Wednesday, September 10, 2014

California Board of Pharmacy Enforcement and Compounding Committee Meeding Agenda for September 16, 2014

]NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA - Board of Pharmacy
www.pharmacy.ca.gov/meetings/agendas/.../14_sep_enf.pdf
17 hours ago - Enforcement and Compounding Committee Meeting. September 16, 2014 ... Recalls of Compounded Drugs Throughout the United States. IV. Remaining ...

Essential Read!!! Part 2 The price of pain: Questionable marketing, loose oversight of compound creams

FDA Asks Recalcitrant Compounder to Recall Products, Again : Ed Silverman says " Enough Already!"

Fourth Question of the Day September 10, 2014 Previously, pharmacists frequently lost money on compound medications because they were only able to charge for the most expensive ingredient, according to A.J. Day, PharmD, the director of pharmacy consulting at Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA), a chemical wholesaler to independent compounding pharmacies. If this is true how did so many compounding pharmacists become so wealthy from compounded medications prior to this change? How were so many compounding pharamcies able to stay in business under these conditions if they were losing money? This defies logical sense of how many compounding pharmacies and pharmacists there are, how many became wealthy and how many continued to grow their businesses under the prior billing system.


Third Question of the Day September 10, 2014 Did IACP really just say this? David Miller, RPh, chief executive officer of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacies (IACP), likened the billing changes to pharmacists previously billing just for the meat in a hamburger, but now charging separately for the meat, bun, cheese, pickles and onions.


Second Question of the Day September 10, 2014 Did IACP really just say this: IACP's Miller said Express Scripts’ benefit elimination was “draconian.” “People that are not involved in patients’ care have set up processes that prevent patients from receiving medications they need,” he said.


Second Observation of the Day September 10, 2014 Making the claim that compounded pain creams are safer than commerically available, addictive medications is misleading: these compounded pain creams have not undergone long term studies to be able to make such claims.


Observation of the Day September 10, 2014 To claim that patients are not "addicted" to compounded pain creams is contrary to the ver claims made by PCCA, IACP, and compounding pharmacies and pharamcists that claim these patients "must have" and "can't do without" these compounded pain medications.


Question of the Day September 10, 2014 Isn't it interesting that PCCA is the one reaching out to Express Scripts them eliminating coverage of some compounded medications? Isn't this very telling about who controls or tries to control the compounding industry?

 

Cuts in Compound Prescription Coverage Cause Headaches: Express Scripts Has Canceled Three Meetings With PCCA according to PCCA

Federal Grand Jury Indicts NECC Pharmacist Following Arrest and Complaint

Praxsyn (subsidiary Mesa Pharmacy Inc.) Now Licensed to Dispense Transdermal Topical Pain Cream Medication in Twelve States

Praxsyn Now Licensed to Dispense Medication in Twelve States

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 4, 2014 -- Praxsyn Corporation (OTCQB:PXYN (link is external)), today announced that its subsidiary, Mesa Pharmacy Inc., a medication and service provider for medical practitioners, is making progress towards its goal of dispensing its customized medications nationwide. The company is now licensed to dispense its medications in the following twelve states:
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
Praxsyn is headquartered in Southern California at 18011 Sky Park Circle, Suite N, Irvine, CA 92614, and can be contacted directly at (949) 777-6112.
About Praxsyn
At Praxsyn, we work to realize the vision of medical professionals to improve the lives of patients. Mesa Pharmacy, our wholly owned subsidiary, provides doctors with an alternative to oral pain medications. Mesa focuses on providing custom compounded non-narcotic, transdermal topical pain medications that are marketed to industrial health physicians and medical clinics. Mesa has developed a series of topical creams, in different strengths, that provide the pain relief doctors seek for their patients. Additional company information can be found at www.praxsyn.com (link is external).
Media/Investor Contact: 949-777-6112 ext 101
quoted from here

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

U.K. watchdogs hope to tap social media for drug-safety purposes

U.K. watchdogs hope to tap social media for drug-safety purposes

Now, it's U.K. drug regulators who are devising plans to eavesdrop on social media. But unlike the FDA, which plans to monitor the world of online sharing to see whether its communications are hitting their targets, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency plans to search for drug safety info.

