New regulations let pharmicists prescribe drugs

After years of lobbying, pharmacists in Alberta have been granted the ability of prescribe medications. The press release by the Alberta College of Pharmacists is located >here.

Health Minister Iris Evans stated, "Expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists is an example of the innovation possible in the health system to enable competently trained health professionals to use all of their education
and expertise to benefit Albertans."

Individuals with chronic or recurring conditions will be the primary beneficiaries of the new authority, in particular the authority for pharmacists to prescribe. For example, when an individual with asthma runs out of their medication and is unable to see their physician, the pharmacist will be able to provide an inhaler for use until the patient's appointment with their doctor.

It sounds like positive news, but the next question is how will these changes be implemented? What kind of courses will be required? I would suspect that a separate type of "prescribing pharmacist" license will also be required. It sounds like the College will have a lot of details to announce over the next few months.

Here's a link to the Edmonton Journal article regarding the legal changes...New regulations let pharmicists prescribe drugs

Triaminic Vapour Patch warning

From Health Canada:
Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Triaminic Vapour Patch due to the serious adverse health effects that could result if the product is accidentally ingested by children.

Triaminic Vapour Patch contains camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol. The reported side-effects from swallowing products containing camphor or eucalyptus oils vary from minor symptoms such as burning sensation in the mouth, headache, nausea and vomiting to more severe and life-threatening reactions such as seizures. ...more

Pharmacy rebate program on hot seat

Update: apparently the $25 markup cap has been taken off the table. There is a comment in this article that suggests the government may move their position a bit.

Health Minister George Smitherman offered a reprieve to worried pharmacists by announcing plans to scrap a proposed $25 cap on markups put on special, expensive medications such as HIV drugs — a move that will save pharmacies $13 million.

And he hinted that the controversial rebate ban could use some further definition.

“This continues to be, frankly, a very, very murky area of the Ontario drug system,” he said prior to the start of the hearing.

But he stressed the province’s bottom line was to rein in soaring costs of the drug program, estimated to eat up 10 per cent of overall provincial health-care spending, and get the best possible pricing for medicine.

It looks like the pressure being put on the government is having an effect.

More in this Toronto Star article here

Pharmacy battles for life in Ontario

There is a lot of news regarding the new legislation in Ontario. This article in the London Free Press talks about the beginning of hearings that will give stakeholders such as pharmacists, drug companies, and patients a chance to give their opinions.

There is no word if pharmacy owners will be asked to the table. Their advocacy group, called the Coalition of Ontario Pharmacy has repeatedly asked for a voice. They have even sent a couple of letters to the minister responsible with no response.

Canadian online pharmacies rebound from sales slump caused by U.S. plan

From the Brandon Sun:
As President George W. Bush mounted a final push this week to sign seniors up for a new prescription drug benefit, Canadian online pharmacies said business is already rebounding from an early hit caused by the U.S. plan.

Americans who've enrolled since January are starting to realize there are a lot of gaps and shortfalls in the Medicare benefit, with some drugs not covered at all, industry experts said. ...more

Vioxx's risk high in first two weeks, study finds

From the Globe and Mail:
The blockbuster drug Vioxx was pulled from the market in the fall of 2004 after research showed that the painkiller doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke and that its use may have contributed to thousands of deaths in North America.

Now, a new Canadian study shows that the risk was even more dramatic because one in four of the heart attacks that occurred were within two weeks of the start of treatment. ...more

Druggists fear new bill's rebate ban

From the London Free Press:
Neighbourhood drugstores may have been handed a lethal prescription from the Ontario government, say those who work in the business.

The province is proposing a law that would prohibit pharmacies from receiving rebate payments from generic drug companies -- something that would hit independent pharmacies the hardest.

"It will have a huge influence on the very existence of pharmacies in Ontario," said Hesham Abdelsayed, president of Ontario Medical Group, which operates three pharmacies in London and one in the region. ...more

Smitherman tells drug companies to pipe down

From the Toronto Star:
Canada’s brand-name pharmaceutical companies should “tone down their rhetoric” and work with the Liberal government to help save Ontario’s taxpayers millions of dollars in drug costs, Health Minister George Smitherman said Friday.

