News

Adult Americans lack sufficient information about the safety of vaccines and the risks of failing to vaccinate for highly contagious diseases, according to a survey released by the National Consumers League.

More than 2,000 biomarker tests are available, and the NCCN Biomarkers Compendium contains information designed to support decision-making around the use of such testing in patients with cancer

Exclusive video of Edith Rosato, AMCP CEO on the formulary of the future.

In yesterday’s pipeline update, Chris Peterson, PharmD, a director in the Emerging Therapeutics department at Express Scripts, reviewed the trend in FDA approvals and noted several of the key therapeutic areas with recent generics.

Increasing costs, loss of drug exclusivity and crowded drug classes have prompted the need for better outcomes data to ensure optimization of payer resources

To help manage costs, the panel noted that managed care organizations could move coverage of the new orals into the pharmacy benefit

While Medicare will use blunt instruments to institute payment reform, private payers will be more nimble, causing providers to abandon fee-for-service Medicare in favor of Medicare Advantage.

Compared to a combination of heparin and a glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitor, use of bivalirudin (Angiomax) is associated with significant absolute reductions in risk for cardiac death and major non-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) bleeding, according to data presented at the American College of Cardiology 63rd Annual Scientific Session (ACC.14), in Washington, D.C.

Results of 5 phase 3 studies evaluating evolocumab (AMG 145), an investigational fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits PCSK9, a protein that reduces the liver’s ability to remove low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or “bad” cholesterol, from the blood, were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 63rd Annual Scientific Session (ACC.14), in Washington, D.C

FDA has approved non-prescription esomeprazole 20mg (Nexium 24HR, Pfizer).

A partnership between Catamaran and Health New England achieved a 30% reduction in 30-day readmissions, presented at Session 216 at AMCP

FDA is slowly implementing draft guidelines for bringing biosimilars to market, while states are enacting laws requiring additional notification and record keeping for the products

More evidence-based treatment sequencing must be put into practice to reduce the number of medications patients use on a trial-and-error basis

In 2014 and beyond, pharmacy leaders should watch for more oral drugs and more expanded indications of specialty drugs.

Reducing readmissions has clinical and financial benefit, but key challenges must be addressed

In a study recently published in Nursing 2014, atrial fibrillation patients on warfarin therapy who self-tested their coagulation (via international normalized ratio [INR]) and were remanaged by their clinicians using a “Management by Exception” protocol had better warfarin control than traditional self-testers.1 The protocol, in which patients followed specific clinic-issued, written instructions for managing out-of-range INR self-test results within a predetermined safety range, also benefited clinics by reducing the need for telephone follow-up and related costs.

Poor adherence to prescription drug regimens has long been seen as a substantial roadblock to achieving better outcomes for patients. Data show that as many as half of all patients do not adhere faithfully to their prescriptions, and the result is more than $290 billion spent each year on avoidable medical treatment.

With total healthcare costs in the United States approaching $3 trillion, and costs for a wide range of drugs approaching nearly 15% of healthcare costs overall, or $450 billion, the industry is shifting toward a new emphasis focused on drug formularies.

FDA actions in brief, fast-track designation, orphan drug designation, first-time generic approvals

Prepare for a significant increase in self-pay liabilities from the “high-deductible“ patient population or risk a reduced level of reimbursement

Community Health Choice CEO Ken Janda foresees more private coverage for the state and the country under health reform 2.0

Payment changes will save an estimated $200 million annually.

Mammograms contribute 62% of the cost and the remaining 38% is attributed to follow-on diagnostics.

Coverage of circulating tumor cell (CTC) assays could be discontinued for beneficiaries in certain states.

Bronze plans have highest drug cost-sharing increase.

CMS is driving down rates for MA plans while taxes and dwindling bonus pay pile on the pain

Value-based designs aren’t just nice add-ons, but rather they represent new business propositions

Who knows how many late-comers will plea for special enrollment