Community/Retail

A newly approved formulation of Purdue Pharma's opioid painkiller makes the drug more resistant to tampering by breaking or crushing, which the FDA says has been linked to fatal overdose and high rates of abuse in recent years.

As government officials promise clarity for consumers on health care reform, many corporations are preparing for new challenges the legislation will bring. Those challenges may seem a little less daunting for pharmaceutical companies, whose lobbying efforts were reflected in the final bill.

Do you know an exceptional pharmacist, student pharmacist, or pharmacy technician? Someone who embodies the spirit of pharmacy while striving to advance the profession in unique and innovative ways? If so, Pharmacy Times and Parata Systems invites you to participate in the Next-Generation Pharmacist program. Whether you choose to nominate an admired colleague or nominate yourself for one of the 10 categories--send us your nomination for the Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards by May 31, 2009.

Health Care Reform is here, right? That is true on one level, in that President Obama has signed a health care bill into law. But the signing of the bill only begins the process of change.

In more than 200 face-to-face meetings with the nation's most influential agents of health care reform, representatives of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores relayed a clear, united message about the value of pharmacy at this year����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¢����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¯����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������¿����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½������¯������¿������½����¯�¿�½���¯���¿���½����¯�¿�½������½s RxIMPACT Day, held March 10 and 11.

The 2009 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey found pharmacists in high demand for activities ranging from patient care services to business management.

In honor of Earth Week (April 17-24), the National Community Pharmacists Association is initiating a program to help pharmacists help patients safely discard unused and expired medications.

Patients with hypertension achieve greater blood pressure control when treatment plans include pharmacist intervention, according to a recent study.

Caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients should understand the symptoms, stages, and treatments for AD, which is the most common form of dementia. Because AD can take a toll on friends and family members as well, tips for helping caregivers cope are also included.

Mail-order pharmacies are increasingly seen by insurance providers as a viable cost-cutting measure.

A proposed legislative measure, introduced by Rep. Peter Welch (D, VT), aims to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicare patients by enabling price negotiation.

Patients taking higher doses of opioids face an increased risk of overdose, according to a recent study. Through targeted patient education initiatives, pharmacists can help reduce that risk.

As new allegations against the Church of Scientology pose additional threats to the religion's beleaguered public image, Scientologists are relying on their volunteer missions in Haiti to generate good will.

In an article in the New York State Pharmacist, Richard O'Brocta, PharmD, outlines the traits of professionalism. Some argue the newest generation of pharmacists lack these essential, innate characteristics; others say they can be learned. What's your take?