December 2012

Medication nonadherence is a growing issue for patients, clinicians, health care systems, and payers because of mounting evidence that it is prevalent and associated with adverse outcomes and higher costs of care. Here are some best practices to get people to take the medicines prescribed for them.

The specialty pharmacy community should remain alert in the coming months as the MEDCAC receives public comments and considers the future of Medicare coverage for 2 major therapies. The MEDCAC decision can have far-reaching impact on patient access.

Specialty therapy nurses can present educational modules that encompass the disease state, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of orphan and ultra orphan disorders.

The FDA approved Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s Truvada (emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disproxil fumarate 300 mg) in combination with safer sex practices for pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Disaster recovery plans are extremely important for specialty pharmacies to address in the wake of recent natural disasters.

March 2013 Meetings

Future strategies to manage specialty drugs are geared toward improving overall health care management of patients rather than relying on supply chain cost reduction strategies. The management of specialty drugs requires strategies that focus on outcomes and value.

Recent economic developments in Europe have impacted the state of specialty pharmacy. Here is an overview of the fluid situation and a comparison with the United States specialty market.

Therapy approvals significantly changed the landscape of treatment for hepatitis C and it is anticipated that the drugs in the treatment pipeline will mark significant advances in therapy as well.

What are some of the pitfalls that a pharmacy needs to avoid when setting up a relationship with a pharma manufacturer to accept authorizations from individuals to release information to that manufacturer?

Studies show that residents in nursing homes frequently receive an antibiotic for a suspected infection even without signs and symptoms.

A study found that melanoma is more common in immunosuppressed patients, including patients with a prior solid organ transplant, patients with lymphoma, and patients with HIV/AIDS.