FDA Enforcement Report Included Compounded Drugs in Classification I and II

Weekly FDA Enforcement Report For Drugs 9/3/14

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its Drug product Enforcement Report for September 3, 2014. The agency publicizes recalls in its weekly report as press releases are not issued for all recalls. Manufacturers issue recalls voluntarily or the FDA initiates the action. View the recalls by Classification. 
Classification I Drug Recall
A Classification I recall signifies a reasonable probability of serious adverse health consequences or death.
  • Abrams Royal Pharmacy recalled Mineral IV Injection due to non-sterility concerns, as analytical results found the product to contain Sphingomonas paucimobilis. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that these types of product impurities occur more often to compounding pharmacies than to pharmaceutical manufacturers due to less stringent regulations.
  • Pharmakon Pharmaceuticals recalled Midazolam HCl 1 and 2 mg/ml because the product contained undeclared benzyl alcohol. The company also recalled Atropine Sulfate due to the same reason.
  • Central Admixture Pharmacy Services recalled Pediatric Cardioplegia, del Nido Cardioplegia with Lidocaine, Adenosine, and Low Potassium Cardioplegia due to non-sterility from a microbial contamination identified as the Aspergillus species. The fungi is known to play a role in opportunistic infections, allergies, and toxicities.
Classification II Drug Recall
A Classification II recall signifies that the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.
  • Abrams Royal Pharmacy recalled all of its sterile products compounded at its pharmacy in Dallas, TX due to sterility concerns.
  • Alkermes recalled Vivitrol (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) because customers complained that it failed to deliver the dose.
  • Pharmakon Pharmaceuticals recalled Glycopyrrolate because of the presence of benzyl alcohol. This company also had three Class I recalls due to benzyl alcohol.
Classification III Drug Recall
A Classification III recall signifies that the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals recalled Diltiazem HCl because routine stability testing showed impurities and out-of–specification results. 
  • Novel Laboratories recalled Famotidine for Oral Suspension because it failed 12-month stability testing. The medication treats stomach and intestinal disorders such as ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 
  • Perrigo Holland recalled Nicotine Polacrilex Lozenges due to failed dissolution specifications and the presence of broken lozenges.
quoted from here

•Downing Labs, LLC (formerly NuVision Pharmacy, Inc), Dallas, TX, FDA Requested Recall Letter Issued 9/9/2014 (PDF - 941KB)

Should only pharmacists lead state pharmacy boards?


 



That’s the question being asked by pharmacists throughout Ohio as a recent change in that state’s law allows the governor to appoint a pharmacy director with no experience in the field.
Earlier this year, Gov. John Kasich appointed a new director of the state’s Board of Health who does not hold a medical degree. Then, according to the Dayton Daily News, he offered the job of directing the state pharmacy board to state Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon, who turned it down.
Kasich was able to offer the job to Wachtmann because in June state legislators removed the requirement that the pharmacy board director be a licensed pharmacist. The last pharmacy director, Kyle Parker, stepped down this month.
“To us, as pharmacists, we strongly believe (the director) needs to be a pharmacist,” Ernie Boyd, spokesperson for the Ohio Pharmacy Association spokesman told the Dayton Daily News. “We feel that it’s a pretty important public position that requires a pretty specific knowledge base.”
continue to read here

Texas Execution on Course Despite Claims That Drug Supply Expired

The Guardian ‎- 25 minutes ago
Amid claims that its drug supply has expired, Texas is set to execute its first ... drugs were tested on 17 March this year, they must have been compounded before ...

