News

Expanding access to buprenorphine, a medication to treat opioid use disorder, is one of several new actions announced by Health and Human Services (HHS) to combat the opioid epidemic. Here are the top 4 new provisions from HHS.

HHS is taking formal steps to address opioid addiction, a widely recognized national public health crisis. Find out the policy changes.

For the first time, FDA approved dronabinol oral solution (Syndros, Insys Therapeutics), a liquid formulation of the pharmaceutical cannabinoid dronabinol, a pharmaceutical version of tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC").

Express Scripts Exchange Pulse report found that utilization, particularly for traditional meds, was one of the biggest factors driving spending in 2015, accounting for more than half of the exchange plans $99 PMPY increase in spending between 2014 and 2015.

CMS finalized new rules that aim to enrich the Qualified Entity Program by expanding access to analyses and data that will help providers, employers, and others make more informed decisions about care delivery and quality improvement.

All antibiotic use has the potential to contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. That’s why it is key to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use in order to slow the growth of resistance.

A new drug approved by FDA to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection this week enters a competitive, lucrative market headed up by Gilead Science’s Sovaldi and Harvoni, as well as AbbVie’s Viekira Pak. FDA granted priority review and breakthrough therapy designation to Gilead’s combination product, Epclusa (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg).

Empowerment is an important factor to address everyday aspects of dealing with a chronic disease, including diabetes, according to a study that evaluated the effect of diabetes empowerment on medication adherence and self-care behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) plans to help bring a vaccine for the Zika virus to market immediately via Emergent BioSolutions Inc., which also developed the anthrax vaccine.