FDA has expanded the approval of aflibercept (Eylea, Regeneron) injection to treat diabetic retinopathy in patients with macular edema.
Formulary Watch
Latest News
All News
Advertisement
In patients with moderate or worse vision loss at baseline, those treated with aflibercept (Eylea, Regeneron) Injection gained, on average, an additional full line or more on an eye chart when compared to those treated with alternative anti-VEGF therapies, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
On December 22, 2014, Opdivo (nivolumab) was approved by FDA with a breakthrough therapy designation. Nivolumab is the second human programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor-blocking antibody to gain accelerated approval for treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma and disease progression following Yervoy (ipilimumab) and, if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor.
New hepatitis C therapies with high price tags and the exploitation of loopholes for compounded medications drove a 13.1% increase in US drug spending in 2014 – a rate not seen in more than a decade, according to Express Scripts 2014 Drug Trend Report.
Many nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients at high risk for stroke may be undertreated, according to poster presentation sessions at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 64th Annual Scientific Session in San Diego, Calif.
Prothrombin Complex Concentrate [Human] (Kcentra) is non-inferior and superior to plasma for rapid international normalized ratio (INR) reversal and effective hemostasis in patients needing Vitamin K antagonist (VKA, eg, warfarin) reversal for urgent surgical or invasive procedures, according to a study published in The Lancet. INR is a standardized method of assessing the effects of VKA therapy commonly used by clinicians
A coalition of stakeholder organizations – including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) – released a consensus document on the "red flag" warning signs related to prescribing and dispensing controlled substance prescriptions.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committees this week voted to approve GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance’s Breo ELlipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol) as an asthma treatment for adults 19 years and older, but not for 12 to 17-year-olds.
The FDA warns consumers not to rely on the use of over-the-counter homeopathic therapies for the treatment of asthma. Without appropriate management, asthma could lead to a life-threatening asthma attack. Homeopathic remedies have not be evaluated by the FDA and may interfere with asthma management.
In this guest blog post, Larry LaMotte, spokesperson for Patients for Biologics Safety & Access and Vice President of Public Policy at the Immune Deficiency Foundation, discusses the possibility of biosimilars helping increase access to vital medications for patients with chronic and life-threatening conditions.
Advertisement
FDA has approved a new dose of vilazodone (Viibryd, Actavis) for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults.
Regular use of aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) appears to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in most individuals, but a few individuals with rare genetic variants do not share this benefit, according to a study published in the March 17 issue of JAMA.
To address the burden of COPD on hospital expenditures, on October 1, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services included COPD in its Hospital Readmissions Reductions Program. This inclusion resulted in reduced Medicare reimbursement for hospitals that demonstrate excessive 30-day COPD patient readmission rates.
FDA approved its first treatment for pediatric and adult patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects, and for patients with peroxisomal disorders (including Zellweger spectrum disorders).
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on March 18 issued a nationwide alert about the dangers of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues/compounds.
Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) received FDA approval on November 14, 2014, under fast track designation, for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of MS.Due to the safety profile, alemtuzumab should generally be reserved for patients who have had an inadequate response to 2 or more drugs indicated for MS.
FDA has approved asenapine (Saphris, Actavis) for treatment of manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in pediatric patients, ages 10 to 17 years old.
Alirocumab (Praluent), a PCSK9 inhibitor, reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients who are receiving statin therapy, according to a study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
There is widespread overuse of psychiatric drugs by older Americans with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia who live at home or in assisted living facilities, according to a new General Accountability Office (GAO) report.
In patients with type 2 diabetes and recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS), dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor alogliptin compared to placebo did not increase the risk of heart failure (HF) outcomes, according to data published in The Lancet.
Double-lung transplantation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was associated with better graft survival and patient survival than single-lung transplantation, according to a JAMA study.
FDA released new draft guidance designed to make it easier for generic manufacturers to introduce competition to 38 existing drug products, according to the agency’s Federal Register notice.
FDA has warned that the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix) can interact with alcohol, resulting in some patients experiencing increased intoxicating effects of alcohol, sometimes associated with aggressive behavior and/or amnesia.
FDA's approval of the “generic" biologic prescription version of cancer medicine Neupogen opens the door to a movement that could save the US healthcare system tens of billions of dollars a year, according to Forbes.
Better post-hospital care is needed for sepsis patients to avoid readmissions that drive up costs and interfere with recovery, according to a study published in the March 10 issue of JAMA.
Taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects is associated with a significantly higher risk for developing pneumonia, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Trending on Managed Healthcare Executive
1
Patient-facing EHR tool improves lung cancer screening identification
2
How California is rewriting the PBM playbook
3
National health expenditures rise 7.2% in 2024, reaching $5.3 trillion
4
Steven Nissen, M.D., talks about the importance of lowering Lp(a)
5