Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated flaccid paralysis that can range from muscle weakness and tingling to respiratory paralysis requiring prolonged respiratory support and ventilation. Overall, GBS is a rare disease, with annual incidence averaging 1 to 2 cases per 100,000 individuals.1
Catamaran, a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) has been on a buying binge since 2008, snapping up its sixth PBM, Restat. The $409.5 million cash purchase is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.
In a study of patients with alcohol dependence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment with naltrexone resulted in a decrease in the percentage of patient drinking days. Prolonged exposure therapy was not associated with an exacerbation of alcohol-use disorder.
Children and youth on antipsychotics appear to have a 3-fold increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to a study published by JAMA Psychiatry.
Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California nearly doubled the rate of blood pressure control among adult members with diagnosed hypertension between 2001 and 2009 through a large-scale community-based program, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported recently.
Despite grim predictions of rate shock, older and sicker people will experience 'rate joy' in the exchanges
Prevalence of chronic pain can add up to higher costs in mental-health and medical claims
With the start date fast approaching, health insurers are searching for potential strategies to avoid or minimize the fee
Catamaran is buying lives and contracts in its race to grow larger, fill in niche gaps, and increase revenue
HIPAA rules expect health organizations to protect and secure a wide variety of personal data
Nurses also identify lifestyle issues during yearly kitchen table conversations
Costly chronic conditions increase with age
HHS will use aggregated data to analyze health plans’ risk pools and administer reinsurance by tapping into Edge Servers
In Iowa, the Blue Zones Project has community buy-in
Workers have their own ideas on who's getting the best deal in health coverage
Delaware's law aims to increase access while plans manage 15% annual trend in specialty drugs
Plans want more and better data on drug quality
A survey of New Jersey physicians reveals concern about reimbursement and changes to practice structures
In a Drug Safety Communication, FDA has reported that a patient in Europe being treated for multiple sclerosis and who had no history of using natalizumab (Tysabri) developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) while taking fingolimod (Gilenya).
Eleven states have reduced antipsychotic use in nursing home residents by at least 15%, meeting a CMS partnership goal set last year.
The new fixed-combination of brinzolamide 1% plus brimonidine 0.2% (Simbrinza Suspension, Alcon Laboratories) is a safe and effective option for lowering IOP in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension uncontrolled on monotherapy.
One in 10 Americans admit taking someone else’s Rx, according to an ongoing Reuters/psos online survey. About a quarter of those people used the prescription drugs to get high, according to the survey
Insulin pumps control blood sugar in children with diabetes better than insulin injections, according to a new study.
Drinking large amounts of coffee may be bad for under-55s, according to a recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Pharmacists in Canada were recently given broader responsibilities including, in certain provinces, prescribing privileges, vaccination abilities, and the ability to order and interpret laboratory tests. This newly expanded role for Canadian pharmacists can benefit both patients and physicians, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Drug evaluation and selection models are changing. Safety and efficacy have become the starting point for consideration by many payers. What they really want to see is evidence of superior performance in real world patient populations.
According to FDA, the risk of peripheral neuropathy occurs only with fluoroquinolones that are taken by mouth or by injection.
The majority of antibiotics prescribed for adults in ambulatory care settings are broad-spectrum agents, most commonly fluoroquinolones and macrolides. These are frequently prescribed for conditions where no antibiotic therapy is needed at all, such as for bronchitis and colds, which are caused by viruses, according to a study published online July 25, 2013, in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