Smitherman was reacting to Paul Lucas, the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, who warned Thursday that the province’s cost-saving plan will do to Ontario’s research-based drug companies what the Diefenbaker government’s cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet fighter did to the aerospace industry. ...more

Smitherman tells drug companies to pipe down

From the Toronto Star:
Canada’s brand-name pharmaceutical companies should “tone down their rhetoric” and work with the Liberal government to help save Ontario’s taxpayers millions of dollars in drug costs, Health Minister George Smitherman said Friday.

Smitherman was reacting to Paul Lucas, the CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, who warned Thursday that the province’s cost-saving plan will do to Ontario’s research-based drug companies what the Diefenbaker government’s cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet fighter did to the aerospace industry. ...more

Local pharmacist awarded millions in case against CVS

Here's an interesting article where an independent pharmacist wins a lawsuit against pharmacy giant CVS.

Jackson pharmacist Randy Guy was awarded $5.5 million in a suit against Rhode Island based drugstore chain, CVS for breach of contract and fraud. ...more

Memories fill pharmacist

From the Regina Leader Post:
After 37 years in business, Bob Moffitt has done more than dispense pills and sell household items to customers at his north-central Regina pharmacy.

He's shared valuable advice, watched children grow up, swapped family stories, built friendships, provided a helping hand and -- in one of the unpleasant moments -- faced a man with a sawed-off shotgun during a robbery. ...more

Back from extended break

I apologize for the lengthy delay in posting articles. My schedule should permit regular updates once again. -- J

Antibiotic may help ease asthma attack due to anti-inflammatory effect: study

From the Canadian Press:
Patients given a certain antibiotic for acute asthma attacks had reduced symptoms and a hastened recovery, providing a potential new avenue of treatment for the increasingly common affliction, researchers say.

In an intriguing study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report that patients treated with the antibiotic telithromycin not only had twice the improvement in symptoms than asthmatics given a placebo, but they also recovered much sooner. ...more

The pharmacist has your ecstasy ready

From the Toronto Star:
A Toronto weekend reveller pops into a local drugstore to pick up some ecstasy. He's followed by an addict who's there to buy a single-dose, non-reusable syringe for her fix.

Both transactions are administered by a pharmacist trained to offer advice on the safest way to use the substances.

Nearby, at a "natural herbal products" outlet, pot smokers are lined up for some grown-in-Ontario weed.

The sales are all legal, controlled, regulated and taxed — with profits divided among suppliers, distributors and sellers once a sizeable chunk of cash has been diverted to government coffers for enforcement, management and treatment of drug dependency, and for other social programs.

A far-fetched scenario? ...more

U.S. Medicare plan a blow to Cdn online pharmacies

From the National Post:
With just one month left for American patients to enrol in a new federal drug plan, Canada's online pharmacy industry is trying to assess just how big a hit they've taken -- and how soon they might recover.

While there have been some layoffs and losses since the U.S. program, called Medicare Part D, was rolled out in January, industry insiders say they hope to weather the storm because of the many gaps in the U.S. plan. ...more

Ontario drug-system overhaul targets cost

From the Globe and Mail:
A sweeping overhaul of Ontario's drug system would see pharmaceutical companies banned from paying secret rebates to pharmacists, patients getting faster access to breakthrough drugs and more brand-name products being replaced with cheaper generic versions.

The provincial government introduced legislation yesterday aimed at ensuring consumers have access to drugs at reasonable prices while curbing rising costs that it says threaten the province's entire public health-care system. ...more

Drug equals tamoxifen in preventing breast cancer, fewer side-effects: study

From the Canadian Press:
An osteoporosis drug has been found to reduce the incidence of invasive breast cancer in high-risk, post-menopausal women as effectively as the current gold-standard drug tamoxifen - but with far fewer serious side-effects, researchers say.

In a head-to-head study sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), both raloxifene and tamoxifen were found to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer by almost 50 per cent compared with a placebo. ...more

Ontario children with diabetes to get help with funding for insulin pumps

From the Canadian Press:
Ontario will become the first province in Canada to fund insulin pumps for children with diabetes as part of a $1.9-billion increase in health-care spending included in Thursday's provincial budget.

The pledge will provide some 6,500 children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes with the best possible chance to lead a normal lifestyle, said Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who called it the one item in the budget of which he's proudest. ...more

Dangerous drugs stolen from pharmacy

From the Brandon Sun:
Police fear a big dose of of dangerous drugs — including potentially deadly ‘hillbilly heroin’ — is on city streets following a brazen break-in at a Brandon pharmacy.

