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Editorial: Going backwards?
Editor's Note: Just a quick break from our series on brief quality-assurance notes. The reason for this break is that there are a number of opportunities for involvement and participation just around the corner.
This week's "Action Alert" from the American Pharmacists Association has some striking news items that should get everyone involved. (www.pharmacist.com/GA)
Capitol Hill feedback from information they have received states the following:
- Nurses can coach patients to be compliant; we don't need pharmacist-provided medication therapy management services.
- Pharmacists just use an algorithm to do medication management; medication management can be done by computers.
- Pharmacists are just looking for more money; patients don't need help managing their medication therapy.
- If you agree with the above, DON'T DO ANYTHING!!!!
- If you disagree with the above, GET BUSY AND GET INVOLVED!!!!
For over 35 years pharmacy has been promoting "clinical pharmacy" and medication therapy involvement. It has been a long struggle, and the battle is still not won. However, with the potential healthcare changes that may be considered by Congress and "economics" being a major factor, the case for pharmacy involvement must be made. With computerization, robotics, mail order, and "eliminating the middleman" to cut costs in health care, where will pharmacy be if the new healthcare changes are implemented? Many are still under the mistaken impression that the reason for high drug costs is centered on pharmacists' involvement in the drug process. We all know that the high costs are industry-centered because pharmacists only get reimbursed at "AWP less 20% plus Zero" according to some plans.
Bottom line�it's up to you! Pharmacy is not a spectator sport! If you snooze, you lose! Get in the game! Support your national pharmacy organizations and their efforts to work with Congress!
Don't forget�"Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, some people wonder 'what happened'"!
Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief
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FDA Reverses Stand on Liquid Morphine
After hearing protests over their decision to remove it, the FDA decided that a liquid morphine pain killer given by family caregivers to dying patients can remain on the market. The FDA had previously announced that it was ordering manufacturers to stop making 14 medications, including the liquid morphine. These products were grandfathered and based on the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938.
The FDA's Dr. Douglas Throckmorton announced that the morphine liquid will remain on the market until it's replaced by an approved version or some equivalent therapy. The reversal was welcomed by experts in hospice care and pain relief. One doctors group had told the FDA that last week's order would "cause extreme suffering for many patients who are nearing the end of life".
"The order has not changed for the other painkillers, at least for now," said Throckmorton, deputy director of the agency's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "The basis for the FDA's action is their opinion that the unapproved manufactured drugs might be unsafe, ineffective, or poor quality, but reaction from hospice experts and others 'helped us understand' that some patients need the unapproved version." Throckmorton said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090410/ap_on_he_me/med_fda_painkillers
Former Bristol Exec Pleads Guilty in Patent Case
A former executive for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has pleaded guilty to his role in a deal in which the drug maker intended to pay a rival to keep a generic version of the anti-clotting drug Plavix off the market. The Justice Department said Andrew Bodnar pleaded guilty to lying to the Federal Trade Commission about his discussions with Apotex, which made the generic.
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1899929&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33
Vermont Doctors Get $2.9M in Cash and Gifts from Drug makers
The pharmaceutical industry spent more than $2.9 million on Vermont's doctors, hospitals, and universities to market their products in the last fiscal year, according to a report issued by the state attorney general's office.
The report shows 78 companies spent the money in the year ending July 1, 2008. By law, the companies have to report their spending on consulting and speakers' fees, travel expenses, gifts, and other payments to or for physicians, hospitals, universities, and others authorized to prescribe drugs.
Among the findings of the report are the following:
- Eli Lilly and Co., Pfizer Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Merck & Co., and Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc. were the biggest spenders.
- 25 doctors and nurses each got more than $20,000 in cash or benefits from the companies.
- 10 doctors and nurses each got more than $50,000, and one psychiatrist took in $112,000.
A comment from the AG's office was made that "If I was a patient or one of my kids was a patient, and my doctor was telling me, 'You ought to try drug X,' I would like to know that my doctor received $40,000 from the company that manufactures and markets this drug."
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/04/16/ap6296844.html
Benzyl Alcohol Lotion Approved by FDA for Head Lice
The FDA has approved a new prescription medication for the treatment of head lice (Pediculosis capitis) infestation. They gave Benzyl Alcohol 5% Lotion full market approval as a prescription medication, for use in patients 6 months of age and older. The lotion is the first head lice product approved by the FDA with benzyl alcohol as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. According to Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, "This drug is an effective first-line treatment to eliminate lice infestation and minimize disruption in the daily routines of families."
http://ncpa.yellowbrix.com/pages/ncpa/Story.nsp?story_id=128586754&ID=ncpa
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