September 9, 2014 FDA reminds health care professionals and consumers not to use sterile products from Downing Labs/NuVision Pharmacy of Texas; Products may still pose serious risk to patients

FDA reminds health care professionals and consumers not to use sterile products from Downing Labs/NuVision Pharmacy of Texas

Products may still pose serious risk to patients

For Immediate Release

September 9, 2014

Release

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reminding health care professionals and consumers about safety concerns with all sterile-use drug products made and distributed by Downing Labs LLC, doing business as NuVision Pharmacy, in Dallas, Texas. Health care professionals should not use any NuVision/Downing Labs sterile products for their patients because the firm cannot ensure the safety or quality of these products. Administration of a non-sterile drug product may result in serious and potentially life-threatening infection or death.
The FDA has issued a formal request to Downing Labs for the immediate recall of all lots of its purportedly sterile products currently on the market that are not expired. In the letter, the FDA outlined poor conditions and practices identified by FDA investigators during a July 2014 inspection of Downing Labs’ Dallas facility. In the letter, the FDA outlined the practices and facility conditions that raise concerns about the sterility assurance of purportedly sterile drug products made at the Downing Labs facility.
“Patient safety is our top priority. We recommend health care professionals stop prescribing sterile drugs from Downing Labs because they pose serious potential risks to patients,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Patients deserve medications that are safe, effective, and of high quality no matter who makes them, and the FDA will continue to take action to protect patients.”
The FDA’s recent inspection of the Downing Labs facility revealed sterility failures in 19 lots of drug products intended to be sterile, endotoxin failures in three lots of drug products, and inadequate or no investigation of these failures. Endotoxins are substances found in certain bacteria that cause a wide variety of serious reactions such as fever, shock, and changes in blood pressure and in other circulatory functions.
The FDA alerted health care professionals not to use purportedly sterile drugs from NuVision/Downing Labs due to possible contamination on July 18, 2014. Previously, on July 26, 2013, after observing poor conditions and practices during a March – April 2013 inspection, the FDA formally requested NuVision Pharmacy recall all sterile use drug products. The FDA reminds health care professionals to check their medical supplies, quarantine any purportedly sterile drug products prepared at the Downing Labs facility, and not administer them to patients.
Products made at the Downing Labs facility are distributed nationwide. Most of the product labels include: NuVision Pharmacy, Dallas Texas 75244. 1-800-914-7435.
Patients who have received any drug product produced at the Downing Labs facility and have concerns should contact their health care professional.
The FDA is not aware of recent reports of illness associated with the use of these products. The FDA asks health care providers and consumers to report adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of any products made at the Downing Labs facility to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program by:
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices.  The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Updated List of FDA 483s issued and released for 2014 including 483 for Martin Avenue Pharmacy

