April 7 Practice & Trends On the Cover Removal of DEA requirement makes pharmacists part of solution for treating opioid use disorder PT April 2023 What if there were no special steps required of clinicians to help individuals receive medication for opioid use disorder (OUD)? Could this scenario allow patients with OUD to be treated where it’s most convenient for them, even in a pharmacy? Loren Bonner
April 7 Practice & Trends Travel Meds Prepare patients for safe, healthy summer travel PT April 2023 As summer approaches, pharmacy staff may begin to field more questions about how patients can manage their health and their medications while they travel, especially during extended travel abroad. Sonya Collins
April 7 Practice & Trends Pain Some antidepressants may bring relief to a handful of pain conditions PT April 2023 Chronic pain is common and debilitating, and its treatment continues to present challenges to the medical community. Sonya Collins
April 7 Practice & Trends Diagnostics and family planning Self-Care Product Survey PT April 2023 There is an expanding variety of home testing and monitoring kits available for patients interested in preventative care, detecting the presence or absence of a medical or physiologic condition, and monitoring therapy or results of a wellness routine.
April 7 Practice & Trends On the Docket Recent ruling on “red flags” creates a novel situation for pharmacists PT April 2023 A federal judge in Ohio who oversees the National Prescription Opiate Litigation (NPOL) has recently issued a ruling with significant implications for pharmacists and pharmacies. David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD
April 7 Bulletin Today News roundup Bulletin Today PT April 2023 FDA issued an EUA on February 24, 2023, for the first at-home OTC diagnostic test that can differentiate and detect influenza A and B and the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
April 7 Today's Perspective Today's Perspective Pharmacists are essential to buprenorphine access PT April 2023 As an age-advanced (i.e., older) pharmacist, I can remember the days when proton-pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists, fluticasone nasal spray, and many other self-care products required a prescription. Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP
April 7 Association Perspective Association Perspective Working for justice for pharmacies from unfair PBM practices PT April 2023 The momentum is building for PBM reform and APhA remains focused on challenging PBM’s anticompetitive business practices which create an unequal playing field in the marketplace that disadvantages patients, pharmacists, and communities. Ilisa BG Bernstein, PharmD, JD, FAPhA
February 7 Bulletin Today Bulletin Today News Roundup PT April 2023, PT February 2024 Effective immediately, FDA has changed the labels on two medications used to bring down LDL cholesterol levels: bempedoic acid (Nexletol) and bempedoic acid/ezetimibe (Nexlizet).
April 7 Drugs & Diseases On The Shelf Raspberry leaf for pregnancy PT April 2023 Herbs and herbal products have been used during pregnancy for centuries and have recently become popular through the widespread belief that it is “safer to go natural.” Mickie Cathers
April 7 Drugs & Diseases New Drugs Sunlenca PT April 2023 In December 2022, FDA approved Sunlenca (Gilead Sciences, Inc.), the first medication in a new class of drugs used to treat HIV type 1 (HIV-1) in patients who are unable to be successfully treated with other available medications. Lauren Howell, PharmD
April 7 Drugs & Diseases Supplements What are the top 10 supplements in the U.S.? PT April 2023 With 77% of Americans taking at least one supplement on a regular basis, it is more important than ever for pharmacists to know about these products. Lauren Howell, PharmD
April 7 Drugs & Diseases Diabetes What changed and what stayed the same for diabetes management in CKD? PT April 2023 With a large amount of new, high-quality data available, the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) workgroup issued a new comprehensive update on diabetes management in chronic kidney disease (CKD) only 2 short years after the last comprehensive update became available. Ariel L. Clark, PharmD
April 7 Drugs & Diseases Osteoporosis ACP updates osteoporosis and low bone mass guidelines PT April 2023 At the start of 2023, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released an update to their pharmacological guideline recommendations for the treatment of osteoporosis and low bone mass to prevent fractures in adults. Clarissa Chan, PharmD
April 7 Drugs & Diseases Depression Ketamine can serve as remedy for treatment-resistant depression PT April 2023 For individuals with suicidal thoughts or who don’t respond to any therapies for depression, ketamine offers a treatment choice, according to Megan Ehret, PharmD, BCPP, from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Loren Bonner
April 7 Drugs & Diseases OTCs Today Ouch! Topical pain relievers come in many forms PT April 2023 Topical analgesics are often used to relieve pain associated with aches and pains in muscles and joints, such as backaches, arthritis, strains, bruises, and sprains. Mary Warner
April 7 Health Systems Antibiotics Study could renew recommendations for vancomycin dosing and monitoring goals in critically ill patients PT April 2023 The safety and efficacy of area under the curve (AUC) monitoring in ICU patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has yet to be validated by the literature, but a new study by Wang and colleagues published in Pharmacotherapy on January 30, 2023, seems to shine light on the topic. Corey Diamond, PharmD
April 7 Health Systems Strategy ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Forecast provides guidance for health-system pharmacy departments PT April 2023 The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and ASHP Foundation released the 11th edition of the Pharmacy Forecast report, which provides an insightful perspective on the factors that can affect patient care, population health, and the pharmacy profession. Aneesh Asokan, PharmD, MBA
April 7 Health Systems Penicillin Allergy Pharmacists can help identify most appropriate antibiotics for patients allergic to penicillin PT April 2023 An article published on January 21, 2023, in AJHP reveals some welcome findings: When pharmacists are involved in antibiotic selection, hospitals can potentially save money and patients are less likely to be prescribed undesirable second-line therapies. Olivia C. Welter, PharmD
April 7 CPE CPE Pharmacogenomics in treating mental health disorders PT April 2023 Mental health disorders are common, complex to diagnose and treat, and costly to manage. They are also associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Common disorders such as depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of disease burden globally. WHO reports that anxiety disorders affect over 260 million people. Adrijana Kekic, PharmD, CTLC
April 7 Today's Pharmacist Today's Pharmacist A Minute With... Samantha Freiter PT April 2023 A Minute With... Samantha Freiter, APhA–ASP Chapter President and 2024 PharmD candidate, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Member since 2020
April 7 Crossword Challenge Crossword Challenge Crossword Challenge: Test your knowledge! PT April 2023 Take the Crossword Challenge