Content about Pharmacist Society

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration declined to approve a drug made by Eisai for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, Eisai said Tuesday.

The drug maker announced its receipt of a complete response letter from the agency for its application for rabeprazole sodium extended-release capsules, a proton-pump inhibitor for GERD. The FDA delivers a complete response letter when it has finished reviewing a regulatory approval application, but issues remain that preclude final approval of the drug.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In an effort to create 30 new community pharmacy residency positions by funding programs across the nation, the charitable arm of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced the grant application, review and approval process for its Community Pharmacy Residency Expansion Project.

The NACDS Foundation said that Community PREP, which first was announced in December 2010, will award 15 grants to nonprofit academic institutions, totaling $50,000 each.

MIAMI — Navarro Discount Pharmacies and a number of healthcare partners on Jan. 26 hosted a free health fair to kick off Heart Health Awareness Month in February, the pharmacy operator announced Wednesday.

For the approximate 200 people who attended, the event featured lifestyle presentations, information on medical issues, free product samplings from vendors and complimentary heart health screenings, including vascular screenings, body mass index, glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and UHealth’s Heart Aware Risk Assessments.

WASHINGTON — One of the more recognizable faces of the Natural Products Association, VP global government and scientific affairs Daniel Fabricant, will be leaving association work in favor of the Food and Drug Administration, Drug Store News learned Wednesday.

A staunch advocate of natural products who has testified before Congress on behalf of the supplement industry, Fabricant will join the FDA as director of the division of dietary supplement programs by the end of February.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Pharmacy wholesaler H.D. Smith has promoted three of its executives.

The company announced Wednesday the promotion of Joseph Conda to SVP strategic planning and business development, Robert Appleby to corporate VP prescription products and Carolyn Webb to corporate VP marketing.

ELMSFORD, N.Y. — Specialty pharmacy provider BioScrip hopes to save $15 million through a cost-reduction and streamlining plan, the company said Monday.

Much of the two-part initiative will be implemented this year and completed by next year. Savings will mostly come from overhead, reduction of spending and restructuring of employee-benefit programs.

HYDERABAD, India — A federal court has lifted an injunction that had prevented drug maker Dr. Reddy’s Labs from marketing a generic version of an allergy drug.

Dr. Reddy’s said the U.S. District Court of New Jersey had filed a stipulation and order lifting the earlier injunction against the drug maker regarding the selling of a version of fexofenadine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride tablets in the 180-mg/240-mg strength. The drug is a generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ and Albany Molecular Research’s Allegra-D 24.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Among people who use dietary supplements, the most popular products in 2010 were fish oil, multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and Co Q10, according to a survey released Tuesday by ConsumerLab.com.

Women were much more likely than men to have taken vitamin D, calcium or probiotics. Men were more likely than women to have taken Co Q10, herbs and extracts, glucosamine/chondroitin, vitamin E, resveratrol, amino acids, and nutrition drinks and powders.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson Corp. on Monday reported revenue of $28.2 billion for its fiscal third quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2010. Third-quarter earnings per diluted share were 60 cents, which included a pre-tax average wholesale price litigation charge of $189 million ($133 million after-tax, or 52 cents per diluted share).

BASEL, Switzerland — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Novartis vaccine for preventing meningococcal disease in children, the Swiss drug maker said.

Novartis announced the approval of Menveo (meningococcal [groups A, C, Y and W-135] oligosaccharide diphtheria CRM197 conjugate vaccine) for active immunization to prevent certain forms of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis in children ages 2 to 10 years. The FDA approved the vaccine last year for use in adolescents and adults ages 11 to 55 years.

NEW YORK — Fears about the likelihood of medication errors have officials in Pennsylvania mulling the possibility of restrictions on patients transferring prescriptions from one pharmacy to another, according to published reports.

CNBC reported Sunday that a rule recently put in place by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy that allows only one transfer per year had inspired Pennsylvania officials to consider a similar rule for their own state.

WILMINGTON, Del. — Nearly half a million people participated in AstraZeneca's prescription savings programs.

The drug maker reported that it provided $947 million in savings last year to the more than 545,000 patients in the United States who participated. Participation in the AZ&Me prescription savings programs has increased steadily over the past three years, up 7% over 2009 and 19% over 2008, AstraZeneca said.