The holiday season is here, so QS/1 wants to pass along amended schedules. Please note the following closures:
Dec. 26: Closed in observance of Christmas
Jan. 2: Closed in observance of New Year's Day
* We will continue to provide emergency service during off hours.
Live Webinar for NRx® Service Pack 40
Wednesday, January 11 | 1:30 PM (ET) Hear what’s new in your software and ask questions.
Go ahead and grab your seat before the holiday rush. Our product experts will discuss the latest enhancements in NRx – like changes to drug lot/expiration date, multi-state and facility PMP reporting, and drug name in the Tickler window. Most of all, the team will be there to answer your questions!
On November 18, the U.S Department of Justice, along with New York and Minnesota, filed an appeal with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging a lower court ruling permitting the $13 billion merger of UnitedHealthcare and Change Healthcare. NCPA® publicly called for the merger to be blocked in 2021 and continues to support the DOJ’s efforts.
The FDA held a listening session on November 15 with the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, and National Community Pharmacists Association to hear comments and concerns on the Nonprescription Drug Product with an Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use (ACNU) proposed rule.
According to the proposed rule, a drug manufacturer must ensure patients can appropriately self-select a medication. The FDA states that under this proposed new class of drugs, patients can complete a questionnaire or watch a video with assessments to confirm their understanding of the medication.
NCPA opposed the FDA’s proposed ACNU class of drugs given concerns with its safety, administrative burden, and payment implications. Instead, they support greater prescriptive authority for pharmacists.
As respiratory diseases surge, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory urging clinicians to vaccinate and offer antivirals. Co-circulation of RSV, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 have further emphasized the need for preventative measures. RSV presents a risk to children and seniors; influenza hospitalization rates for adults aged 75 are trending upwards; and COVID infections are expected to follow the same rising pattern as last winter.
Recently, shortages of high-profile drugs like Adderall and Amoxicillin have been in the headlines, but problems in the supply chain have long been present. Drug shortages in community pharmacies negatively affect patient care and impact the overall healthcare ecosystem, too. Pharmacists are responsible for helping patients find alternative medication options that minimize disruption of care. To see what’s currently on the drug shortage list, click the button below.
The National Community Pharmacists Association announces a video series that follows pharmacists as they seek to start or improve immunization programs. NCPA Innovation Center President Kurt Proctor, PhD, RPh, says, “With ‘Show Me,’ we want to demonstrate ways community pharmacy owners can work with the people and resources they already have to establish successful vaccine programs. What better way to learn than from other pharmacists who have figured out how to be doing this well.”
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