  • Advanced Pharma Inc., Houston, TX, 483 Issued 3/17/2014 (PDF - 638KB)
  • Alexander Infusion, LLC dba Avanti Health Care Services, New Hyde Park, NY, 483 Issued 7/9/2014 (PDF - 1.4MB)
  • AnazaoHealth Corporation, Tampa, FL, Referral Letter to FL BOP Issued 2/21/2014 (PDF - 375KB)
  • Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. (CAPS), San Diego, CA, 483 Issued 8/8/2014 (PDF - 1.5MB)
  • Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. (CAPS), Livonia, MI, 483 Issued 6/25/2014 (PDF - 928KB)
  • Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. (CAPS), Allentown, PA, 483 Issued 6/11/2014 (PDF - 2.1MB)
  • Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. (CAPS), Woburn, MA, 483 Issued 2/20/2014 (PDF - 1.9MB)
  • Downing Labs, LLC (formerly NuVision Pharmacy, Inc), Dallas, TX, FDA Requested Recall Letter Issued 9/9/2014 (PDF - 941KB)
  • Downing Labs, LLC (formerly NuVision Pharmacy, Inc), Dallas, TX, 483 Issued 7/16/2014 (PDF - 2.1MB)
  • Eastern Pharmacy, Inc., Ocala, FL, 483 Issued 2/4/2014 (PDF - 516KB)
  • Foundation Care, LLC, Earth City, MO, Referral Letter to MO Board of Pharmacy Issued 2/26/2014 (PDF - 396KB)
  • Franck's Lab Inc dba Trinity Care Solutions, Ocala, FL, 483 Issued 5/23/2014 (PDF - 856KB)
  • Healix Infusion Therapy, Inc., Sugar Land, TX, 483 Issued 5/16/2014 (PDF - 628KB)
  • Hopewell Pharmacy, Hopewell, NJ, Referral Letter to NJ Board of Pharmacy Issued 2/21/2014 (PDF - 1.3MB)
  • Infusion Options, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, 483 Issued 4/23/2014 (PDF - 2.3MB)
  • I.V. Specialty Ltd., Austin, TX, 483 Issued 7/22/2014 (PDF - 1019KB)
  • John W. Hollis Inc dba John Hollis Pharmacy, Nashville, TN, 483 Issued 3/21/2014 (PDF - 1.3MB)
  • Kings Park Slope, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, 483 Issued 3/14/2014 (PDF - 3.2MB)
  • KRS Global Biotechnology, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, 483 Issued 3/17/2014 (PDF - 735KB)
  • LeeSar, Inc., Fort Myers, FL, 483 Issued 8/8/2014 (PDF - 541KB)
  • Leiter's Cambrian Park Drugs, Inc., dba Leiter's Pharmacy, San Jose, CA, 483 Issued 3/6/2014 (PDF - 1.3MB)
  • Leiter's Compounding Pharmacy, San Jose, CA, 483 Response Dated 3/26/2014 (PDF - 3.6MB)
  • Lowlyn Pharmacies, Inc., d/b/a Red Cross Drug, Blanchard, OK, Referral Letter to OK Board of Pharmacy Issued 2/25/2014 (PDF - 2.4MB)
  • Martin Avenue Pharmacy, Inc., Naperville, IL, 483 Issued 7/21/2014 (PDF - 1.8MB)
  • One Way Drug, LLC dba Partell Specialty Pharmacy, Las Vegas, NV, 483 Issued 5/30/2014 (PDF - 1.3MB)
  • People’s Pharmacy, Inc. #2, Austin, TX, 483 Issued 7/28/2014 (PDF - 560KB)
  • Pharmakon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Noblesville, IN, 483 Issued 3/13/2014 (PDF - 1.9MB)
  • Pharmakon Pharmaceuticals, Noblesville, IN, 483 Issued 4/8/2014 (PDF - 350KB)
  • Portage Pharmacy Inc., Portage, MI, Referral Letter to MI Board of Pharmacy Issued 2/25/2014 (PDF - 357KB)
  • Premier Pharmacy Labs, Inc., Weeki Wachee, FL, 483 Issued 5/9/2014 (PDF - 2.5MB)
  • Region Care, Inc., Great Neck, NY, 483 Issued 3/20/2014 (PDF - 922KB)
  • RX South LLC DBA RX3 Pharmacy, Chester, VA, 483 Issued 2/21/2014 (PDF - 5MB)
  • SCA Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Little Rock, AR, 483 Issued 4/1/2014 (PDF - 1.7MB)
  • Stewart Compounding Pharmacy, Fayetteville, NC, 483 Issued 2/26/2014 (PDF - 1.4MB)
  • Unique Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. FDA Requested Recall Letter Issued 7/11/2014 (PDF - 754KB)
  • Unique Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Temple, TX, 483 Issued 6/20/2014 (PDF - 1MB)
  • Unique Pharmaceutical, Ltd., Temple, TX, Amended 483 Issued 4/4/2014 (PDF - 4.3MB)
  • Unique Pharmaceutical, Ltd., Temple, TX, 483 Issued 4/2/2014 (PDF - 748KB)
  • University Pharmacy, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, Referral Letter to UT Board of Pharmacy Issued 2/20/2014 (PDF - 240KB)
  • US Compounding Inc., Conway, AR, 483 Issued 3/27/2014 (PDF - 1.1MB)
  • Wells Pharmacy Network LLC, Ocala, FL, 483 Issued 6/19/2014 (PDF - 1MB)
  • Wells Pharmacy Network LLC, Ocala, FL, 483 Issued 3/7/2014 (PDF - 1.2MB)
  • Zions RX Formulations Services LLC dba Rx Formulation Serv., Mesa, AZ, 483 Issued 1/9/2014 (PDF - 1MB)
  • 2014 CreAgri, Inc. 8/28/14

