A recent study conducted by Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, VA, shows that involving pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the hospital admissions process reduced medication errors.

In an effort to improve oversight of compounding pharmacies in the state, the Florida Board of Pharmacy formed a committee of its colleagues to create a series of permits.

In an attempt to tighten federal oversight of compounding pharmacies in the wake of the meningitis outbreak, the S.A.F.E. Compounded Drugs Act of 2012 (HR 6638) was introduced in Congress.

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy is considering eight potential solutions for improving the state’s regulation of pharmacy compounding. The solutions are part of the Board’s efforts to streamline compounding rules and improve patient safety.

Hospitals and medical centers that relied upon the NECC and its sister company, Ameridose LLC, are suffering shortages of antibiotics, pain medications, and other drugs.

Qualitest, a subsidiary of Endo Health Solutions, issued a voluntary recall of 101 lots of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets.

The AWARxE^® Consumer Protection Program encourages consumers to move medications from their medicine cabinets into a secure area for the holidays to protect loved ones. 

Supporting state board of pharmacy efforts to enforce compounding regulations, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is implementing a four-part action plan centered around inspection of nonresident compounding pharmacies and creating an information sharing network of regulatory details...

Pharmacists ranked as the second most trusted profession in the 2012 Gallup Poll that asked consumers to rate 21 professions according to their honesty and ethical standards. Pharmacists were ranked as very high or high in this category by 75%...

A federal appeals court overturned the conviction of a drug sales representative who marketed a product for off-label uses on grounds that the conviction violated his freedom of speech. Alfred Caronia, a former sales representative for Orphan Medical, was convicted...

Additional microbial contamination has been identified in three drug products at NECC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue investigating NECC and have discovered bacteria and fungal species in unopened vials of betamethasone,...

A federal grand jury is collecting information and evidence from people who worked with the New England Compounding Center (NECC), the pharmacy that produced contaminated steroid injections leading to a multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis affecting over 540 people. The...

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has sent cease and desist orders to three compounding pharmacies for drug preparation and storage problems that were discovered during surprise inspections. The Boston Globe reports that the issues found at the facilities –...

The Colorado Electronic Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NABP to participate in the NABP PMP InterConnect®, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state prescription monitoring programs (PMPs), a key...

As the meningitis outbreak tragedy continues to unfold, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold, on December 19, 2012, an intergovernmental meeting regarding regulation of compounding pharmacies. Also on that day, from 3 to 5 PM, FDA will hold a...

A Tampa, FL, pharmacist was convicted by a federal jury for unlawfully dispensing hydrocodone pills for a ring of illegal online drug sellers that trafficked hydrocodone and other painkillers to consumers across the country. A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation...

FDA took action to restrain Pharmacist's Ultimate Health (PUH) from distributing any products into interstate commerce due to the Minnesota company’s distribution of unapproved new drugs and adulterated dietary supplements. The president of PUH has agreed to enter a Consent...

FDA Drug Info Rounds, a series of online training videos, provides important and timely drug information to practicing clinical and community pharmacists so they can help patients make better medication decisions. In the latest Drug Info Rounds video pharmacists discuss...

The majority of community pharmacies in the United States are enabled to accept e-prescriptions, and almost half of physicians are now using e-prescribing, according to a new report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “From...

In an effort to facilitate the delivery of good-quality medicines, United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) provides information about compounding and the role of USP standards for practitioners, patients, associations, and regulatory bodies on the USP Compounding Standards & Resources page...

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested information from FedEx and UPS in relation to an ongoing investigation of illegal online drug sellers and their use of the shipping services to transport products into the US. UPS disclosed in...

A bill that would require coroners in California to report all prescription drug related deaths to the Medical Board of California was introduced to the state Senate by Senator Curren D. Price, Jr (D-Los Angeles). The bill aims to help...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is offering two regional one-day Pharmacy Diversion Awareness Conferences (PDAC) in Indianapolis, IN, one on Saturday, December 8, 2012, and another on Sunday, December 9, 2012. Each one-day conference is open to pharmacy personnel (pharmacists, pharmacy...

NABP invites you to nominate a colleague or a board of pharmacy for a 2013 NABP award. If you know someone that represents NABP’s mission of protecting public health, please send in your nomination today. The awards will be presented...

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing today, November 14, 2012, to hear testimony regarding the multi-state outbreak of fungal meningitis that has been linked to contaminated methylprednisolone...

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) provides several resources to help pharmacists and other providers address the new responsibilities and demands resulting from the fungal meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated methylprednisolone acetate injection compounded by NECC. The ASHP Sterile...

To assist those affected by Hurricane Sandy, Rx Response continues to update its Pharmacy Status Map to indicate open pharmacies. In addition, the Rx Response Hurricane Sandy Situation Report continues to provide updates on locations of American Red Cross and...

CDC’s annual Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is being observed November 12-18, 2012, to promote awareness about the problem of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. The campaign is aimed toward both the general public and health...

FDA Drug Info Rounds, a series of online training videos, provides important and timely drug information to practicing clinical and community pharmacists so they can help patients make better medication decisions. In the latest Drug Info Rounds videos pharmacists discuss:...

E-news will break for the Thanksgiving holiday, and the weekly e-News will resume on November 28, 2012. ...

Legislation that would give Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clear, new authority to oversee compounding pharmacy practices throughout the country was introduced to Congress on November 2, 2012, by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA). The Verifying Authority and Legality In...

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy has approved emergency regulations to enhance oversight of compounding pharmacies. The emergency regulations (PDF) will allow the state to track volume and distribution at compounding pharmacies in order to determine if a pharmacy...

FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that samples of two additional recalled New England Compounding Center (NECC) products, preservative-free injectable betamethasone and cardioplegia solution, have tested positive for bacteria. Previously, the fungus Exserohilum rostratum was identified...

FDA announced that Ameridose, LLC, voluntarily recalled all of its unexpired drug products on October 31, 2012. Ameridose, based in Westborough, MA, initiated the recall in response to findings from an FDA inspection that raised concerns about lack of sterility...

The New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy is providing a directive to assist pharmacists in New Jersey as they face unique needs while serving patients during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Board advises pharmacists to use their expertise and...

To assist those affected by Hurricane Sandy, Rx Response continues to update its pharmacy status map to indicate open pharmacies. Rx Response is also working with federal and local government agencies to help ensure that fuel is provided for delivery...

To assist patients affected by Hurricane Sandy, Rx Response updated its report response status to Engaged, its highest status, on Monday, October 29, 2012, to help ensure patients maintain access to medications. As of Monday afternoon, the Rx Response Detailed...

NABP has issued a report about the importance of collaboration among members of the international pharmacy community to protect patients worldwide from dangers posed by illegal online drug sellers. As described in the Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program Progress Report...

On October 29 and 30, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee met to discuss the potential for abuse of hydrocodone combination products in order to reach a recommendation regarding whether the drugs...

As the investigation continues into the multistate outbreak of meningitis due to contaminated methylprednisolone injections compounded by the New England Compounding Center (NECC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that at least 363 individuals have been affected. Further,...

