Content about Disaster

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug used to treat HIV for reducing the risk of HIV infection, the agency said Monday.

WASHINGTON — A bill passed in the Senate will provide measures to speed up the development of treatments for people who desperately need them.

The Senate voted Tuesday to pass S. 3187, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, which now awaits President Barack Obama's signature. The House approved a similar bill last week.

Specialty and biologically engineered medicines have been a boon to millions of Americans with life-threatening and life-altering conditions. But their lofty prices are squeezing patients and payers and spawning a growing legislative backlash that threatens insurers and employer-based health plans.

“The imperative to find cost-effective alternatives to biologics reflects the growing demand for these specialty drugs,” IMS Health noted. “Since their origins in the 1980s, biologics have prospered into a U.S. $138 billion market [in 2010].”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Rural Health Association on Wednesday sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., strongly supporting the bill she introduced in March — H.R. 4215, the Medicare Pharmacy Transparency and Fair Auditing Act. The bill helps safeguard patient access to independent community pharmacists and addresses abusive pharmacy auditing practices, while allowing legitimate Medicare Part D anti-fraud oversight to continue.

ATLANTA — Asthma is having a growing effect on the country's health, according to a new study.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its "Asthma's Impact on the Nation" report Wednesday, based on data gathered using the "Asthma Call-back Survey" of people with the disease. An estimated 29.1 million American adults, or 12.7% of the total, have been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetimes, while 18.7 million, or 8.2%, still had asthma in 2010.

STAMFORD, Conn. — Drug maker Purdue Pharma has introduced a new educational resource for healthcare professionals designed to curb the abuse of prescription drugs, the company said Monday.

PHOENIX — Patients with a rare, life-threatening genetic immune system disorder can receive treatment for sudden episodes more quickly and cost-effectively at home than if they go to the emergency room, according to a Walgreens Infusion Services study being presented Wednesday at the National Home Infusion Association Annual Conference and Exposition here.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association and Sharps Compliance said community pharmacies nationwide are ready for consumers to safely dispose of unused patient medications.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Dr. LeWinn by Kinerase, the first line of skin care products sold in the mass market that offers exclusive clinical strength kinetin in anti-aging formulas, is launching at retail in June its new Wrinkle Repair day and night cream.

The new formula is an intensive moisturizer for day and night that is designed to erase signs of wrinkles and protect skin from environmental damage. It is free of parabens, fragrances and dye.

It is has a suggested retail price of $25.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy officially announced on Wednesday the April schedule of Project Health (Proyecto Salud in Spanish), a wellness program delivering more than $21 million worth of free health screenings to multicultural communities throughout 2012.

As part of National Minority Health Month, CVS/pharmacy will offer free health screenings at select stores in African-American and Latino communities in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

“Straight over the cliff.”

That may be the destination for many independent pharmacies now that the Federal Trade Commission unconditionally has approved the controversial merger of the nation’s second- and third-largest pharmacy benefit managers, a top pharmacy leader warned.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — In preparation for spring, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on Friday noted that avoiding certain fruits and vegetables, installing the proper air filters, closing the windows, filling any allergy prescriptions and consulting with an allergist can all prevent the delay of allergy symptom relief for more than 35 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.