    2014 CreAgri, Inc. 8/28/14

    Appeal for Houston killer says lethal drug has passed expiration date

    Appeal for Houston killer says lethal drug has passed expiration date

    A New Era for Compounding Pharmacies

    A New Era for Compounding Pharmacies — The Pacific ...

    blog.pacificbiolabs.com/.../9/8/a-new-era-for-compounding-pharmacies
    22 hours ago - 1) Compounding Pharmacies that distribute a high volume of compounded drugs, without prescription, have the option to register as an “outsourcing facility” ...

    Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Federal Register

    [PDF]Federal Register/Vol. 79, No. 174/Tuesday, September 9 ...
    www.gpo.gov/.../2014-21227..
    United States Government Printing Office
    4 hours ago - April 5, 2016. Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee . .... performance goal in the Animal Drug. User Fee ... beyond new animal drugs intended for.
    You've visited this page 4 times. Last visit: 9/9/14

    St. Louis Public Radio Exposes Truth About Legal Injection Drugs | The Fix

    St. Louis Public Radio Exposes Truth About Legal Injection Drugs | The Fix

    MUST READ and Watch ! The price of pain: High costs spur questions about compound creams

    Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney Steven Alves is reviewing a case on his desk, trying to figure out why a tube of pain cream costs more than a car payment.http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/09/09/46554/the-price-of-pain-high-costs-spur-questions-about/

    Monday, September 8, 2014

    Why Won't Texas Reveal the Source of Its Lethal Injection

    Why Won't Texas Reveal the Source of Its Lethal Injection ...

    www.vocativ.com/usa/justice-usa/lethal-injection-drugs/
    4 hours ago - Texas' Death Drug: Not Regulated by FDA, but Still Safe? ... “Using a compounded drug is going to be accompanied by risk—as are all compounded drugs that ...

    Pharmacist's arrest cheers meningitis patients

    By Wayne Peal, Daily Press & Argus 10:25 a.m. EDT September 8, 2014

    The arrest of a pharmacist linked to the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak is a positive step, local patients said.
    "It's a sign the FBI is taking this seriously," Green Oak Township resident Jona Angst said regarding last week's arrest of Glenn Adam Chin.
    But details surrounding the charges against Chin left them stunned.
    Chin, 46, oversaw the sterile rooms at the now-closed New England Compounding Center, where contaminated steroids linked to the outbreak were mixed.
    Federal attorneys allege Chin was part of a scheme to misrepresent and fraudulently release contaminated methylprednisolone acetate, or MPA, as sterile. MPA is the steroid linked to the outbreak.

    continue to read here

    Compounded Drugs for Horses September 8, 2015

    By: Katie Jones, CVT
    Every day we are bombarded with drug choices both in stores and through social media. Veterinarian pharmacies are not any different. Adequan®, Banamine®, and GastroGuard® are all common names many have heard and learned about. A drug is classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “as any substance, food, or nonfood intended for diagnosis, cure, mitigation, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals; any substance intended to affect body structure or function; or any substance administered by infection.”1 There are several different drug classifications a veterinarian can choose from when prescribing medication for their patients. The classifications are generic, brand name or patented drugs, and compounded drugs.

    continue to read here

    Pharmacy Practice News - Personalized Medicine Gains Traction

    Pharmacy Practice News - Personalized Medicine Gains Traction

    Pharmacy Practice News - New Jersey Firm Sold Unapproved and Improperly Labeled Drugsbr /

    Pharmacy Practice News - New Jersey Firm Sold Unapproved and Improperly Labeled Drugsbr /