In Florida, deaths related to oxycodone fell by 17.7% and overall prescription drug related deaths fell by 6.4%, state officials announced on October 24, 2012. Florida Governor Rick Scott and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi associated the decrease with the...

The importance of medication adherence in reducing hospital readmissions and the role of the pharmacist are highlighted in a new report from NEHI. The report, “Thinking Outside the Pillbox: Improving Medication Adherence and Reducing Readmissions,” indicates that post-discharge drug related...

NABP invites you to nominate a colleague or a board of pharmacy for a 2013 NABP award. If you know someone that represents NABP’s mission of protecting public health, please send in your nomination today. The awards will be presented...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report about the importance of collaboration among members of the international pharmacy community to protect patients worldwide from dangers posed by illegal online drug sellers. As described in the...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have confirmed that the contaminated intrathecal methylprednisolone injections compounded by the New England Compounding Center (NECC) are linked to the multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and joint...

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce is examining the facts related to the meningitis outbreak that has been linked to intrathecal methylprednisolone injections compounded by NECC and has requested additional documentation from FDA. The committee...

Sixteen defendants in California face charges related to illegally obtaining and distributing more than 900,000 OxyContin® pills. The defendants are charged with being part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed the pills, which were obtained in part through fraud...

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a free searchable database with information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbals, and dietary supplements associated with liver injury. The LiverTox database is a free resource for health care providers and researchers...

New United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) standards for a universal approach to the format, appearance, content, and instructions for medicines in containers dispensed by pharmacists have been released. “Wide variability in prescription container labels exists today across individual prescriptions, pharmacies,...

New legislation signed into law by President Obama on October 5, 2012, increases penalties for medical product cargo theft, a significant problem that threatens patient safety when these stolen products are reintroduced into the legitimate supply chain. The Strengthening and...

As cold and flu season nears, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition is urging consumers to double check their medicine labels to make sure they do not double up on medicines containing acetaminophen. The coalition’s “Double Check, Don’t Double Up” message is...

In a meeting coordinated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on October 2, 2012, veterinary and pharmacy experts affirmed the practice of pharmacists dispensing veterinary prescriptions. NABP staff provided an overview of the Vet-VIPPS® (Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice SitesCM) accreditation...

At least 231 cases of fungal meningitis, including 15 deaths, have been reported to be caused by intrathecal methylprednisolone injections compounded by the New England Compounding Center (NECC). Of the 231 cases reported as of October 16, 2012, a total...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) medication disposal sites have collected more than 2 million pounds of unwanted, unused, and expired drugs during the five DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days held to date. On the fifth DEA Take-Back Day held September...

FDA has taken action to shut down the Web sites of Canada Drugs, an entity owned by Kris Thorkelson, also owner of the wholesale company tied to the distribution of counterfeit cancer medications in early 2012. On September 21, 2012,...

Operation Pangea V, with participation from the FDA and international law enforcement and regulatory agencies, brought about the shutdown of more than 18,000 Web sites illegally marketing and distributing drug products. As part of Operation Pangea V, FDA sent warning...

A ban on medical marijuana shops in Los Angeles, CA has been rescinded by the LA City Council. The ban was approved by the City Council in July 2012, but medical marijuana advocates collected enough signatures to place the issue...

Watson Laboratories, Inc initiated a voluntary nationwide recall for two lots of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets, 10 mg/500 mg, due to the possibility that some tablets may contain more than the indicated amount of active ingredient. The company issued...

The court decision allowing pharmacies and pharmacists in Illinois to refuse dispensing emergency contraceptives on religious grounds was upheld by an Illinois appellate court on Friday, September 21, 2012. Dispensing of emergency contraceptives was mandated under a rule implemented by...

The number of drug shortages has decreased by almost 50% compared with the same time period last year, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports. Last year in September, there were over 180 drugs in shortage, and this month there are...

By Dale J. Atkinson, JD Originally published in the October 2012 NABP Newsletter In a previous Newsletter article (“When is a State Agency Not a State Agency?” May 2012 NABP Newsletter), the judicial decisions of Wilkinson v. Board of Dental...

NABP invites you to nominate a colleague or a board of pharmacy for a 2013 NABP award. If you know someone that represents NABP’s mission of protecting public health, please send in your nomination today. The awards will be presented...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers not to use Intestinomicina, a drug product manufactured in El Salvador and marketed as a treatment for infectious diarrhea and acute gastrointestinal infections. FDA advises that consumers who have purchased this product should...

To help fight the prescription drug abuse epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hosting the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, September 29, 2012. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, thousands of DEA-coordinated collection sites...

Public comments may be submitted on a project proposed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that aims to design and test a system for collecting information from patients about health care safety events. The Prototype Consumer Reporting...

The number of people abusing prescription medications fell by 13% from 7 million in 2010 to 6.1 million in 2011, as indicated in the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This annual report, provided by the Substance...

Francis Ortiz Gonzalez of Puerto Rico has been convicted of federal charges relating to his involvement in the large scale distribution of counterfeit drugs throughout the United States and worldwide. Ortiz Gonzalez was convicted on one count of conspiracy and...

Protecting the public health from counterfeit drugs entering the US is a top priority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), stressed FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, at a September 10, 2012, symposium. As part of its efforts, the agency...

The Medicine Abuse Project, a new initiative from the Partnership at Drugfree.org, aims to prevent half a million teens from abusing medicine within five years. The project features an educational Web site, public service announcements, videos, and fact sheets for...

FDA alerts the public that certain over-the-counter (OTC) products that are applied to the skin for the relief of mild muscle and joint pain have been reported to cause rare cases of serious skin injuries. These OTC topical muscle and...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has launched a newly designed Web site featuring new navigation and increased functionality. The new drop-down menu makes it easier to search for specific information and the home page highlights recent news and DEA initiatives. Shortcut...

NABP is pleased to announce New Mexico as the tenth prescription monitoring program (PMP) to deploy NABP PMP InterConnect®, just one month after the Association celebrated the program’s one-year anniversary. New Mexico joins PMPs in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,...

United States and Chinese officials coordinated efforts to shut down 18 Chinese-language Web sites marketing counterfeit drugs and other dangerous drug products to US consumers. The China State Food and Drug Administration initiated the operation and provided information to the...

The practice of doctor or pharmacy shopping to illegally obtain prescription drugs was linked to drug-related deaths in a study using data from West Virginia’s PMP. Researchers analyzed Schedule II through IV prescription data from the West Virginia Controlled Substance...

Implementation of the Los Angeles City Council’s ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries has been delayed as dispensary operators have filed lawsuits and, along with activists, have taken on efforts to repeal the ordinance. The ordinance was intended to address issues...

NABP is seeking individuals to serve as item writers for the Pharmacist Assessment for Remediation EvaluationSM (PARESM) and will be accepting letters of interest until September 19, 2012. Pharmacists in all areas of practice, and pharmacist faculty from schools and...

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is calling for nominees for the ISMP Cheers Awards. The Cheers Awards honor individuals, organizations, companies, and agencies that have set a superlative standard of excellence in the prevention of medication errors during...

