US Pharm.
2008;33(1):8.
Injunction Puts the Brakes
on CMS Medicaid
Reimbursement
Cuts
Alexandria, VA
-- A judge for the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia granted an injunction on a
preliminary motion filed by the National Association of Community Pharmacists
(NCPA) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). The decision
effectively applied the brakes to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Service's (CMS) proposed Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement reductions that were
scheduled to go into effect this month. According to the ruling, CMS is not
permitted to post data on the Internet related to the average manufacturer
price (AMP) of generic pharmaceuticals nor will any reimbursement cuts take
place before Judge Royce Lamberth has a chance to fully review the merits of
the lawsuit.
Abraxis BioScience, Inc.
Separates Its Business Units
Los Angeles, CA
-- Abraxis BioScience
separated its proprietary businesses (comprised of Abraxis Oncology and
Abraxis Research) from its hospital-based business, Abraxis Pharmaceutical
Products, thus creating two new publicly traded companies. Abraxis
Pharmaceutical Products is now APP Pharmaceuticals (APP). According to
a company spokesperson, the split was necessary so that each company can
"deliver on their strategic visions and compete more effectively in their
specialized marketplaces." APP specializes in manufacturing a broad base of
injectable pharmaceuticals covering a variety of therapeutic categories
including anti-infectives, oncolytics, anesthetics/analgesics, and critical
care.
Novartis to Cut 2,500 Jobs
over Next Two Years
Basel,
Switzerland -- Novartis
AG announced that it would eliminate 2.5% of its workforce over the next two
years, citing product delays and generic competition. According to company
sources, the cuts represent approximately 2,500 jobs and will realize an
annual savings of $1.6 billion. CEO Daniel Vasella said the cutbacks were
necessary to "simplify our organization and redesign the way we operate."
Phenylephrine Is an Oldie,
and Maybe a Goodie
Washington, DC
-- Phenylephrine, a
decongestant that has been widely used for more than 65 years, may be getting
a closer look by the FDA. The turn of events came about when many
manufacturers of OTC combination cough and cold remedies switched from using
pseudoephedrine to phenylephrine when it was it was discovered that the former
drug was being used to make methamphetamine. Many critics of phenylephrine
said that while the drug had a good safety record, they thought it was not as
an effective decongestant as pseudoephedrine. Products from those
manufacturers who chose not to change their OTC pseudoephedrine formulations
must now be sold from behind the prescription counter. The Wall Street
Journal reports that three professors from the University of Florida feel
the drug's ineffectiveness may be related to its current 10-mg dose and has
asked the FDA to review study data at a higher dose of 25-mg dose. They also
urged the FDA to consider better-designed studies of the currently available
10-mg dose.
Mevacor Should Remain
Prescription Only
Silver Spring,
MD -- The FDA has been
advised by an outside advisory panel not to allow Merck's statin, Mevacor, to
be sold without a prescription. The 10-2 vote against selling the drug as an
OTC product was prompted by a fear that patients may not understand how to use
it properly. The move not to make the cholesterol-lowering drug over the
counter was also supported by the American Medical Association. A spokesperson
for the AMA said it was concerned that patients who do not take the drug
properly might experience serious side effects.
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