    September 05, 2014 Changes at Your Local Pharmacy: Lessons in Bold Leadership

    Important Must Read Comments From Readers Regrading Pharmacy Creation Recall

    Anonymous said...
    This pharmacy was acquired by Imprimis Pharmaceuticals in early 2014--the website describes what appears to be an unapproved new drug development "pathway" for patent- pending products that rely on 503A exemptions to certain provisions of the food drug and cosmetic act. But, if the products don't meet conditions for exemptions, they will be paddling uphill and into a strong current (i.e., the traditional drug development pathway for marketing an approved therapy). Even if an affiliated pharmacy meets conditions for exemptions, other provisions of the FDCA may apply, according to the finalized guidance, which can be viewed here: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM377052.pdf.

    I would read this recall in conjunction with the FORM FDA 483 issued to Front Range, which included information on the passing purportedly sterile samples where positive controls tested negative.
    The 483 can be viewed here: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofGlobalRegulatoryOperationsandPolicy/ORA/ORAElectronicREadingRoom/ucm340853.htm
    Anonymous said...
    It would be interesting in this regard to see the response to this letter: http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Karolchyk-Compounding-Centers-2012-12-7.pdf

    FDA •Final Rule; Technical Amendment; New Animal Drugs

    Final Rule; Technical Amendment; New Animal Drugs
    September 8, 2014; 79 FR 53134

    Saturday, September 6, 2014

    HIGH IMPORTANCE!! Pharmacy Creations Issues Voluntary Recall of Four Product Lots With Limited Distribution in Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Puerto Rico Due to Potential Non-Sterility

    Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Pharmacy Creations Issues Voluntary Recall of Four Product Lots With Limited Distribution in Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Puerto Rico Due to Potential Non-Sterility

    Express Scripts, CVS Health formulary changes affect one in two Americans (changes in commercially available drugs)

    In August CVS Caremark (now CVS Health) and Express Scripts released their formulary restrictions, effective January 2015. CVS Health and ESI, which together cover nearly half of all Americans, make formulary decisions that influence roughly 150 million covered lives. Thus, pharmaceutical manufacturers are in a must play position to have any chance at maintaining a presence in the brand medication market.
    Here are the highlights of each PBM’s formulary changes and their potential impact on your plan and participants.
    CVS Health
    CVS Health’s closed formulary has been in place for several years. For 2015, CVS Health continues its aggressive removal process with no signs of easing up on formulary management efforts. CVS Health removed an additional 22 medications from its formulary, increasing the total to approximately 100. A few of the exclusions include: Byetta (diabetes); all diabetes testing strips and kits except for OneTouch brands; Rebif (specialty treatment for MS); Lunesta (sleep aid) and Levitra (erectile dysfunction). CVS Health is also planning to exclude one of the newer Hepatitis C treatments in 2015. Without significant discounts on both products, one treatment will likely be removed, depending on the price of the product and the latest agents (i.e. Solvaldi).
    continue to read here

    Thursday, September 4, 2014

    NY to Give 10-Year Penalties for High Cobalt in Race Horses

    The New York State Gaming Commission Sept. 4 said it will issue a standard 10-year suspension to anyone who violates the harness racing rule prohibiting the use of substances that abnormally oxygenate a horse's blood, including supra-dietary administration of cobalt salts.
    The NYSGC said the rule took effect in August, and that it is considering a similar rule for Thoroughbred racing in the state.
    Cobalt is a naturally occurring element present in vitamin B-12, which is given to racehorses. Cobalt salts have a number of industrial and agricultural uses, but are not intended for administration to horses, the NYSGC said in a release.


    Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/87184/ny-to-give-10-year-penalties-for-high-cobalt#ixzz3CPVCA7kc

    How Kentucky Will Save Horse Racing From Itself

    Hospital pharmacists are calling on drug manufacturers to include more accurate shelf life limits on compounded parenteral products.