Responding to the significant increase in deaths due to overdose of illicit or prescription drugs, federal legislators have introduced a bill that would fund programs to prevent overdose death and require additional tracking of overdose deaths. If it becomes law,...

Consumers can now quickly locate a site for safe disposal of unneeded and expired medications using the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Locator. DEA Take-Back Day collection sites will accept unwanted medications on September 29, 2012,...

Educating teens about the realities of abusing drugs, including prescription drugs, will be the focus of the National Drug Facts Week (NDFW), a program of the NIDA. NDFW is a health observance week for teens that aims to shatter the...

In the wake of Hurricane Isaac, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reminds consumers of safety tips for using medications after a natural disaster occurs. Storms, flooding, wildfires, and other natural disasters can expose medications to unsafe water or excessive heat,...

Bringing together experts addressing the global counterfeit drug problem, the Partnership for Safe Medicines' (PSM) annual Interchange conference will take place on September 28, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The PSM annual Interchange brings together policymakers,...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in the states of Idaho, Louisiana, and South Dakota have executed a memorandum of understanding with NABP to participate in the NABP PMP InterConnect®, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs,...

Aimed to improve health care access for children in Illinois, a new law (SB 3513) will authorize pharmacists to administer influenza and Tdap vaccinations to children age 10 and older with a doctor’s prescription. Signed by Governor Pat Quinn on...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that consumers should not use Reumofan Plus products due to serious health risks related to the presence of prescription drug ingredients not listed on product labels. In a news release, FDA explains that the...

Originally published in the August 2012 NABP Newsletter Applying for the .pharmacy generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), supporting relevant legislation, and educating consumers, health care providers, and law enforcement, are among the many actions NABP should continue to undertake in order...

Removing pharmacies’ ability to re-sell drug products to wholesalers would help to prevent medications from being leaked into the gray market, as highlighted in a recent Drug Topics article. NABP Executive Director/Secretary Carmen A. Catizone, MS, RPh, DPh, explained that...

New research on the immune system’s role in addiction may help scientists develop a drug to treat and prevent opioid addiction, including addiction to prescription painkillers. Focusing on the immune system’s response to opioids such as morphine, researchers from the...

NABP is seeking individuals to serve as item writers for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination®, the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination®, the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination®, the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment®, and the Pharmacist Assessment for Remediation EvaluationSM. Pharmacists...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is pleased to announce its one-year anniversary of sharing prescription monitoring program (PMP) data through its NABP PMP InterConnectSM program. The NABP InterConnect allows authorized users in participating states to request patients’...

A domain name dispute complaint involving unauthorized use of two NABP trademarks – NABP® and VIPPS® – has been decided in favor of the Association by the National Arbitration Forum. On June 13, 2012, NABP filed a complaint with the...

Developed to help fight prescription drug abuse, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has launched an online prescription monitoring program (PMP) to provide controlled substance prescription dispensing history to authorized health care providers and law enforcement. The PMP, known...

On August 13, 2012, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the 2012-2013 influenza vaccine formulation has been approved. Additional details and links to information about influenza vaccine availability and related topics are included in an FDA news release. As...

Originally published in the August 2012 NABP Newsletter By Dale J. Atkinson, JD Increased media attention to licensure issues and the performance of regulatory boards provide the public with a perspective of why boards exist and their duties and responsibilities....

Gray market companies operating outside of the legitimate drug distribution chain buy and sell drugs in shortage at exorbitant prices, indicates a report of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In an investigation of the issue, staff examined...

Robin Han, a New Zealand citizen, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the large-scale distribution of fake erectile dysfunction drugs into the United States. Han pleaded guilty to three criminal counts related to his trafficking of counterfeit drugs...

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana retail shops from doing business in the city. The Associated Press (AP) reports that the measure could affect about 900 dispensaries in the area;...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Drug Info Rounds, a series of online training videos, provides important and timely drug information to practicing clinical and community pharmacists so they can help patients make better medication decisions. In the latest Drug Info...

Prescription contraceptive products are being marketed online as “no prescription” and “over-the-counter” products, placing consumers who buy them at risk, indicates a recent study by pharmaceutical security researchers. Study authors found that Google searches returned results for prescription contraceptive products...

NABP recently amended the Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (Model Act) in its effort to assist the boards of pharmacy as they work to protect the public health. The Model...

Gilead Sciences, Inc is alerting pharmacies about three instances in which patients have returned bottles of Gilead products after discovering that the bottles contained a different product than the product listed on the label. In a letter (PDF) to pharmacies,...

Groups representing health care providers, researchers, and public health officials submitted a petition (PDF) requesting FDA to change opioid drug labeling so that indications for use in treating chronic, non-cancer pain would be limited. Supporters hope that such a change...

A county ordinance (PDF) requiring drug manufacturers to establish medication disposal programs for unused and expired drugs was passed by the board of supervisors of Alameda County, CA. Supporters of the ordinance want drug companies to fund such programs, which...

Manufacturer CRM Laboratories has initiated a voluntary recall of two products marketed as dietary supplements to support male sexual performance due to the presence of sildenafil and hydroxythiohomosildenafil. The products, X-ROCK 3 Day Pill For Men and Z-ROCK, were distributed...

In a partnership with the White House, the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) will launch a campaign to help educate consumers about the dangers of unsafe prescription drugs often sold by illegal online pharmacies. The CSIP campaign will include...

A bill to require manufacturers to formulate tamper-proof versions of prescription opiate painkillers was introduced to the US House of Representatives on Thursday, July 19, 2012. With the aim of deterring abuse of the drugs, the Stop Tampering of Prescription...

Since the introduction of tamper-resistant OxyContin in 2010, abuse of other prescription opioids, as well as heroin, has increased, report researchers from Washington University in St Louis. The reformulated pill is more difficult to crush or dissolve, helping to prevent...

Targeting drug diversion by employees, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that investigative assistance will be offered to every nursing home, assisted living agency, and residential care facility in Ohio. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Ohio Attorney...

Bringing together experts addressing the global counterfeit drug problem, the Partnership for Safe Medicines' (PSM) annual Interchange conference will take place on September 28, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The PSM annual Interchange brings together policymakers,...

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) announced the launch of a new program designed for pharmacy technician educational institutions and training programs that provide classroom instruction, position students for employment in the evolving health care system, and prepare individuals to...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report about the continually increasing online counterfeit drug supply and the urgent need for international collaboration among regulators and other public agencies as well as private sector entities. As...

As part of the federal initiative to address the prescription drug abuse, misuse, and overdose epidemic, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioids. The REMS introduces...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will hold a workshop on pet medication related issues, including drug safety issues, and seeks public comments on the topic. Among other topics, the workshop will consider how current industry distribution and other business practices...

An FDA database provides information on pediatric medications, making it easier for both health care providers and caregivers to locate this information. The Pediatric Labeling Information Database is a one-stop resource, where providers and caregivers can search for information by...

