Content about Pharmacist Society

HYDERABAD — The Food and Drug Administration has approved two generic drugs made by Aurobindo Pharma, the drug maker said.

The company announced Tuesday the approval of quinapril tablets in the 5-mg, 10-mg, 20-mg and 40-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Pfizer's Accupril and is used to treat high blood pressure. Various versions of the drug had sales of about $49 million during the 12-month period ending in September, according to IMS Health.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for a genetic disorder that affects about 500 people in the United States and 3,000 worldwide, the agency said Tuesday.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Genentech for a rare form of arthritis in children, the company said Tuesday.

Genentech, a subsidiary of Swiss drug maker Roche, announced the approval of Actemra (tocilizumab) for polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children ages 2 years and older, either alone or combined with the generic drug methotrexate.

QUINCY, Mass. — Healthcare technology company CDW Healthcare and ConnectedLiving, an organization that provides technology for the elderly, have a deal to get senior living communities online, the two companies said Monday.

NEW YORK — Electronic health platform Fitango is creating a three-part action plan to support childhood immunizations, the company said Monday.

Fitango announced the release of its new series of Preventative Actionplans, broken up according to age, respectively titled "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (0 - 2)," "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (4 - 6)" and "Tracking Your Child's Vaccinations (7 - 18)."

BEL AIR, Md. — The risk of Lyme disease in dogs will be "extremely high" this year, an expert group has warned.

ST. LOUIS — Medical products manufacturer Covidien's pharmaceutical division is expanding an initiative to collect unused and unwanted medications.

Mallinckrodt said it would expand communities' access to drug take-back collection boxes and promote safe disposal practices, installing lock boxes in three police stations around St. Louis. The company said it purchased the boxes under a collaboration with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators and also would provide a grant to help incinerate the medications that are collected.

WASHINGTON — More than 1.3 million emergency room visits in 2010 were related to abuse of prescription drugs, and the problem has become widespread enough that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies it as an epidemic. In response, curbing abuse of prescription drugs has become a cornerstone of the Obama administration's drug policy.

PARSAPPANY, N.J. — Actavis can launch a generic version of an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug made by Shire next year under an agreement between the two companies announced Thursday.

PEAPACK, N.J. — Greenstone has launched an authorized generic painkiller, the company said.

Greenstone, the generics arm of Pfizer, announced the introduction of authorized generic oxaprozin caplets in the 600 mg strength. The drug is a version of Pfizer's Daypro, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID.

Authorized generics are branded drugs sold under their generic names at a reduced price.

WASHINGTON — A coalition of consumers, businesses and pharmacists is promoting greater access to immunizations to mark World Immunization Week, which started Wednesday and lasts until next Tuesday.

Pharmacy Choice and Access Now said it was encouraging states to expand the types of vaccines that pharmacists can administer.

NEW YORK — Watertree Health has hired former NBA champion John Salley to market its free prescription discount cards, the company said.

Salley, who maintains a vegan diet, is a health and wellness advocate and has appeared in film and television. Watertree provides prescription discount cards and distributes them to anyone who needs help paying for medicines. According to the company, more than 100 million Americans don't have full prescription coverage.