    Naperville pharmacy recalling drugs

    U.S. Marshals seize drug products from Flawless Beauty--INJECTIBLE PRODUCTS

    Various unapproved and improperly labeled drug products that were marketed, sold and distributed via the Internet by Flawless Beauty LLC, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, have been seized by U.S. Marshals at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. These products, including injectable drug products, were marketed, sold and distributed to individuals, retail outlets, health spas and clinics.
    The seized products, marketed on websites including, but not limited to, www.flawlessbeautyandskin.com and www.relumins.com include:
    • Relumins Advanced Glutathione “kits” and
    • Tatiomax Glutathione Collagen Whitening “kits” 
    Many of the injectable products also include claims to treat scurvy, degenerative brain and liver diseases, and “alcoholic liver diseases.” 
    None of these products have been proven safe or effective for their intended uses. In addition, unapproved injectable products are of concern because their quality, safety and efficacy have not been reviewed.  Further, improper injection practices may result in serious injury, including the transmission of disease.
    “Companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe for distribution,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “We have taken action to protect consumers and demonstrate our commitment to their safety by preventing these products from being distributed.”
    On May 16, 2014, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services detained  the unapproved injectable drug products located at Flawless Beauty.
    “To ensure new drugs are safe, effective, and made using quality manufacturing practices, they undergo a rigorous FDA review and approval process,” said Ilisa Bernstein, acting director, Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s. “The FDA is committed to taking action to protect American consumers against companies that circumvent the drug approval process.”
    To date the agency has not received direct reports of illnesses or serious side effects related to the seized products. Illnesses or side effects related to the use of these products should be reported to the FDA via MedWatch’s online form or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088. Consumers who experience any unexpected adverse events should also consult a health care professional as soon as possible.
    The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. FDA also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

    http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm412858.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

    PCCA PersonalMed™ Preferred Provider Network

    PersonalMed™ Frequently Asked Questions

    What is PersonalMed?

    PersonalMed is a preferred provider network (PPN) of compounding pharmacies that are members of PCCA and meet strict standards of credentialing and quality assurance. Its purpose is to assure that their patients continue to have access to and receive reimbursement for the custom-compounded preparations on which their health depends, at costs their employers can predict and afford.

    What will PersonalMed negotiate on behalf of its members?

    Ultimately, the answer depends on the group’s relationship with individual payors and PBMs. However, these terms will include, at minimum, formularies, reimbursement rates, auditing and inspection requirements, clean room certification (sterile compounding only) and quality and safety standards.

    How large is membership in PersonalMed?

    Our goal is to make PersonalMed the largest compounding PPN in the industry with the broadest geographic coverage possible. PersonalMed is in formation now. Already 000 PCCA members have expressed interest in joining the network.

    How does PersonalMed differ from other PPN’s that are being formed now?

    PersonalMed will offer a complete billing service, fully integrated with the most widely used compounding software in the United States. None of the existing or announced PPNs have plans to include a billing solution among their services. None of them can integrate with the most widely used compounding software, PK Software, which is wholly owned by PCCA. In addition to its obvious benefits, the billing service will allow PersonalMed to leverage collected data to do critical reporting and to conduct outcome studies.
    Further, the other PPN’s that also are currently in formation have announced their intentions to create extremely small networks. We believe that a larger PPN will have much greater negotiating power with third-party payors and PBMs to be able to provide the nationwide reach that they want for their prescribers and patients. PersonalMed is being structured in such a way that it will deliver the quality assurances and wide availability that payors and PBMs demand.

    How will PCCA-Member pharmacies qualify for membership in PersonalMed?

    In addition to having an active PCCA membership, applicants to PersonalMed must have achieved PCAB Accreditation or commit to starting the accreditation process within one year of joining PersonalMed. The great majority of PCCA-member pharmacies have the capacity to become qualified. Any PCCA-member pharmacy that is willing to accept the negotiated pricing terms, all credentialing requirements and other terms and conditions set by PersonalMed may participate.

