PHARMACIST STEVE

After AG investigation, Walgreens says it will improve opioid policies   Attorney General Maura Healey holds a CVS prescription bottle as she announced last September a first-in-the-nation settlement with CVS Pharmacy to strengthen its policies and procedures for dispensing opiods. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/01/18/walgreens-agrees-better-monitor-opioid-dispensing/q0B3FbMo2k3wPt4hvmTQrM/story.html An investigation by Attorney General Maura Healey found that some Walgreens pharmacies failed to […]

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A ‘civil war’ over painkillers rips apart the medical community — and leaves patients in fear https://www.statnews.com/2017/01/17/chronic-pain-management-opioids/ PALO ALTO, Calif. — For Thomas P. Yacoe, the word is “terrifying.” Leah Hemberry describes it as “constant fear.” For Michael Tausig Jr., the terror is “beyond description.” All three are patients struggling with chronic pain, but what […]

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Illinois man alleges Wal-Mart pharmacist filled wrong prescription https://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/2017/01/illinois-man-alleges-wal-mart-pharmacist-filled-wrong-prescription/ A man who suffers from high blood pressure sued a Wal-Mart pharmacy in Cahokia, Illinois, claiming the pharmacist provided him with the incorrect prescription. Leroy Turner filed the lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court on August 25, 2015. He alleged Wal-Mart Inc. and pharmacist Christopher […]

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State Medicaid system ‘rigged’ http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article107271937.html While we ponder our choices (or lack of) awaiting open enrollment, an assault on the American Dream is being waged against small pharmacies in Florida. “Work hard, play by the rules and prosper” is a nightmare for our independent, or indie, pharmacists. The playing field has never been level, but […]

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Senators demand better information from DEA on opioid campaign https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/senators-demand-better-information-from-dea-on-opioid-campaign/2017/01/18/80eb7cc6-dd9e-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html Seven U.S. senators sharply criticized the Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday for failing to answer questions about enforcement actions against pharmaceutical companies accused of violating laws designed to prevent painkillers from reaching the black market. “We received an insufficient response that ignored those questions almost […]

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National Academy Of Sciences: Reschedule Marijuana Now http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/academy-sciences-its-time-reschedule-marijuana The National Academy of Sciences has released a report challenging the Schedule 1 classification of marijuana by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The NAS report found that marijuana has medical benefits, but the public health risks that need to be researched are impeded by the Schedule 1 classification. […]

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Showdown looms between CVS pharmacies and Texas Medicaid regulators http://www.mystatesman.com/news/crime–law/showdown-looms-between-cvs-pharmacies-and-texas-medicaid-regulators/cwlpNX3I3jlxPu1fgRdAEJ/ Highlights In October 2016, Randall’s settled a Medicaid fraud lawsuit for $1 million   If it loses a jury trial, CVS could be banned from the state’s Medicaid program for 10 years The Texas Attorney General’s office has accused some of the state’s largest pharmacies […]

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Everett considering lawsuit against painkiller manufacturer http://komonews.com/news/local/everett-considering-lawsuit-against-painkiller-manufacturer     EVERETT, Wash. – The city of Everett is considering a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the powerful painkiller OxyContin. Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson is asking the City Council on Wednesday to support a civil lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. He says the drug manufacturer needs to be […]

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Frieden Shares Parting Thoughts on His Years at CDC http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/PublicHealth/62568? For more than 7 years Thomas Frieden, MD, MPH, led the CDC as it faced challenges including MERS, Ebola, and Zika as well as the growing opioid crisis, but on Friday he will step down as Donald Trump assumes the presidency. During his final hectic […]

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McKesson paying $150 million in prescription drug probe, halting sales from Colorado center http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/01/17/mckesson-paying-150-million-in-prescription-drug.html McKesson gets their controlled med license suspended for THREE YEARS because the DEA “thinks” that they failed to report “suspicious pharmacy orders”…and just what is a “suspicious pharmacy order”…  No proof if diversion of controlled meds, no deaths associated with this… […]

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