As policymakers and other stakeholders continue debating how to best balance affordable health care and patient access, they are increasingly looking to expand the role pharmacists play in patient care. Numerous factors, including rising health care costs, a longer-living population,...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is pleased to announce that CPE Monitor™ integration among continuing pharmacy education (CPE) providers is well underway with over 550,000 CPE activity records now stored in the CPE Monitor system. CPE Monitor...

Luis Angel Garcia Torres, of Patillas, Puerto Rico, was convicted of 12 counts in relation to the trafficking of counterfeit goods, including the trafficking of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs over the Internet. A Department of Justice news release indicates that Torres...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Federal Register notice (PDF) instructing companies to stop manufacturing and distributing certain unapproved drugs that contain oxycodone. The agency indicates in a news release that the “action affects companies that manufacture and...

A new Michigan law bans synthetic cannabinoid products, including K2 and Spice, as well as synthetic bath salt products, and the chemicals used to make these products. These synthetic drugs will be classified as Schedule I controlled substances in Michigan...

Two online Webinars focusing on acetaminophen safety will be available to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in July. Participants will explore factors that commonly contribute to acetaminophen overdosages, review recent regulatory action to support the safe use of acetaminophen, and discuss...

The Center for Pharmacy Practice Accreditation (CPPA) seeks review and comment on the newly released draft standards for community pharmacy practice accreditation. The draft standards will serve as the basis for community pharmacy practice accreditation. They are designed to facilitate...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act (S 3187) was passed by United States Congress, June 26, 2012, and would implement provisions addressing counterfeit drugs, synthetic drugs, and drug shortages. The bill would increase penalties for drug...

A multi-agency operation has resulted in charges against seven doctors and seven clinic owners on state racketeering violations related to the operation of illegal pain clinics throughout Florida. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that the defendants “face 144 violations of...

Targeting prescription drug abuse, a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) program will enable states to integrate prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) into electronic health records and other health information technology systems. SAMHSA announced that the Prescription Drug...

Andrew J. Strempler, a Canadian citizen, was arrested by United States officials in Florida and faces charges relating to his operation of a Web site selling drug products to US residents including distribution of counterfeit and non-Food and Drug Administration...

The launch of pilot programs as part of the Enhancing Access to PDMPs Project, in which NABP is participating, was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)....

A new toolset released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can assist independent pharmacies with the implementation of e-prescribing and may also provide useful guidance to those pharmacies already using e-prescribing. The toolset for independent pharmacies consists...

To help raise consumer awareness about health fraud scams, FDA provides numerous educational resources in the Health Fraud Scams section of its Web site. Educating consumers on how to avoid such scams, FDA videos present information on various types of...

Several pharmacies in the Charlotte, NC, area have been approached by questionable drug wholesalers attempting to sell them drug supplies that may be fake, reports WSOCTV. One pharmacy owner indicated that he received calls from companies claiming to be new...

Consumers across the country will have another opportunity to help prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by disposing of any unneeded, unwanted medications during the fifth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, September 29, 2012....

Following a year-long investigation, 24 people have been indicted on charges related to the large scale manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine in central New York. The 24 individuals indicted have been charged with possession or distribution of pseudoephedrine (PSE) with...

Florida resident Joel Lester pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute synthetic marijuana on Friday, June 8, 2012, before the US District Judge Kenneth A. Marra. DEA reports that Lester owned Nature and Health, a business...

Men’s health risks are often exploited by producers of counterfeit drugs as depicted in an infographic developed by the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM). PSM distributed the infographic in recognition of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day and Men's Health Week, and also...

A new search tool from LegitScript provides information on dietary supplements and other similar health care products indicating whether a product is known to be unsafe or marketed with unsupportable claims. The LegitScript Healthcare Product Search contains data on thousands...

FDA is alerting pharmacies and patients that manufacturer Sandoz has initiated a voluntary recall of 10 lots of Introvale®, a generic oral contraceptive distributed in the US, following a recent report of a packaging flaw. The recall was initiated due...

Aimed to help fight prescription drug abuse, proposed legislation in New York would change “the way prescription drugs are distributed and tracked” in the state. Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and New York legislators announced an...

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has announced the update of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) Blueprint, which includes the reorganization of current PTCE content into nine knowledge areas. The areas are as follows: Pharmacology for Technicians Pharmacy Law...

US Marshals seized drug products from Global Biotechnologies, Inc, Portland, ME, on May 31, 2012, at the request of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court for the District of...

FDA issued a safety alert notifying consumers about the recall of Reumofan Plus, a product marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief and other serious conditions. The product contains several active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®), with the support of a global coalition of stakeholders, has applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to own and operate the new .PHARMACY generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD)....

The Task Force on Internet Pharmacy Practice met March 6-7, 2012, at NABP Headquarters. This task force was established in response to the Executive Committee’s recommendation to convene a task force to discuss the current state of Internet pharmacy practice....

The Task Force to Review and Recommend Revisions to the Controlled Substances Act met January 24-25, 2012, at NABP Headquarters. This task force was held subsequent to the 2011 task force of the same name, which was established in response...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and health care providers about a counterfeit version of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ Adderall® 30 mg tablets that is being purchased on the Internet. Adderall, a drug approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity...

A new law in Kentucky bans entire classes of synthetic drugs, with the broader language intended to prevent producers from developing new formulas for the dangerous products often marketed as “bath salts” and “incense.” Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear stated that...

Working to locate synthetic “bath salt” drugs and “prosecute those who illegally distribute them,” the office of Timothy Heaphy, United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, has partnered with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and state and local law...

Franck’s Compounding Pharmacy has initiated a recall of all sterile preparations provided from November 21, 2011 to May 21, 2012. Franck’s initiated the recall after FDA notified the pharmacy that an environmental sampling of its clean room revealed the presence...

The Committee on Law Enforcement/Legislation met February 29, 2012. 

The United States Senate voted against the proposed amendment to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act that would have allowed drug importation from Canadian pharmacies on May 24, 2012. The amendment failed in a vote of...

Aimed to help combat prescription drug abuse, an amendment to the FDA Safety and Innovation Act that would reclassify hydrocodone as a Schedule II controlled substance passed in the US senate on May 24, 2012. If adopted as law, “patients...

Group of Eight (G8) leaders emphasized the importance of exchanging “information on rogue internet pharmacy sites in accordance with national law and shar[ing] best practices on combating counterfeit medical products” in order to protect public health and safety. Following their...

As part of the Know Your Dose campaign, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition has developed an interactive educational game to teach safe use of acetaminophen. The interactive game engages consumers, by inviting them to follow three characters – Ace, Etta, and...

Resolution No. 108-1-12 Title: Uniform Outpatient Pharmacy Prescription Container Labels Designed for Patient Safety Action: Pass Whereas, medication misuse has resulted in more than one million adverse drug events per year in the United States; and Whereas, patients’ best source...

Resolution No. 108-2-12 Title: Virtual Manufacturers and Wholesale Distributors Action: Pass Whereas, a primary responsibility of the boards of pharmacy is to protect the integrity of our nation’s drug supply; and Whereas, there has been a rapid increase in the...