With surgical precision, thieves cut into a lock and defeated the Clinic Pharmacy’s alarm system during an overnight raid discovered Tuesday morning. ...more

School of Pharmacy starting to take shape

The University of Waterloo's new School of Pharmacy officially had its groundbreaking today. The new school will accept 120 students in the fall of 2007. ...more

Newer antidepressants linked to serious lung disorder in newborns

From Health Canada:
Health Canada is advising women who are taking antidepressants known as Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI) and who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant to discuss the situation with their doctor due to potential risks to the baby. ...more

Drug residue tainting water, report warns

From the Globe and Mail:
Residues from drugs and cosmetics are widespread contaminants in Canadian waterways, and should be subject to increased oversight by regulators because they represent a possible health hazard, says a report that is being released today.

The report, by the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, said tests of the past decade in the United States and Europe have found water to be laced with residues from cosmetics and 100 drugs, and while studies in Canada have not been as extensive, the situation is unlikely to be much different because of the high use of these products. ...more

Some patients will probably die if MS drug allowed: FDA official

From the Brandon Sun:
Dozens of multiple sclerosis patients asked federal health advisers Tuesday to let them decide whether to take Tysabri, a promising drug that was pulled from the market after it was linked to a rare, often-fatal brain infection.

‘‘I am at the end of my road, in terms of what I can take. I want it to be my choice,’’ said Barbara Crooks, 48, who travelled with her husband, David, from the Pittsburgh area to testify before a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee. ...more

State renews Canada drug pact

From the Badger Herald (Wisconsin):
As part of Wisconsin’s prescription drug program with Canada, Gov. Jim Doyle extended medication importation agreements with three Canadian pharmacies last Friday.

“Hopefully, drug prices will fall, but until then, the renewal of the agreement provides seniors with another option to obtain low-cost prescription drugs,” said Gail Sumi, director of the National Association of Retired Persons Associate State Advocacy. ...more

Seized Drugs Being Released

From the Los Angeles Times:
Amid mounting criticism of their crackdown on mail-order medications, customs officials have begun releasing hundreds of seized packages to consumers, Canadian pharmacies and U.S. lawmakers said Tuesday.

It was unclear whether the action signaled an end to the crackdown, which started in November when U.S. Customs and Border Protection quietly increased seizures of prescription drugs mailed from abroad.

After repeatedly denying that they had changed policies, customs officials this week acknowledged that the agency had stepped up enforcement of a federal law banning personal importation of pharmaceuticals. ...more

Nevada's Canadian drug import plan moves ahead

From the Las Vegas Sun:
A divided state panel moved ahead Wednesday with plans to let Nevadans get low-cost prescription drugs from Canada, voting 4-3 for new rules that will be up for final approval April 20.

The state Board of Pharmacy action at a workshop was taken despite an earlier warning from state Attorney General George Chanos that the import program could have dire legal consequences because it puts the state at odds with the federal Food and Drug Administration. ...more

Fewer seniors turning to Canada for prescriptions - Boston.com

From the Boston Globe:
Retired furniture store owner Don Brock quit buying prescription drugs from Canada this year, now that he's signed up for the new federal Medicare drug benefit.

The next time he needs a refill on Lipitor, his daily anti-cholesterol drug, Brock will go to a pharmacy near his home in Litchfield. The 74-year-old says he was saving about $300 annually buying Canadian; now, he figures he'll save about $500 buying through Medicare. ...more

Canada drug-pricing questioned

The latest report from the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute has suggested no less than the total dismantling of the price control system in place on Canadian pharmaceuticals, all in the name of protecting the drug supply from American cross-border shoppers. The Institute suggests that a "temporary" price increase would put internet pharmacies out of business then drug companies would happily go back to previous regulations.

Is it me, or is this simply crazy? In an era of rising health care costs, drugs are one of the fastest growing areas of spending. Canadian pricing controls keep these costs somewhat in check. Meanwhile, Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world. I'd like to see the Fraser Institute convince provincial health ministers that having to double their expenditures on drugs for a couple of years to ensure that Canada doesn't run out of supply. This is like saying we need to double the price of milk for a couple of years because we're worried about the milk supply running out. It's the weirdest economic theory I can think of.

