Trending News Today: More States Seeking Oversight of Compounding Pharmacies

Yesterday, a group of 20 states sued the federal government claiming the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became unconstitutional after the individual mandate was repealed in late 2017, Reuters reported. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that the Supreme Court previously stated that the individual mandate without a tax penalty was unconstitutional, according to the article. The lawmakers seek to repeal the ACA in its entirety, which has been a top GOP priority since President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

An FDA advisory committee plans to examine whether changing the influenza vaccine for the 2018/2019 season will be necessary, according to The Hill. The committee reviews recommendations from the World Health Organization, as well as the composition of the next flu vaccine. Additionally, the FDA will apply knowledge gained from the 2017/2018 flu season to ensure there is not a similar outbreak next year, according to the article.

A recent analysis showed that state level oversight of compounding pharmacies has increased, STAT reported. There are now 32 states that require compounding pharmacies to comply with quality standards, up from 26 states 2 years ago, according to the article. However, the analysis also revealed that compounding pharmacies are not receiving inspections as frequently, highlighting room for improvement.