Resolution No. 108-3-12 Title: Educating the Public about Pharmacist Care Services and the Pharmacists’ Role in Combating Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse Action: Pass Whereas, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs across the United States is of epidemic proportions...

Resolution No. 108-4-12 Title: Drug Shortages Action: Pass Whereas, supply shortages of critical, lifesaving prescription medications have increased significantly; and Whereas, supply shortages of critical, lifesaving prescription medications may increase the potential for counterfeit or adulterated drugs to enter drug...

Resolution No. 108-5-12 Title: Evaluation of International Pharmacy Educational Programs in Consideration of Mutual Recognition Action: Pass Whereas, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) membership includes international jurisdictions from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand; and Whereas, certain state boards...

Resolution No. 108-6-12 Title: Regulation of Pharmacy Benefit Managers Action: Pass Whereas, the activities of pharmacy benefit managers may not be specifically addressed in federal or state statutes and regulations; and Whereas, the absence of specific federal and state regulations...

Resolution No. 108-7-12 Title: Prescriber Dispensing or Prescriber Drug Outlets Action: Pass Whereas, state boards of pharmacy have long been, and continue to be, the sole agencies authorized by state legislatures to regulate the dispensing and distribution of drugs into...

Resolution No. 108-8-12 Title: Repackaging Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities Action: Pass Whereas, patients residing in long-term care facilities often possess prescriptions dispensed from traditional community pharmacies in containers such as capped vials; and Whereas, the United States Food and...

Resolution No. 108-9-12 Title: Drug Return and Reuse Programs Action: Pass Whereas, a number of state legislatures have enacted laws that allow for the return and reuse of previously dispensed prescriptions under certain conditions; and Whereas, many of these laws...

Resolution No. 108-10-12 Title: Practice of Pharmacy in Virtual Environments Across Jurisdictions Action: Pass Whereas, the growth of electronic data sharing, communication, and security has created the ability to practice pharmacy in virtual environments across jurisdictions and outside the walls...

Resolution No. 108-11-12 Title: Awareness of Public Health Hazards Related to the Use of Prescription Drugs in Non-Health Care Settings Action: Pass Whereas, there is a significant increase in the use of prescription drugs in non-health care settings including, but...

Resolution No. 108-12-12 Title: Recognition Resolution Whereas, the individuals listed here have made significant contributions to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), the protection of the public health, and the practice of pharmacy: Marilyn M. Barron (MA) Robert...

Since Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued the interim final rule for electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS), a “modest number” of EPCSs have been transmitted across the Surescripts network, reports the company, which is the operator of the largest e-prescription...

A new law in Kansas will allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense medications they believe might cause an abortion. The Health Care Rights of Conscience Act, signed into law by Governor Sam Brownback on May 14, 2012, “will bar anyone...

NABP, in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), is pleased to announce its commitment to comply with the Prescription Monitoring Information Exchange (PMIX) Architecture to facilitate interstate data sharing. Specifically, NABP will immediately begin to implement the "Hub-to-Hub"...

Incidents of counterfeit drug discoveries documented by pharmaceutical security experts more than doubled from 2005, when over 1,000 incidents were recorded, to 2010 when over 2,000 incidents were recorded. Experts Tim Mackey, MAS, Brian Liang, MD, JD, PhD, and Thomas...

Delegates to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) 108th Annual Meeting, held May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA, elected individuals to fill the president-elect, treasurer, and open member positions on the Association’s 2012-2013 Executive Committee. The newly elected...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) honored leaders in the protection of public health at the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, held May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA. Each year, the Association presents awards to individuals who have worked...

Delegates from the member boards of pharmacy adopted 12 resolutions during the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) 108th Annual Meeting, held May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA. The resolutions addressed the following: Supporting boards of pharmacy in their...

Michael A. Burleson, RPh, began his term as president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) during the Final Business Session of the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA. During his presidency, Mr Burleson...

Karen M. Ryle, MS, RPh, was elected to serve as the 2012-2013 president-elect of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) during the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to the election, Ms Ryle...

Joseph L. Adams, RPh, was elected to serve as the 2012-2013 treasurer of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) during the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to the election, Mr Adams served...

Jeanne D. Waggener, RPh, was elected to serve a three-year member term, representing District 6, on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) during the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA....

Mark D. Johnston, RPh, was elected to serve a three-year member term, representing District 7, on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) during the Association’s 108th Annual Meeting, May 19-22, 2012, in Philadelphia, PA....

Each year the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) Executive Committee selects an individual to serve as its honorary president for the coming year. NABP is pleased to announce that Keith W. Macdonald, RPh, has been awarded this honor...

Malcolm J. Broussard, RPh, immediate past president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®), assumed the office of chairperson of the Association’s 2012-2013 Executive Committee during the Final Business Session of the NABP 108th Annual Meeting, held May...

The 2011-2012 Committee on Constitution and Bylaws met via teleconference on April 10, 2012. 

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) has signed the Partnership for Safe Medicines’ (PSM) letter to United States senators to show its support of PSM’s stance that the Prescription Drug User Fee Act should not be amended to...

APhA Drawing Winners to Receive their Prizes The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) extends its thanks to the 1,750 attendees who came by its booth at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, March 9-12, 2012,...

Today the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (“NABP”) and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia entered into a settlement agreement that resolves a four-year dispute. The NABP develops and administers for its member Boards national...

A record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications were turned in for safe disposal at collection sites across the country, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. DEA coordinated with law...

A bill (HB 5389) legalizing the use of medical marijuana by certain patients in Connecticut under strict requirements passed in the Connecticut Legislature on May 4, 2012. Under the act, doctors will need to certify patients’ medical need for the...

Sterile compounding facilities are invited to participate in the 2012 USP <797> Compliance Study, a National Study of Sterile Compounding Practices, co-directed by sterile compounding experts, Eric Kastango, RPh, MBA, FASHP, and Kate Douglass, MS, RN, APN,C, CRNI. The study...

An estimated one in 30 to 40 teens began using prescription opioids non-medically at age 16, according to a new study. Researchers used data from the 2004 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to determine when...

An increase in the number of babies born addicted to opiates is likely impacted in part by the rise in abuse of prescription pain drugs, according to the authors of a recent medical study. Researchers concluded that the number of...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement reminding health care providers that medications labeled as “single dose” or “single use” are to be used for only one patient, and that this practice protects patients from life-threatening infections...

While drug “shortages remain a serious, complex problem,” Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made progress in reducing the number of drugs in shortage in the six months since President Obama issued an Executive Order to address the issue. “Early...

With a world of conditions and hundreds of medicines, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition asks pharmacists and other health care providers to educate patients and caregivers about the proper use of medications containing acetaminophen. As the most common drug ingredient in...

Use of e-prescribing rose in 2011, with 570 million prescriptions routed electronically in 2011 compared with 326 million in 2010, a 75% increase according to the latest National Progress Report on E-Prescribing and Interoperable Healthcare, published by Surescripts, operator of...