And maybe it's just me, but I think if price controls are removed, the drug companies would be quite reluctant to go back to the old system. After a couple of years of increased profits, it would be hard to convince them to turn back the clock. This would be a dream scenario for drug companies, and a nightmare for provincial governments, medical insurance companies, and individual customers and it would all be in the name of stopping internet pharmacy.

The report fails to mention that the Bush administation along with the FDA are totally against imporation and would never allow the mass imporation that the Fraser folks say would clean out the Canadian supply. So the whole argument is a moot point as I see it.

More on the story in the Calgary Sun article below....

Canada must abandon regulated drug-pricing to stop Americans from draining brand-name prescription medicines through bulk buys from Internet pharmacies, says a report released Wednesday.

The Fraser Institute says such a move could see Canadians temporarily paying more for some drugs, but it would be worth it to prevent widespread shortages. There's no evidence to suggest brand-name drug makers would take advantage of "flexible pricing" and permanently boost the cost of drugs, said report author Brett Skinner. ...more

Province not paying for pricey cancer drug

Here's an interesting story of how procedure can get in the way of the treatment. It seems that an effective drug is not covered by Alberta's provincial coverage plan because it never got a NOC from Health Canada.

From the Edmonton Journal:
As Alberta prepares new legislation to become a leader in the war against cancer, some colon cancer patients are being forced to pick up big bills -- with tabs running as high as five figures -- for chemotherapy.

Alberta is one of three provinces that doesn't fund the drug oxaliplatin, considered an effective therapy for advanced colorectal cancer, because of a patent problem that never saw the drug go through a federal review process. ...more

Maybe it's just me, but can't they make exceptions for products that are approved Canadian drugs with documented therapeutic benefits? These exceptional items should be subject to some kind of appeal process.

Diabetics wanted for program to improve their quality of life

Perhaps someone out there can help this pharmacist with his program...

From the Hope (BC) Standard:
The Hope branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association and it’s president, pharmacist Mike McLoughlin, embarked last November on an ambitious project to improve the quality of life of diabetics. They are continuing to enroll patients.

The project was inspired by research done at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, which showed that “intensive” involvement of pharmacists with their patients showed substantial improvement over “typical” attention from pharmacists. Further inspiration came from the Steno Diabetes Center in Denmark. The average improvement from the extra treatment resulted in an average improvement of a 20-53% decrease in cardiovascular risk. ...more

Health Canada Endorsed Important Safety Information on Octreotide Acetate Omega

From Health Canada:
Omega Laboratories, Ltd has initiated a Class I recall of Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 μg/mL. Some vials of Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 μg/mL Lot 5J970 might contain FLUPHENAZINE 100 mg/mL as a result of a labelling error during the manufacturing process.

Fluphenazine is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and hostility. Fluphenazine is intended to be administered intramuscularly or subcutaneoulsy and should not be administered intravenously as is intended for Octreotide Acetate. ...more

Health Canada Endorsed Important Safety Information on Octreotide Acetate Omega

From Health Canada:
Omega Laboratories, Ltd has initiated a Class I recall of Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 μg/mL. Some vials of Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 μg/mL Lot 5J970 might contain FLUPHENAZINE 100 mg/mL as a result of a labelling error during the manufacturing process.

Fluphenazine is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and hostility. Fluphenazine is intended to be administered intramuscularly or subcutaneoulsy and should not be administered intravenously as is intended for Octreotide Acetate. ...more

Important Safety Information on BD Logic, BD Latitude and The Link Blood Glucose Monitors

From Health Canada:
...more

Sobeys unhappy with new guidelines

From the Halifax Chronicle Herald:
A major grocery store chain isn’t happy with the province’s move Monday to limit the amount of space pharmacies can use to sell food as part of new regulations on Sunday shopping.

Justice Minister Michael Baker announced that drugstores can’t dedicate more than 2,000 square feet of their retail space for food, nor can they have a retail sales area larger than 20,000 square feet.

But a spokesman for Sobeys says the new regulations don’t go far enough. ...more

Taking cold medicine off shelves a commercial move, grocers say

From the London Free Press:
Canada's independent grocers say a national pharmacy body's move to ban cold and allergy medicine from grocery shelves is meant to remove a competitor, not prevent the production of the street drug methamphetamine.

"We believe this decision's being made by a pharmacy body to benefit pharmacies," said Gary Sands, vice president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.

