In February, FDA accepted Lykos Therapeutics’ new drug application (NDA) for midomafetamine (MDMA) capsules, used in combination with psychotherapy, for the treatment of PTSD. If the treatment is approved, a decision that could come as soon as August 2024, it will be the first in what is expected to be a growing number of FDA-approved psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Sonya Collins

In Arkansas, John Kirtley, PharmD, executive director of the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy, said that several pharmacies in the state have been threatened with the loss of their ability to purchase controlled substances.

Loren Bonner

CDC will soon take a proven pharmacist-led hypertension program and bring it to predominantly Black populations in the southeastern United States.

Loren Bonner

The rights of patients and the responsibilities of health care professionals are the subject of significant litigation in the area of pregnancy termination and pregnancy prevention.

David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has published several cases of medications being dispensed to patients before they were properly reconstituted. Most of the cases involved pediatric patients who received overdoses of antibiotics when their parents administered the drug powder to their children.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, PA

Pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians, public health officials, and other immunization stakeholders, are recognized as important members of the immunization neighborhood and are developing solutions to increase access to vaccines and other public health services.

Updates from FDA

On February 16, 2024, FDA approved the first medication indicated to help reduce allergic reactions to more than one type of food after accidental exposure. Xolair (omalizumab—Genentech) injection is approved for the reduction of type I allergic reactions, including reducing the risk of anaphylaxis that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods in adults and children 1 year or older.

Lauren Howell, PharmD

Results of a COVID-19 vaccine safety study that included over 99 million patients from eight countries were released in February 2024.

John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD, FAPhA

Gabapentinoids, such as gabapentin and pregabalin, are commonly used in the management of epilepsy and neuropathic pain. However, these medications have recently come under scrutiny due to potential respiratory adverse effects, particularly in patients with COPD, which are characterized by progressive airflow limitation and recurrent exacerbations that impact a person’s quality of life.

Aiya Almogaber, PharmD

When it comes to dispensing medications for infants and children, even the smallest of miscalculations could have potentially serious consequences. Traditionally, though, one piece of information—the weight of pediatric patients—has not been provided by prescribers, leaving it up to pharmacists to check weights or provide safe dosing guidelines for parents and caregivers.

Elizabeth Briand

Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections, accounting for almost 9 mil-lion ambulatory care visits per year. 

Mary Warner

Biotin has been at the top of supplement charts for years, promoted as being beneficial for shiny, thick hair; strong and fast-growing nails; and healthy, radiant skin. 

Mickie Cathers

Trending Topics in Health-System Pharmacy

In January 2024, the American Heart Association (AHA) released a guideline update for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care.

Olivia C. Welter, PharmD

Treatment plans for complex conditions can be—you guessed it— very complex. Chronic pain and CVD are two common disease states that require medication treatment, but despite the high incidence rates of both conditions, there is limited guidance for treating these conditions together.

Ariel Clark, PharmD

Pharmacist-led telehealth collaborative care has the potential to enhance treatment adherence and preventive screening for individuals with psychosis or bipolar disorder, according to findings from a January 2024 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Clarissa Chan, PharmD

Migraine headache is a major public health concern, being the sixth most prevalent disease worldwide and affecting more than a billion people of virtually every ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, family relationship, geographic location, or overall health.^1,2 Despite migraine’s commonness, this illness remains under-recognized and undertreated, resulting in considerable debilitation, reduced quality of life, pain, and economic burdens.^3,4 Opportunities to reduce these adverse consequences include increasing migraine diagnosis, improving patient education, enhancing access to and use of migraine-specific medications, optimizing nondrug therapies, and routine evaluations of care.

Richard Wenzel, PharmD, CPPS

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