By Dale J. Atkinson, JD Originally Published in the May 2012 NABP Newsletter The common law and statutory immunity principles that protect the regulatory boards from liability are essential to the independent and objective operations and decision-making of the boards...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in Arizona and Kansas have gone live with the NABP PMP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element for early detection, intervention, and prevention of substance abuse...

Two Israeli citizens pleaded guilty to smuggling counterfeit and misbranded drugs into the United States. The products were sold via Internet Web sites and included counterfeit Cialis®. Benny Carmi and Moshe Dahan appeared before Federal District Court Judge Carol E....

Federal CSIII Classification for PSE May Hold High Potential to Reduce Meth Trafficking and Abuse, NASCSA White Paper Concludes Designating pseudoephedrine (PSE) as a Schedule III controlled substance (CS) at the federal level could have a high potential impact on...

FDA has issued a safety alert reminding patients, caregivers, and health care providers to appropriately store, use, and dispose of fentanyl patches to prevent children’s accidental exposure to the medication, which is potentially life-threatening. FDA recently evaluated a series of...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report to raise awareness about how rogue Internet drugs sites are preying on consumers’ fears about drug shortages. With the most critical shortages involving cancer, antibiotic, nutrition, and electrolyte-imbalance...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent letters to medical practices in several states requesting that they stop administering drugs purchased from any foreign or unlicensed source. FDA’s letters were sent in response to the discovery that the medical practices purchased...

The White House 2012 National Drug Control Strategy continues the administration’s focus on substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery, including the prevention of prescription drug abuse. As noted in the White House executive summary, the strategy includes continued efforts to...

To help fight the growing prescription drug abuse epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hosting the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, April 28, 2012. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, thousands of DEA-coordinated collection...

On April 22, 2012, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is launching its new test driver for the Pre-NAPLEX® and the Pre-FPGEE®. As of this date, the registration and administration of the two practice examinations will be hosted...

Electronic transmission of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) data is now live through the CPE Monitor™ service, NABP announced in a recent news release. Nearly 50 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited CPE providers have already transitioned their systems to transmit...

With the recent incidence of counterfeit cancer drugs in the United States supply chain, Margaret Hamburg, MD, commissioner of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a statement stressing the need for stronger laws to deter counterfeit drug activity and...

Stakeholders participating in the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit were encouraged by Dr Ileana Arias, principle deputy director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to focus on collaborative efforts to battle the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Dr Arias...

The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy adopted a definition of limited service pharmacy, which reads “A pharmacy to which the board may assign a restricted license to perform a narrow range of the activities that constitute the practice of pharmacy.” Currently,...

Beginning on March 12, 2012, Montana’s Prescription Drug Registry, operated by the Montana Board of Pharmacy, began accepting data from pharmacies. Effective April 12, 2012, pharmacies are required to report controlled substances dispensing on a weekly basis, and are also...

Beginning March 1, 2012, the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy ceased approving requests for continuing education (CE) courses that are not accredited by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP). The reasons for...

The New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy is encouraging licensed pharmacists to register to access the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program (NJPMP) and to use NJPMP data to help prevent prescription drug abuse. Since September 1, 2011, New Jersey-licensed pharmacies...

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed into law HB 1009, on February 22, 2012, that repeals the Poison Permit and the Non-Prescription Drug Permit from the South Dakota laws and rules. The adoption of the law followed a review by...

The South Dakota State Board of Pharmacy has implemented a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) designed to track the dispensing of controlled drugs. South Dakota is now one of 43 states using a PDMP in an effort to reduce the...

The following bills passed in Washington State’s 2012 legislative session and may be of interest to the practice of pharmacy. HB1486 – This bill was reintroduced from 2010. The bill permits Washington State pharmacists to dispense controlled substance prescriptions written...

Electronic transmission of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) data is now live through the CPE Monitor™ service. Nearly 50 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited CPE providers have already transitioned their systems to transmit data and are now requiring licensees to...

Another counterfeit version of a cancer drug has been found in United States medical practices, placing patients at risk, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns. The counterfeit version of Roche’s Altuzan® 400 mg/16 ml (bevacizumab), an injectable cancer medication, originated...

Distribution of pain medications oxycodone and hydrocodone has risen dramatically between 2000 and 2010, particularly in certain areas of the US, according to an Associated Press (AP) analysis of Drug Enforcement Administration data. The report indicates that distribution of hydrocodone...

Aimed to increase patient safety, a new law in New York State will require many pharmacies to provide patient counseling and drug information in a language spoken by the patient, if the patient has limited proficiency in English. The law...

A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 13 steps FDA and other organizations can take to strengthen the drug and medical product regulatory systems in developing nations. “More than 80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients and 40...

The Kentucky prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) program, has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NABP to participate in the NABP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of...

Abbott is warning consumers and health care providers about counterfeit Vicodin ES® purchased via the Internet. Abbott reports that the counterfeit product drug and package do not match that of Abbott’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Vicodin ES (hydrocodone bitartrate...

The North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy has taken action against three out-of-state pharmacies for illegally selling tramadol via Internet sites to North Dakota residents, as reported by The Jamestown Sun. The three pharmacies – located in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and...

Federal marshals seized more than 1,600 containers of products held by Notions-n-Things Distribution of Bogard, MO, that allegedly violate FDA approval and labeling requirements. Three products were seized from the distributor: “Chickweed Healing Salve, allegedly marketed as a skin cancer...

The Kentucky prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) program, has agreed to join the NABP PMP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element...

With a focus on the history of state-based medical, nursing, and pharmacy regulation in the United States, the first ever Tri-Regulator Symposium will be held October 17-18, 2012, in Washington, DC. Members from NABP, the Federation of State Medical Boards...

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) seeks feedback on recommended changes to the PTCB Certification Program through the C.R.E.S.T. Initiative Survey by March 31, 2012. PTCB indicates in a press release that “recommendations include the creation of specialty pharmacy technician...

Now available online, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day collection site locator allows consumers to search for a convenient location to dispose of unneeded medications, including prescription pain pills and other controlled substance medications, on Saturday,...

Three US Congressional committees are investigating schemes in which individuals obtain pharmacy licenses only to use them as a means for purchasing cancer drugs and other medications that are sold to gray market wholesalers, rather than dispensed to patients. “Documents...

Aimed to foster a better understanding and cooperation among all stakeholders in the prescription drug abuse arena, the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit will take place April 10-12, 2012, in Orlando, FL. Keynote speakers include national officials leading the fight...

The counterfeit vials of Avastin® purchased by 19 medical clinics in the US have been traced back to a seller located in Barbados, a CBS investigative report reveals. FDA issued a warning about the counterfeit Avastin, a drug used to treat...

Incidents of counterfeit drugs containing dangerous ingredients – such as mercury, rat poison, and paint thinner – and intercepted around the world are documented in a five-part series from the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM). As reported by PSM, Hazim...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is offering attendees the opportunity to earn up to nine contact hours (0.9 CEUs) of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit at its 108th Annual Meeting. The meeting...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is pleased to welcome Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as a speaker at its 108th Annual Meeting. Kerlikowske will discuss how the prescription drug abuse...