The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, or NAPRA, has recommended almost all cough, cold and allergy medicines be removed from grocery store shelves to fight the production of the illegal drug. ...more

While I am not convinced that removing all pseudoephredrine-containing products from public access areas really makes a big difference in curbing the meth problem, I find it rather unlikely that NAPRA is using this as a cover to squeeze grocery stores out of the picture.

House OKs bill urging importation of medicine

From the Louisville (KY) Courier Journal:
Eleanor Johnson, 79, says she would like to have the chance to buy cheaper medications imported from other countries.

The Kentucky House passed a bill yesterday that could pave the way for that to happen.

House Bill 163, which would require the governor and state health officials to ask the federal government to allow the importation of drugs "from licensed foreign pharmacies, distributors and wholesalers by licensed pharmacies, distributors, and wholesalers," was approved 58 to 35 after a lively 45-minute debate. ...more

Made-to-order medications: Thinking outside the bottle

From the Canadian Jewish News:
Pharmacist Murray Shore is enthusiastic about compounding medications – a growing and sometimes controversial field that creates custom-made drugs to meet individuals’ needs.

For Shore, who owns the Toronto Compounding Shoppe, compounding is a creative endeavour. He works with physicians to solve medication problems – distasteful flavours, ingredient allergies, infants’ tiny doses, nausea drugs that can’t be taken orally – with custom formulations created for individual patients.

“Many pharmacists don’t think out of the box,” Shore says. Compounding calls for “peripheral thinking,” using known drugs precisely to solve unique problems. ...more

CanWest challenging restrictions on drug ads

From the Globe and Mail:
CanWest Global Communications Corp. has launched a court challenge against federal restrictions on drug company advertising in Canada, saying the rules violate its charter rights.

In an application filed in the Ontario Superior Court, CanWest says it wants the laws governing drug advertisements overturned because they threaten freedom of expression in Canada and are unjustifiable "in a free and democratic society."

The court action, launched by the company's MediaWorks division, comes amid a lobbying effort by Canada's broadcasting, newspaper and magazine industries, which have been trying for several years to have the rules changed. ...more

Currently, drugs are advertised mentioning their name only, and don't get into its uses or potential risks. It has caused ad execs to become a bit more creative than in the U.S., but the ads leave a lot open to (mis)interpretation.

My personal pet peeve are the commercials for birth control pills that seem to be advertising attitude more than anything else. Maybe it's time to revisit and update these rules.

Online drug crackdown

Here are a couple more articles talking about the woes of the internet pharmacy biz:

From the Winnipeg Sun:
A recent initiative by U.S. Customs to step up seizures of cheaper Canadian prescription drugs is making for uneasy times on both sides of the border.

Neither the $1-billion online drug industry nor the millions of U.S. patients who depend on the timely delivery of their medications say they can afford any kind of sustained U.S. government crackdown.

The lobby group representing most of the biggest players in the Internet pharmacy industry said yesterday that it first started noticing an increase in calls from panicky patients last December. ...more

From the Brandon Sun:
A double whammy has hit Manitoba’s estimated $1-billion Internet pharmacy business, with thousands of American online buyers forsaking Canadian drugs to purchase their medicine south of the border.

Following increased Medicare prescription drug coverage for some American seniors as well as more cross-border crackdowns by U.S. border officials on drug shipments, the president of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association said business for Canadian companies has crashed an estimated 10 to 30 per cent since December. ..more

Minnesota prescription drug program falling far short of goal

From Minnesota Public Radio:
Minnesotans are importing fewer prescription drugs from Canada because of the new Medicare benefit that offers cheaper drugs. Both the state and the senior advocacy group the Minnesota Senior Federation give Minnesotans the chance to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies at lower prices than in the United States. The two groups say the new Medicare drug benefit is mostly responsible for the dropoff, but the U.S. Customs Service also seized more drugs. ...more

FDA: Discount Drugs Aren't Always From Canada

From WCCO-TV (Minn.):
A recent inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found some of the drugs Minnesotans order from Canada may not be from the country at all.

Each month, thousands of people save money buying prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. The state government even sponsors a Web site to help people save money on medicine by ordering it from Canada.

Buying prescription drugs from abroad is illegal. For years, federal officials allowed people such as Wallace Greenfield to import medication for his own use. ...more

Prescription for trouble

From the Toronto Star:
A 31-year-old Toronto woman visited 17 different doctors in the span of a year and was prescribed 13,959 narcotic pills dispensed to her at nine different pharmacies throughout Ontario.

