 |
|
|
|
This month we would like to know...
In light of changes in Medicaid prescription drug rebating imposed upon manufacturers via national healthcare reform, how do you anticipate rebate offerings to third-party payers (eg, MCOs, PBMs, hospitals, etc...) will change in the future:
| a) |
Substantially lower rebate discounts |
| |
|
| b) |
Moderately lower rebate discounts |
| |
|
| c) |
No change |
| |
|
| d) |
Moderately enhanced rebate discounts |
| |
|
| e) |
Significantly enhanced rebate discounts |
| |
|
Vote in our survey, and see what other P&T committee members have to say.
 |
|
|
|
Contact Us
Click here to contact a Formulary editor.
Click here to contact a Formulary sales representative.
Click here to learn about direct mail, reprints and classifieds in Formulary.
Formulary
Digital Edition
Click here to view the current edition.
Click here to subscribe. |
|
|
|
|
|
Meeting Coverage
Specialty pharmacy management strategies continually updated
Costs for specialty pharmaceuticals continue to increase at double-digit rates. Therefore key stakeholders such as pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies, health plans, specialty pharmacies, employers/groups, and physician specialists, are looking for ways to most efficiently manage these products for patients. A number of different programs and sources were discussed at the 22nd annual meeting of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) in San Diego. These include the Foundation for Managed Care Pharmacy (FMCP) Specialty Pharmacy Initiative, the EMD Serono Specialty Digest (6th edition), and the BMS Biotechnology Monitor & Survey. More...
Interventions can help curb adverse drug events
Patient safety is a top healthcare priority. Billions of dollars are spent annually on adverse drug events (ADEs). The Institute of Medicine estimates that 1.5 million ADEs occur annually in the United States. In addition, 28% of emergency room visits are related to ADEs and of these, 24% result in hospitalization. Overall, 70% of ADEs are considered preventable. Since managed care companies are always looking to improve patient care and prevent adverse outcomes, it is no wonder that patient safety is a concern in this healthcare environment. More...
Social networking helpful for patients, but may need to be vetted
Social media defined as "a conversation supported by online tools," is transforming the way people communicate across the globe. Basically, social media consists of online applications that allow users to generate content, connect with others, and engage in conversation. Many social media sites exist, but healthcare professionals may not know that social media also exists in their realm. It ranges from online medical advice to actual patient-physician appointments. It includes educational banks, public health information dissemination, and online data-platform sharing. Patients use healthcare social media for peer support and empowerment through patient-centered websites. More...
Improved management of severe epilepsy may reduce treatment costs
Improved treatment of severe epilepsy could reduce the overall cost of the condition, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomic Outcomes Research (ISPOR), in Atlanta. More... |
|
|
Reports of severe liver injury prompt black box warning and new recommendations for propylthiouracil use
Propylthiouracil carries FDA approval for the treatment of hyperthyroidism (also referred to as overactive thyroid or Graves� disease) and until recently has been considered a first-line treatment. However, as early as April 2009, FDA and the American Thyroid Association (ATA) began recommending that propylthiouracil not be prescribed as first-line therapy in most adults or children based on reports of propylthiouracil-related serious liver injury from both the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (a total of 34 cases, resulting in 15 deaths and 12 transplants) and liver transplantation monitoring programs.
More... |
|
| |
Study explores effects of oral SCE-B on postmenopausal nocturnal vasomotor symptoms
Low-dose hormone therapy significantly reduced �sleep time� awakenings caused by hot flashes in postmenopausal women, according to the results of a recent multicenter study conducted at 19 US sites. More... |
Children�s consumption of chronic medications on the rise, new research shows
In growing numbers, children across the United States are adding a dose of medicine to their daily routine. In 2009, the drug trend for children, a measure of prescription spending growth, increased 10.8%, driven by a 5% increase in drug utilization and higher medication costs, according to the Medco 2010 Drug Trend Report. The growth in prescription drug use among children was nearly four times higher than the rise seen in the overall population. More... |
One-a-day heart polypill to be tested in new international trial
Researchers will explore whether a new, very low-cost, one-a-day combined �polypill� could reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular
problems across the world, in a major new international trial that has just launched, as reported by Science Daily.
More... |
Repeat rituximab therapy helps in resistant RA
Most patients with resistant rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who failed to respond to an initial cycle of rituximab (Rituxan) showed clinical improvement following a second treatment cycle, a British study found, as reported by MedPage. More... |
Drug for RSV linked to shorter hospital stays
The monoclonal antibody palivizumab (Synagis) appears to be associated with a marked reduction in length of hospital stay for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a researcher said, as reported by MedPage. More... |
Hepatitis C drug raises cure rate in late trial
An experimental drug for hepatitis C from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, telaprevir, sharply increased the cure rate in a clinical trial, while reducing the time needed for treatment. Experts said the results could herald a new era in treating the sometimes-fatal disease that is often overlooked, as reported by The New York Times. More... |
Novo Nordisk, international scientific community to conduct outcomes trial for liraglutide
Novo Nordisk announced details of the company�s cardiovascular outcomes trial for liraglutide (rDNA origin) injection (Victoza), which is set to start this autumn. More... |
|
|
|
| In the Pipeline |
| FDA Pipeline Preview, May 2010 (Pixantrone dimaleate, Armodafinil, Rosuvastatin/fenofibric acid delayed-release capsules, 0.4% nitroglycerin ointment, Omacetaxine mepesuccinate, Balsalazide disodium, Rotigotine transdermal system, Pirfenidone, Roflumilast, Oxycodone HCl/niacin, KRX-0401, Tesetaxel, Voclosporin, rhGAD65, IMGN901, SM101) |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
