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FDA Strengthens MI and CVA Risks Associated with NSAIDs
FDA announced yesterday they would strengthen warnings stating that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke. This applies to both prescription and OTC NSAIDs.
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Brodalumab Backlash
On May 26, RheumNow.com reported that Amgen and Astra-Zenica suspended drug development for the IL-17 inhibitor brodalumab.
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Get Ready for ICD-10
With three months until the switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 coding, CMS and the AMA have announced efforts to continue to help physicians get ready ahead of the October 1 deadline.
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Rheumatology Leads the List in Drug Company Engagements
Based on recently released data, ProPublica.org has compiled a list of pharmaceutical payments made to 606,000 US physicians in the last year. Their analysis turned up big differences between the different specialties.
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ACP Backs Supreme Court Decision on Obamacare
ACP has endorsed the Supreme Court ruling that the premium subsidies created by the Affordable Care Act, essential to making coverage affordable to millions, will continue to be available in states where the federal government manages their health insurance marketplaces.
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Drug Shortages - June 2015
RheumNow is committed to reporting safety issues in our monthly Drug Safety Bulletins. Each month we will update you with reports of new, ongoing and resolved Drug Shortages that will affect the practicing rheumatologist.
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Australia Allows Pharmacy Substitution with Biosimilars Without Notice
Biosimilars are copies of the biologic medicines used to treat inflammatory and immunologic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer- potentially at lower costs.
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Common HIPAA Mistakes in Practice
This review details nine of the most common compliance missteps physicians are making regarding protected health information (PHI). These errors may result in legal trouble, but are avoidable. These include:
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FDA News; Undeclared Dexamethasone Containing OTC Products
The FDA has issued public warnings that 4 over-the-counter products promoted for pain relief contain potentially harmful, undeclared dexamethasone. The supplements are Asihuri Plus Forte, Ginseng She Lian Wan, Jianbu Huqian Wan, and Saurean Fong Sep Lin.
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Medicare D and Costly Biologics
25% of Medicare beneficiaries with rheumatoid arthritis use high-cost biologics. Yazdany and coworkers have analyzed a national cohort of beneficiaries and compared Medicare part D plans.
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Amgen Halts Development of Brodalumab
IL-17 inhibitors are being developed for treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. Broadalumab has been in phase II & III trials and been developed by a partnership between Amgen and Astra-Zeneca.
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Amgen & Abbvie Increase the Price of TNF Inhibitors
The manufacturers of the 2 best selling TNF inhibitors, Enbrel and Humira, have announced a 9.9% price increase of May 1st. The current average price of Enbrel is $42,000 per annum.
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A Microneedle Pill as an Alternative to Injectable Drug
Carl Schoellhammerhas just won the Lemelson-MIT National Collegiate Student Prize for his invention - the microneedle pill.
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Tanezumab in Osteoarthritis: Data Presented at OARSI
Pooled analyses of the tanezumab (a nerve growth factor inhibitor) phase 3 studies was presented at the 2015 Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress.
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House Bill Threatens CME Exemption from Sunshine Act Reporting
Current Sunshine Act disclosures do not apply to CME certified educational activities for either the participants or the presenters. CMS has debated and waffled on whether companies would be required to report payments to doctors who speak at, or attend, CME seminars.
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Is There a Standout When Comparing Novel Therapies?
Randomized clinical trials are needed to show efficacy and safety, and are needed to back up the claims and indications for a particular drug. The issue of treatment choice has become challenging, especially when choosing to start or augment therapy.
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Medical Marijuana for Osteoarthritis in Illinois
An advisory board has recommended osteoarthritis and a host of disorders for inclusion in the Illinois new medical marijuana program.
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Most Prescribed Branded Drugs Through March 2015
In the last 12 months, levothyroxine (Synthroid) was the most prescribed drug in the USA with 21.6 million prescriptions. Adalimumab (Humira) had 8.3 billion in sales, followed by etanercept (Enbrel) at nearly $6 billion.
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Who Should Pay for Drug 'Take-Back' Programs
Unused pills and prescriptions pose a significant safety risk in the home and may contribute to dosing errors or inadvertent drug use. The issue has led the DEA to sponsor national drug disposal programs and local municipalities have followed with similar programs. At issue is who shoul
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