Content about Collaborative Care

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Following the Senate’s defeat of a proposal that would have permitted “personal importation” of prescription drug medications, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores lauded the Senate’s decision to support patient safety.

SAN DIEGO — Findings from a new study indicate that more than half of the patients with ulcerative colitis who received subcutaneous injections of a drug used to treat autoimmune disorders responded to the treatment.

Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Research and Development announced results of a phase-3 trial of Simponi (golimumab) in ulcerative colitis patients whose condition had previously failed to improve with or who were intolerant to conventional drugs.

PHILADELPHIA — An interactive user-friendly program that breaks down diabetes management into four goals to help people with Type 2 diabetes better manage their disease has made its debut.

Taken together, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema — affect nearly 50 million Americans, or about 15% of the total U.S. population, according to statistics from such organizations as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And combined, the two diseases cause more than 100,000 deaths per year. Fortunately, however, there is a wide range of treatments available for both, many of which work for both diseases.

Big trends can sometimes take centuries or even millennia to develop. Think about how long it took between the dawn of anatomically modern humans and the adoption of agriculture. Health care is no different, having come a long way since the days of bloodletting and the assorted quackeries that were once considered acceptable medical practices.

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for acne made by a GlaxoSmithKline subsidiary.

Stiefel announced the approval of Fabior (tazarotene) foam in the 0.1% strength, calling it the only retinoid in a topical foam for treating acne in patients ages 12 years and older.

"Stiefel is dedicated to meeting th needs of patients and dermatologists, and we believe Fabior foam will be an important treatment option for people with moderate-to-severe acne," Stiefel VP North America dermatology Jean-Christophe May said.

All men know: It’s not the fall that kills you; it’s that sudden stop at the end. Men smoke more (23.2% versus 18.1% of women), drink more (71.6% versus 59.6%) and eat more (40% overweight, 21.5% obese versus 28.6% and 17.6%, respectively). Men die sooner (before the age of 75 years versus age 80 years for women) and are less likely to seek health care on their own (25.3% of men have no usual source of health care versus 13.8% of women).

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced on Wednesday that, for the second time over the course of one week, it has engaged with a congressional committee to tell the story of community pharmacy’s value in improving patient health and reducing costs, and it has submitted a statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance for the hearing Wednesday titled “Progress in Healthcare Delivery: Innovations from the Field.”

NEW YORK — Pfizer has named one of its executives to a new position.

Olivier Brandicourt — Pfizer's president and general manager of the primary care business unit and a member of the Pfizer executive leadership team — has been appointed president and general manager of the company's emerging markets and established business products business units, effective June 1. He succeeds David Simmons, who is leaving Pfizer to become the chairman and CEO of Pharmaceutical Product Development.

Are the nation’s more than 330,000 pharmacy technicians ready to step up to a higher level of patient services and a more demanding but rewarding career?

For most pharmacy techs, that step up in duties is either fast approaching or has already begun. Given the massive changes sweeping the severely stressed U.S. healthcare system and the retail, clinical and hospital pharmacies that serve it, thousands of technicians in those settings are already taking on meatier roles as they fill the void left by pharmacists called on to perform additional clinical services.

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed last year under health reform, Medicare now offers preventive wellness visits to seniors enrolled in Medicare Part B and select Medicare Advantage plans. For eligible seniors, these wellness visits can prove to be an important step in preventive care; however, the rates of utilization are surprisingly low. That’s the bad news. The good news is that this represents an ideal opportunity for convenient care clinics.

Gaining training and accreditation as a certified pharmacy technician is a relatively straightforward process, and access to the required course work and exam is readily available through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and other sites.

The prerequisites for taking the pharmacy technician certification exam are simple, the American Society of Health System Pharmacists noted. Basic requirements include a high school diploma, GED or foreign equivalent, and a record free of any felony or drug-related convictions.