appropriate for premature infants as long as they have been discharged and are clinically stable. The recommendation for universal hepatitis A vaccine has been moved up to an infant’s first birthday. Hep A is not widespread in the U.S. population, Campos-Outcalt said. The CDC estimates 6,000 symptomatic cases annually and 24,000 asymptomatic cases. “There is a lot of subclinical hep A out there,” he said. “Children serve as a source of infection for adults. That’s why the recommendation has been made to vaccinate as early as possible.” The virus is typically spread between infants at daycare facilities, he said. Infected infants then carry the infection home. Because the hepatitis A morbidity burden is relatively low, the population cost of universal infant vaccination is about $24,000 per quality adjusted life year, (QALY). While the cost of vaccination is well above the cost of disease, Campos-Outcalt said. The CDC’s goal is to reduce disease burden. “New vaccines today generally don’t save money,” he said. “They save disease. If the cost is below $50,000 per QALY, you’re in the ballpark. As the recommendation goes from select populations to universal vaccination, we expect to see the incidence of hep A decline.” The Pharmacy Group LLC Glastonbury, Conn. David J. Fong, PharmD Senior Vice President Pharmacy and Family Care Safeway Inc. Pleasanton, Calif. Mary E. Inguanti, RPh, MPH Vice President, Operations Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, Conn. James A. Jorgenson, RPh, MS, FASHP Executive Director, Pharmacy Clarian Health/ Methodist Hospital Indianapolis Dennis Burton, BSPharm, MBA Vice President Specialty Pharmacy Services Specialty Scripts Pharmacy Fall River, Mass. Frederick S. Mayer, RPh, MPH President Pharmacists Planning Service Inc. San Rafael, Calif. Gene Memoli Jr., RPh, FASCP Director Customer Development Omnicare Cheshire, Conn. Jack Rosenberg, PharmD, PhD Professor and Director International Drug Information Center, Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Long Island University Brooklyn, N.Y. Stephen W. Schondelmeyer PharmD, PhD Director, PRIME Institute College of Pharmacy University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn.
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 Contents Significant Tax Savings For Capital Investments by Year-End Pharmacists to Play Larger Role in Pediatric Immunization Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - Significant Tax Savings For Capital Investments by Year-End (Page 3) Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - Pharmacists to Play Larger Role in Pediatric Immunization (Page 4) Drug Topics - October 27, 2008 - Pharmacists to Play Larger Role in Pediatric Immunization (Page 5)
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