    Will PersonalMed be an intermediary between member pharmacies and payors in conflict resolution?

    Yes.

    Let’s Talk.

    To start a conversation about doing business with the PersonalMed PPN, call Delford Doherty, director of Managed Care Services, at 800.331.2498 x 1011 or email PersonalMed@PCCARx.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
    source found here

    First Arrest Made in 2012 Steroid Medication Deaths

    Federal authorities made the first arrest in the case of the New England Compounding Center, a Massachusetts-based drug maker whose tainted steroid pain medication killed dozens of people across the country in 2012.
    The authorities said they arrested Glenn Adam Chin, 46, the head pharmacist at the company, at Logan International Airport in Boston as he was about to board a flight to Hong Kong, according to the United States attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Carmen M. Ortiz.
    Investigators said they moved quickly after they learned that Mr. Chin was planning to leave the country Thursday morning.
    A spokeswoman said she did not know whether Mr. Chin was leaving because of potential criminal charges. He was charged with one count of mail fraud, according to the United States attorney’s office.
    Paul Shaw, the lawyer representing Mr. Chin, said the arrest in the airport was an attempt on the part of the United States attorney’s office to generate publicity for the case. He said Mr. Chin had been under investigation for two years but had never been formally told he was a target. He said he was on his way to a family wedding in Hong Kong with his wife, two children and mother-in-law.
     
    continue to read here

    Note From Reader Regarding Helpful Discussion on Professional/Ethical Oblication for Substitution Approval and Disclosure of Medications

    There is a helpful discussion on state substitution rules in IACP's comment to the CHASM citizen's petition, accessible here, noting professional/ethical obligation for substitution approval and disclosure: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/05p0116/05p-0116-c000002-01-vol2.pdf

    Great Comment from Reader on the Ethical Framework: Quotes by Sammie Young at the inaugural meeting of the first advisory committee on compounding resonate deeply here--the quotes come from a report by the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (ACHRE)

    Anonymous said...
    Quotes by Sammie Young at the inaugural meeting of the first advisory committee on compounding resonate deeply here--the quotes come from a report by the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (ACHRE):

    [Excerpt from Chapter 4: an Ethical Framework]

    Basic Ethical Principles

    Basic ethical principles are general standards or rules that all morally serious individuals accept. The Advisory Committee has identified six basic ethical principles as particularly relevant to our work: "One ought not to treat people as mere means to the ends of others"; "One ought not to deceive others"; "One ought not to inflict harm or risk of harm"; "One ought to promote welfare and prevent harm": "One ought to treat people fairly and with equal respect"; and "One ought to respect the self-determination of others." These principles state moral requirements; they are principles of obligation telling us what we ought to do.[2]
    Every principle on this list has exceptions, because all moral principles can justifiably be overridden by other basic principles in circumstances when they conflict. To give priority to one principle over another is not a moral mistake; it is a reality of moral judgment. The justifiability of such judgments depends on many factors in the circumstance; it is not possible to assign priorities to these principles in the abstract.

    Far more social consensus exists about the acceptability of these basic principles than exists about any philosophical, religious, or political theory of ethics. This is not surprising, given the central social importance of morality and the fact that its precepts are embraced in some form by virtually all major ethical theories and traditions. These principles are at the deepest level of any person's commitment to a moral way of life.

    It is important to emphasize that the validity of these basic principles is not typically thought of as limited by time: we commonly judge agents in the past by these standards. For example, the passing of fifty years in no way changes the fact that Hitler's extermination of millions of people was wrong, nor does it erase or even diminish his culpability. Nor would the passing of a hundred years or a thousand do so.

    This is not to deny that it might be inappropriate to apply to the distant past some ethical principles to which we now subscribe. It is only to note that there are some principles so basic that we ordinarily assume, with good reason, that they are applicable to the past as well as the present (and will be applicable in the future as well). We regard these principles as basic because any minimally acceptable ethical standpoint must include them.
    [End Excerpt]
    [https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/achre/final/chap4_2.html]