Originally published in the April 2012 NABP Newsletter By Dale J. Atkinson, JD When undertaking an administrative disciplinary action, the burden of proof necessary to substantiate a finding of guilt is essential to sustaining such board action. Boards of pharmacy...

As part of the 50th National Poison Prevention Week, the Poison Prevention Week Council encourages consumers to use medications safely, and the campaign includes the following tips for consumers:   Follow the directions on the label when you give or...

Originally published in the April 2012 NABP Newsletter In 2011, counterfeit pharmaceuticals made up the largest portion of seized items in the Consumer Safety and Technology category, at 28% when ranked by domestic value, as reported by United States Customs...

The Arkansas Prescription Drug Summit will take place on Thursday, April 26, 2012, providing a forum for discussion about prescription drug abuse and prevention efforts in the state. Those in the fields of pharmacy, law enforcement, addiction treatment, prevention, and...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in North Dakota and South Carolina have gone live with the NABP PMP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element for early detection, intervention, and prevention of...

The 50-year anniversary of National Poison Prevention Week will be observed March 18 through March 24, 2012, to create national awareness about the risk of injury or death due to poisoning, including information on avoiding medication mistakes, overdose, or accidental...

In an appeal filed by the Des Moines Register and Tribune Company, the Iowa Supreme Court concluded that under the state’s law, an internal audit report created by a pharmacist and voluntarily submitted to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy is...

Effective March 1, 2012, a North Carolina law requires recipients of certain CS prescription medications to present an acceptable government-issued photo identification to pharmacy staff prior to receiving the dispensed medication. The law applies to all Schedule II CS and...

A Los Angeles County doctor has been charged with second-degree murder for issuing prescriptions that led to the drug-overdose deaths of three patients in 2009. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng, who co-operated a medical office in Rowland Heights, CA, since 2005, is...

A congressional briefing on the continued impact of counterfeit drugs in the United States will be held Thursday, March 15, 2012. The panel will include discussion of the recent situation involving the distribution of a counterfeit version of cancer drug...

Many Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) providers are beginning to transition their systems to include CPE Monitor™. In doing so, these providers are requiring licensees to provide their NABP e-Profile ID, assigned when an NABP...

LegitScript Investigation Finds Registrar Facilitating Fake Pharmacies’ Unlawful Activities The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) has contacted the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) urging the organization to take action against Internet.bs, a Web site registrar...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided a new consumer video to help parents teach their children how to use medicines safely. The video features Benjamin Ortiz, MD, a pediatrician at FDA who gives tips on how and when to teach...

A House version of the Online Pharmacy Safety Act of 2011 (HB 4095) was introduced to the US House by Representative Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on February 28, 2012. The Hill reports that Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and John Cornyn (R-TX)...

The Partnership for Safe Medicines has released a guide to assist health care providers in protecting patients from counterfeit drugs and recognizing the signs that may indicate use of counterfeits. Three versions of the LEADER’s Guide – one for nurses,...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a proposed rule placing five synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The proposed rule was published in the March 1, 2012, Federal Register and extends the final order that...

The Center for Pharmacy Practice Accreditation (CPPA), a partnership between NABP and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), has been established to develop and implement comprehensive programs of pharmacy practice site accreditation. CPPA is responsible for developing, maintaining, and ensuring proper...

The Task Force on Pharmacy Practice Technology Systems met November 1-2, 2011, at NABP Headquarters. This task force was established in response to Resolution 107-1-11, Task Force on Pharmacy Practice Technology Systems, which was approved by the NABP membership at...

The Task Force on the Control and Accountability of Prescription Medications met October 26-27, 2011. This task force was established in response to Resolution 107-3-11, Control and Accountability of Prescription Medications, which was approved by the NABP membership at the...

Healthy People Co expanded a voluntary nationwide recall of dietary supplements sold under certain brand names for products bought on or before October 25, 2011, indicates a press release on the FDA Web site. Healthy People Co initiated a voluntary...

Representative Brian Bilbray (R-CA) introduced a bill to the US House that would prevent states from requiring inspections of drug or device manufacturers, packagers, or distributors that are duplicative to inspections required by FDA. The Science and Technology Regulatory Relief...

FDA will hold a public hearing on a new paradigm the agency is considering for approval of certain drugs that would otherwise require a prescription, as over-the-counter medications under conditions of safe use. FDA explains that these conditions of safe...

In response to the shortage of cancer drug Doxil® (doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection) and rapidly declining supplies of methotrexate, FDA has taken steps that will increase the available supply of these lifesaving medications to United States patients. For Doxil, there...

McNeil Consumer Healthcare has recalled seven lots of Infants’ Tylenol® Oral Suspension, 1 oz. Grape due to consumer complaints regarding difficulty in using the Infants’ Tylenol SimpleMeasureTM dosing system. McNeil explains that in some cases the protective cover, or “flow...

A Washington State regulation requiring pharmacists to dispense emergency contraceptives was declared to be unconstitutional by US district court Judge Ronald B. Leighton because it violates pharmacists’ right to conscientious objection. The ruling is part of Leighton’s decision in a...

In keeping with the Association’s mission to protect the public health, each of the NABP accreditation and approval programs include requirements to help ensure patients and beneficiaries receive quality care and products. In 2011, entities including durable medical equipment, prosthetics,...

The number of license transfer requests submitted though the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program® (e-LTP®) climbed modestly from 2010 to 2011, with a total of 14,221 requests in 2011. This number represents a 4.4% increase, or 607 requests more than...

A city of liberty and innovation, Philadelphia provides an ideal setting for this year’s National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) 108th Annual Meeting, “State Boards of Pharmacy and NABP – Empowering Liberty with Knowledge and Responsibility.” Held May 19-22,...

US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has launched a new Web site developed to offer faster, simpler access to the organization’s information about the quality of drugs, foods, and dietary supplements. The redesigned Web site provides updated and expanded content, as well...

Of 72 drugs identified in shortage by FDA as of September 2011, 68, or 94%, were offered for sale online, primarily by sites on the NABP Not Recommended list, according to a new study. To determine the potential for patient...

FDA is warning health care providers and patients about a counterfeit version of Avastin® 400 mg/16 mL, which may have been purchased and used by some medical practices in the United States. Avastin is an injectable medicine used to treat...

To acknowledge pharmacists’ and pharmacy technicians’ efforts to set up their NABP e-Profiles in preparation for CPE Monitor™, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) will once again offer attendees of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting and...

Association Issues Statement of Support for Online Pharmacy Safety Act of 2011 The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) has documented thousands of fake online pharmacies that endanger the lives of unsuspecting American consumers by distributing counterfeit, adulterated, and...

FDA is working with state officials in Pennsylvania as the agency considers whether a vending machine dispensing emergency contraception at Shippensburg University is in violation of federal regulations. The school’s student health center provides a medication vending machine that stocks...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued three draft guidance documents on biosimilar product development to assist industry in developing such products in the US, as reported in an FDA news release. Janet Woodcock, MD, director of FDA’s Center for...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) data illustrates a 97% decrease in oxycodone purchases by doctors in Florida from 2010 to 2011, following the implementation of new state laws in 2011. DEA notes that in 2010 Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders...

