Massachusetts Pharmacists Association

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has lodged an administrative complaint against the three largest PBMs — Caremark Rx, Express Scripts, and OptumRx — in a move commended by APhA. "APhA and our member pharmacists have known about the highly corrupt practices of PBMs for years, and APhA alerted our members in July of potential action by FTC," said Executive Vice President and CEO Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP. "The 2-year investigation tells us what we already know — PBMs must be held accountable for the immense pain they have caused patients across the country. This is a huge win for patients, who should never be in a position of paying inflated prices at the counter to feed PBMs' addiction to profits at the expense of hardworking trusted community pharmacists." The organization acknowledges that FTC's legal action is just the start of the fight to end unfair PBM tactics, which are blamed for elevating the cost of medications for patients and forcing the closure of independent pharmacies that serve as the sole source of health care for some Americans.

It is American Pharmacist Month! This year’s theme, Caring for Our Communities, reflects the fundamental commitment each and every pharmacist makes. There are more than 500,000 immunization-trained pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in the United States. As part of your immunization neighborhood, pharmacists are there for you. In fact, pharmacists accounted for more than 74% of all vaccinations given during the 2023–2024 respiratory season in the U.S.* Your pharmacist also can guide you through other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as pneumonia, shingles, or human papillomavirus, and help determine which immunizations are appropriate for you or a loved one. Protect your health. Visit your pharmacist.

National Prescription Drug Take back day. Do you know where to tell your patients to dispose of their old medications? https://lnkd.in/eCHt2GgX

A range of options are available to manage migraines, but prescribers and users must be able to compare their efficacy in order to make optimal personalized treatment choices. The AMADEUS researchers considered all 17 licensed oral monotherapies indicated for migraine episodes in adults, as captured by 137 randomized controlled trials with 89,445 participants. Co-primary endpoints were the share of migraine sufferers who were free from pain 2 hours after dosing and the proportion who remained pain-free for up to 24 hours after that, both in the absence of rescue medications. The systematic review and network meta-analysis demonstrated each medication as more effective than placebo for 2-hour relief and most as more effective than placebo for sustained relief. Investigators identified eletriptan as best at alleviating pain 2 hours post-dose, a distinction it shared with ibuprofen for sustained freedom from pain. Overall, eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan had the best profiles. These agents outperformed newer therapies like lasmiditan, rimegepant, and ubrogepant — which were more in line with paracetamol and most NSAIDs — but they are largely underused due to a contraindication for patients with vascular disease. https://lnkd.in/euJkNQMG

It is American Pharmacist Month! This year’s theme, Caring for Our Communities, reflects the fundamental commitment each and every pharmacist makes. Did you know that high blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke? About one in two U.S. adults has high blood pressure. Measure up to your health and wellness goals by controlling your blood pressure. Pharmacists can help you prevent and manage high blood pressure through team-based care and ensure your blood pressure is tested and documented on a regular basis. Don’t stress about your blood pressure when pharmacists can save the day. Visit your pharmacist.

FDA has approved levacetylleucine (Aqneursa—IntraBio) to treat Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC), less than 1 week after authorizing another intervention for the rare genetic condition. Patients suffer progressive neurological symptoms and organ dysfunction. Aqneursa targets the neurological effects of the disease, as demonstrated in a 24-week crossover study involving 60 patients. Participants scored better on the functional Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia — which assesses gait, sitting, stance, and speech disturbance domains — during 12 weeks of Aqneursa therapy than during 12 weeks on placebo. The new drug is indicated for adults and children weighing 15 kg or more, but the prescribing information warns of a potential for embryo-fetal harm if used during pregnancy. Common adverse effects associated with the drug include abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, upper respiratory tract infections, and vomiting. https://lnkd.in/eDGkZKpw

It is American Pharmacist Month! This year’s theme, Caring for Our Communities, reflects the fundamental commitment each and every pharmacist makes. You have medication questions; your pharmacist has answers. Pharmacists can help you maximize the benefit and minimize the risk of your medications by taking a broader and all-encompassing look at a patient’s medication list. Did you know your pharmacist can explain a medication label, tell you about interactions with other drugs or foods, package your tablets, reconcile and evaluate multiple medications to avoid errors, and be a bridge between you and your prescriber? Pharmacists are easy to reach and ready to help. Make sense of your medications. Visit your pharmacist.