CDC’s ACIP has voted unanimously to recommend that everyone aged 6 months and older receive an updated 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. With rare exceptions, the committee recommends that everyone in this population receive this year’s influenza vaccine as well.

Sonya Collins

On January 2, 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled, in Roe v. Wade, that during approximately the first trimester of pregnancy, “the attending physician, in consultation with his patient, is free to determine, without regulation by the State, that, in his medical judgment, the patient’s pregnancy should be terminated.”

The phrase “ACIP-recommended” reflects a consensus that a vaccination is encouraged for everyone within a certain age or in certain risk groups. “ACIP-recommended” translates into broad, routine recommendations.

John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD, FAPhA

In April 2024, FDA achieved a milestone with the 50th biosimilar approval. This landmark reflects the growing availability of safe and effective biosimilars, which are essential for treating a variety of chronic and severe illnesses.

Clarissa Chan, PharmD

Step therapy, also known as “fail first,” is a utilization management technique employed by health insurers that only allows patients access to a particular medication after they have tried other, less expensive medications that did not work.

Terri D’Arrigo

Workplace conditions, including lack of staffing, limited support staff, inadequate training time, and an increase in demand to “do more with less,” continue to be primary reasons for stress and burnout among pharmacists cited in recent reports submitted to the Pharmacy Workplace and Well-being Reporting (PWWR) portal.

Loren Bonner

Updates from FDA

Results from a June 21, 2024, NEJM study suggest that tirzepatide may be a potential treatment for the more than 900 million people worldwide affected by sleep apnea.

Lauren Howell, PharmD

More than 38 million U.S. adults have diabetes, according to CDC. The American Diabetes Standards of Care 2024 recommends real-time or intermittently scanned CGM for people with diabetes who require multiple daily insulin injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin injections. 

Sonya Collins

In June 2024, FDA issued a nationwide warning regarding a ‘shroombased product that has been associated with at least 40 hospitalizations and potentially two deaths.

Elizabeth Briand

Creatine is a very popular sports supplement among athletes and individuals seeking to enhance muscle growth, performance, and strength.

Mickie Cathers

Warts, or verrucae, are a common skin disorder caused by HPV. Fortunately, warts are considered benign and often resolve without treatment within a few months to a year.

Mary Warner

In older patients with AFib who take anticoagulants for stroke prevention, bleeding is increased compared with younger patients, leading physicians to often prescribe lower than recommended doses in older patients. Researchers on the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial team sought to determine whether patients 80 years and older with AFib benefit from lower-dose anticoagulants, even in the absence of prespecified dose-reduction criteria.

In 2023, there were 81,083 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States, according to CDC. Many practitioners believe that community-based interventions can aid in reducing the number of deaths, but data related to the effectiveness of such interventions are lacking.

Corey Whetzel, PharmD, JD

Researchers are urgently seeking effective treatments for postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly known as “Long COVID.” Long COVID affects millions globally, causing a wide range of persistent symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, body aches, GI issues, and cardiovascular problems.

Aiya Almogaber, PharmD

Recently, AMA released the results of its 2023 prior authorization physician survey. It showed a continuing and significant concern among physicians regarding the prior authorization process, which they see as a time-consuming barrier to the efficient and effective delivery of care.

Elizabeth Briand

Medication errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, with an estimated 400,000 hospitalized patients harmed in some way by medication errors every year. Many of these could be avoided through practice changes.

Sonya Collins

Encountering individuals with hearing loss is a likely scenario in a pharmacist’s daily practice.

Emily Jo Venskytis, AuD, ABAC, CCC-A, & Greta Stamper, AuD, PhD

APhA Member News

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