In an effort to assist pharmacy personnel in identifying and responding to potential diversion activity, DEA will be hosting regional one-day Pharmacy Diversion Awareness Conferences. The one-day regional conferences will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2012, and repeated on...

The DEA's Immediate Suspension Orders (ISO) issued at a Cardinal Health Distribution Center and two CVS pharmacies in Sanford, FL, were suspended through the granting of temporary restraining orders pending the outcomes of United States District Court and administrative hearings....

With prescription drug counterfeiters and illegal online drug sellers demonstrating their persistence throughout 2011, regulators and other stakeholders have stepped up efforts to fight Internet drug outlets as highlighted in the NABP Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program Progress Report for...

Pfizer Inc recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28® (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) tablets and 14 lots of norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets (generic) due to potential for inexact count and out-of-sequence tablets, as reported in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

Nearly 800 packs of Ciba Vision contact lenses from three lots were stolen in a cargo theft that occurred on or about January 9, 2012, when the shipment was en route to an Alcon distribution center in Georgia. Alcon is...

FDA advises consumers to check expiration dates on medications, and dispose of products that are beyond their expiration date. An online consumer special feature article advises that “expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to a change...

Originally  published in the February 2012 Missouri Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) is now issuing controlled substance registrations to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (mid-level practitioners). As of December 1, 2011,...

Originally published in the February 2012 Alabama State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. 680-X-2-.22 Code of Professional Conduct This rule was amended to include pharmacy/pharmacies. 680-X-2-.29. Score Transfer The sentence “The board of pharmacy shall recognize only those schools and colleges...

Originally published in the February 2012 NABP Newsletter An estimated 36 million Americans, or one in six people, have ordered prescription drugs from Internet Web sites without a prescription, according to a Partnership at Drugfree.org survey. Consistent with this finding,...

Originally published in the February 2012 NABP Newsletter With claims of offering users a means of altering consciousness without running afoul of the law, two relatively new classes of synthetic drugs are sweeping through the country. Despite its comparatively recent...

Originally published in the February 2012 NABP Newsletter NABP is partnering with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) to develop the voluntary community pharmacy accreditation program. The associations are working together to develop, test, and implement standards and the accreditation process,...

Originally published in the February 2012 NABP Newsletter. The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) presented NABP with the inaugural Guardian award, recognizing the Association’s efforts in raising awareness of and combating unlicensed online pharmacies. The award was presented at the...

It is projected that the majority of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) providers will have completed integration of CPE Monitor™ into their systems by December 2012. What does this mean for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians?...

Federal agents are investigating two Washington State community pharmacies for allegedly redispensing used medications collected from long-term care facilities. According to an MSNBC report, documents filed in a United States District Court indicate that drivers made routine collections of unused...

The Nevada State Board of Pharmacy approved an emergency order making “bath salt” chemicals Schedule I controlled substances. As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the emergency order makes it illegal to produce, sell, purchase, or consume products containing the...

A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announcement provides information regarding the scheduling of carisoprodol, effective as of January 11, 2012. The DEA Final Rule making the drug a Schedule IV controlled substance was published December 12, 2011, and states that effective...

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has published a Draft National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda and seeks public comment on the document. PCORI was established under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as an independent, non-profit...

Serving as a convenient reference source for individuals seeking an overview of the state laws and regulations that govern pharmacy practice, the updated 2012 Survey of Pharmacy Law is now available. The Survey, produced in a CD format, consists of...

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals made up the largest portion of seized items in the Consumer Safety and Technology category, at 28% when ranked by domestic value, as reported by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The report “Intellectual Property Rights:...

Pharmacist James P. Wooley of West Virginia faces federal charges related to his involvement in a pill mill scheme that was investigated in 2009. Wooley has been charged with conspiracy to illegally obtain controlled substances, according to West Virginia’s Herald-Dispatch....

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a notice (PDF), reminding health care providers that insulin pens are intended for use by a single patient, and should never be used on more than one patient. CDC indicates that the...

Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) provides FDA Drug Safety Podcasts to present emerging safety information about drugs in conjunction with the release of Public Health Advisories and other drug safety issues. Recent Drug...

By Dale J. Atkinson, JD The proliferation of technological advancements enables boards of pharmacy to provide the public with virtually immediate access to information about applicants and licensees, including persons subject to administrative discipline. This ease of availability of public...

The fourth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 10 AM to 2 PM, providing consumers in every state with a safe means for the disposal of unwanted, unused...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding health care providers to obtain and use only FDA-approved injectable cancer medications purchased directly from the manufacturer or from wholesale distributors licensed in the US. FDA explains that “current shortages of injectable cancer...

US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has published a proposed set of recommended best practices developed to help ensure that medicines can be traced back to their original manufacturer, are not adulterated or counterfeited, and are transported to their intended destination with...

Presenting an evidence-based discussion of the comprehensive patient care services that pharmacists currently provide, a new government report calls for expanded support for such pharmacist-delivered patient care models. The report, Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice...

A bill that would require the establishment of an online, real-time prescription monitoring program (PMP) in New York is being considered by the state’s legislature. The “Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing Act,” or “I-STOP” would require that the PMP system...

As a precautionary measure, Novartis Consumer Health, Inc (NCH) has initiated a voluntary recall of certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications manufactured at a Lincoln, NE, facility. This recall includes all lots of select bottle packaging configurations of the following medications: Excedrin®...

FDA approved Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine, for use in patients 50 years of age and older to prevent pneumonia and invasive disease caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae. Karen Midthun, MD, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics...

United States Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) have called for HHS to convene a task force to develop strategies for reducing unnecessary hospitalizations related to adverse drug events (ADEs). In a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius,...

FDA Advises to Check Certain Endo Pharmaceuticals Opioids to Ensure Correct Medication is Received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Endo Pharmaceuticals (Endo) are advising health care providers and patients to check certain prescription Endo opioid products to ensure that...

US Senator Charles E. Schumer has called for a three-pronged approach to protecting pharmacies from robberies, a growing problem linked to the rise in abuse of prescription pain medications. Schumer’s plan calls for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) “to provide...

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises consumers to ensure that infants administered liquid acetaminophen products are given the correct dose, as an additional concentration marketed for infants is now available. The new product is less concentrated (160 mg/5 ml) than...

Results of the latest annual Monitoring the Future Survey show some positive trends, with abuse of certain prescription drugs by younger teens dropping slightly, but also show cause for continued concern regarding teen abuse of particular prescription drugs as well...

FDA approved a single shared Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) products as announced in a news release on December 29, 2011. FDA explains that this new shared system will replace the individual REMS...

FDA has issued an alert notifying pharmacists and other health care providers of potential injury due to confusion between the FDA-approved eye medicine Durezol® (difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05% and the unapproved prescription topical wart remover DurasalTM (salicylic acid) 26%. FDA...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in Michigan and Connecticut have gone live with the NABP PMP InterConnectTM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element for early detection, intervention, and prevention of substance abuse...