The U.S. is spending less on medicine

Last year, Americans spent less on medicines per capita (3.5%) because of a greater availability of lower costing generics, a decline in the use of brand-name products, lower levels of price increases, and a reduction in spending on new medicines, according to a new report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. » More

Drug adherence rates are problematic

If filled prescriptions are collecting dust in the pick-up bin of your pharmacy, they may not be going anywhere anytime soon. Americans are failing to adhere to their medications because doing so makes them feel "sad," "old," or "worried," according to a recent survey. » More

NCPA advocates for PBM audit reform, transparency

Leaders of the National Community Pharmacists Association and hundreds of its members were in Washington, DC, last week for a two-day advocacy-focused conference. » More

Continuing Education

Pain Management CPE: May activity available now

Welcome to our CPE series: Pain Management Considerations for Medication Therapy Management, which has been designed for pharmacists who take care of patients who need pain relief. You can earn up to 10 credits from April 2013 to August 2013 with 5 monthly knowledge-based activities and 2 credits from September 2013 to October 2013 with 2 monthly interactive online case studies.
The May activity covers pharmacology and therapeutics of pain medications, focusing on non-opioid analgesics.
To read and print the article with TEST QUESTIONS, click here. To proceed to the online exams and earn up to 2 CPE credits, click here to log in.

LIVE EVENT!

Medication Therapy Management for Patients with Diabetes CPE Series

Reserve the dates—May 22 or May 23—to attend an innovative 6-hour live program at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy campus. Learn motivational interviewing skills, apply medication therapy management concepts to patients with diabetes, and practice your new skills to earn 6 CPE credits and a certificate of achievement (additional 6 CPE credits are awarded for post-activity requirements) – for a total of 12 CPE credits.

Prerequisite: Completion prior to the event of the 7 knowledge-based and 3 application-based activities in this CPE series by University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and Drug Topics.

Click here for more information and to register.

New online interactive case studies available now

The second case study, Case Studies in Diabetes Care-Part 2, is now available, offering you an opportunity to apply diabetes management concepts from the knowledge-based diabetes series. Earn 1 hour of CPE credit for completing each individual application-based activity.

Log in: www.drugtopics.com/casestudies

To begin Part 1, click on Course Catalog ID: 2013-02-2.
To begin Part 2, click on Course Catalog ID: 2013-03-2.

Announcement: Welcome to the new user registration process. This new process requires all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide or update their NABP e-Profile ID in order to electronically keep track of CPE credits from ACPE-accredited providers. If you have not done so, you can obtain your NABP e-Profile ID now at www.MyCPEmonitor.net. This profile will enable you to have one login for all the NABP programs and services you will need throughout your career.

Check these out too

• FDA warns about valproate during pregnancy

• Medicaid expansion improves mental health

• Drug take-back program successful

• New initiative for improved med adherence

Voices

Anticoagulation Update

TAKE OUR SURVEY

U.S. spending on prescription drugs on a per-capita-basis declined by 3.5% last year. Americans also visited doctors' offices less frequently, yet emergency room admissions climbed by 5.8% last year.
Do you anticipate significantly greater healthcare use by the public and drug spending next year with the introduction of healthcare insurance exchanges and the expansion of Medicaid eligibility?

— Yes

— No

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