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Editorial: ASHP 2010
Just a few observations from the ASHP 2010 meeting that just concluded in Anaheim, California.
First, the location and facilities are great for conventions, as so many hotels, restaurants, etc. are within easy walking distance of the convention center.
Next, the attendance at the ASHP Clinical Midyear meeting is always very large, generally between 10 and 20 thousand participants; this includes a lot of students.
The programming covered topics such as JCAHO standards, electronic prescribing, clinical topics on specific disease states and medication therapy management, and administrative topics.
However, programming related to compounding (intravenous admixtures, pediatrics, oncology compounding, surgical specialty solutions, USP <795> and <797> and others) was nonexistent. One question that arises is, "Does the programming committee feel that all the membership are expert sterile and nonsterile compounders and don't need any updates on new methods, treatments, technology, etc.?" The exhibit hall contained many, many companies related to compounding. Our booth (IJPC) was inundated for three days with pharmacists, technicians, and students. The interest is definitely there, but there was no programming on this topic.
In recent years, I have spoken many times at this meeting and upwards of 1,000 pharmacists attended the sessions. Unless things have changed, compounding in hospital pharmacies is still a significant activity and should be covered by appropriate programming.
Another observation (among many) was that the recruiters were telling us that they were scheduling 2 and 3 times the number of interviews they ordinarily schedule. Also, the residency showcases were packed. What does this mean? According to the recruiters, the students are having difficulty finding jobs. We have reported on this issue before. The shortage of pharmacists appears to be over, and either we are in an era of maldistribution or the beginning of a glut of pharmacists with associated events (salary reductions, shorter hours, more part-time positions, etc.).
All-in-all it was a good meeting for IJPC, but we look forward to more programming related to compounding in the future to support the educational needs and exhibitors that support the meeting.
Loyd V. Allen, Jr., Ph.D., R.Ph.
Editor-in-Chief
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Resveratrol Not as Effective as Previously Thought
Pfizer is downplaying the effect of a chemical called resveratrol-a key component of red wine-in slowing the aging process. Earlier this year, Pfizer scientists published an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that called into question previous research suggesting compounds like resveratrol may directly boost an enzyme that slows down the aging process. The research stirred up a hornet's nest because Pfizer's competitor GlaxoSmithKline had invested $720 million on the beneficial effects of resveratrol when it bought the Massachusetts-based Sirtris in 2008 and took over development of a drug called SRT501.
Glaxo has stopped work on the drug, a form of resveratrol, after disappointing results in a mid-stage clinical trial during which several patients experienced kidney failure. Some researchers have tied resveratrol, which can be found in the skin of red grapes, to the activation of an enzyme that protects cells from the damage of aging.
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=747902&categoryid=9&newsletter=1
Sanofi Pharmaceutical Waste Stolen and Used For Meth Labs
One half ton of pharmaceutical waste from a Kansas City drug manufacturer, enough to make more than $41 million worth of methamphetamine, was diverted and sold for use in meth labs. The thefts occurred over 10 years and led to a 15-year prison sentence in federal court in Kansas City. The individual had worked for an environmental service company that contracted with the manufacturer to dispose of the pharmaceutical-grade pseudoephedrine powder. The defendant stated they sold the powder for up to $10,000 per pound.
The diversions came to light during a federal probe of the armed robbery and theft of a 110-pound drum of pseudoephedrine powder at a pharmaceutical company, Sanofi-Aventis in Kansas City in 2007.
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=747913&categoryid=9&newsletter=1
Hospitals Lose Discounts on Orphan Drugs to Treat Medical Conditions
In an unintended consequence of the new healthcare law, drug companies have begun notifying children's hospitals that they no longer qualify for large discounts on drugs used to treat rare medical conditions. Consequently, prices are going up for these specialized "orphan drugs."
Over the last 18 years, Congress has required drug manufacturers to provide discounts to a variety of healthcare providers, including community health centers, AIDS clinics, and hospitals that care for large numbers of low-income people. However, this year Congress, in revising the drug discount program as part of the new healthcare law, blocked these hospitals from continuing to receive price cuts on orphan drugs intended for treatment of diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/health/policy/08health.html?_r=2&ref=health
FDA to Regulate E-cigs as Tobacco Products
A federal appeals court says electronic cigarettes should be regulated as tobacco products by the FDA and not as drug-delivery devices, which have more stringent requirements. This means the manufacturers will not have to conduct expensive clinical trials to prove to the FDA that the products are safe and effective as a stop-smoking aid. The decision is a setback to the FDA and other public health organizations which had argued e-cigarettes should be regulated like nicotine replacement gum or patches.
E-cigarette sellers sued the FDA last year after the agency told customs officials to refuse entry of shipments into the U.S. A federal judge ruled in January that the FDA can't stop those shipments, saying the agency had overstepped its authority.
E-cigarettes are plastic and metal devices that heat a liquid nicotine solution in a disposable cartridge; this creates a vapor that the "smoker" inhales. There is even a tiny light on the tip that glows like a real cigarette.
http://www.pharmacistelink.com/index.php/healthcare-legislation-regulation/27286
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