She might never have been caught had the "scrips" not been fraudulently billed to the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, police allege. She's in court next week facing 223 counts of double doctoring, contrary to the Controlled Drug and Substances Act, and Criminal Code charges of fraud and uttering a forged document. ...more

Increased seizures by U.S. Customs

The Los Angeles Times and other news sources have reported an increase in seizures of packages from Canadian pharmacies.

The U.S. government apparently is stepping up seizures of cheap drugs ordered by Americans — mainly seniors — from abroad, Canadian pharmacies say.

The pharmacies, which sell drugs by mail and over the Internet, say their shipments are being intercepted by U.S. Customs officials around the country where foreign mail is handled.

"It's huge — we've had over 800 seizures in January," up from 15 in a typical month, said Barney Britton, president of Calgary-based MinitDrugs.

Other pharmacies reported four- to five-fold increases. An informal survey of 30 Canadian pharmacies that cater to American customers, conducted by a senior-citizen advocacy website, showed that the rise began in November, doubled in December and doubled again in January....more

U.S. Customs has always stopped a small percentage of packages but this is different than before. Some people think there is no coincidence that this crackdown is occuring at the same time as new Medicare program is being implemented in the States.

From the Palm Beach Post:
"It's a disgrace that our government is trying to coerce us into the program," said Muriel Zuckerman of Florida ...more

I'm inclined to agree that this is no coincidence. The Canadian pharmacies have lost business due to increased drug costs, the less favorable exchange rate, and the new Medicare program. This could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for some of the pharmacies. Plus, increased seizures will make American consumers think twice about ordering from Canada if for no other reason than convienience. Sounds like a good stategy for an American administration that wants the Canadian pharmacies to go away.

Health Canada going after medical pot users for almost $170,000 in bad debts

From the Canadian Press:
Like any dope dealer, Health Canada has its share of marijuana customers who just don't pay their bills.

But unlike street pushers, the department avoids tire irons and switchblades to recover its bad debts in favour of stern letters and collection agencies.

As of last month, 127 people authorized to buy government-certified marijuana for various medical problems were officially in arrears, with bills unpaid for more than 90 days. ...more

Does anyone know the method that the pot is distributed to these patients? It seems to me that it would be a lot easier for the patients if it was dispensed through designated pharmacies.

Online pharmacists hope to make fresh start with new Tory government

From the Canadian Press:
After spending more than a year in fear of a Liberal crackdown on their industry, online pharmacists are welcoming the incoming federal Conservative government as a chance to make a fresh start.

But there is also caution that the party that has supported the cross-border trade from the Opposition benches may now be swayed by brand-name drug makers and other opponents who see it as a threat to the Canadian drug supply. ...more

I think the new Tory government is going to have a lot of other things on their plate before they deal with internet pharmacy. It seems clear that Harper has his priority items that he will deal with first. The only thing that may bring the issue to the table would be if an opposition party wants something done in exchange for support on another bill. While I think the opposition parties are generally against internet pharmacy, I don't see them making it a top priority either.

Flu drug shortage has wide-ranging impact

From the Globe and Mail:
Doctors, nurses and other emergency workers are unlikely to receive preventive doses of a drug that is predicted to be the best defence against infection during an influenza pandemic because the existing stock will be needed to treat the seriously ill.

This is the reality, officials say, despite the fact that Canada's pandemic influenza plan states that antiviral drugs, in particularly oseltamivir (marketed as Tamiflu), could be used as a "prophylactic" to prevent or reduce the severity of the disease among people essential to keeping society functioning. These include firefighters, police, elected officials, funeral directors, utility workers and even truck drivers who transport food and medicine. ...more

Plan B in Manitoba

Here are a couple of articles from the Winnipeg Sun regarding Plan B being sold without a prescription in Manitoba. The first one talks about the reluctance of some pharmacists to dispense the product. There is mention that some pharmacists are not properly trained to dispense the product...more. The article suggests this might be a convienient excuse for pharmacists to not dispense the product.

The next article talks about a Manitoba obudsman's report. The report questions the information gathering protocols prior to dispensing Plan B...more

Wealthy Alberta lags in access to cancer drugs

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
Despite the province's prosperity, cancer patients in Alberta have only "modest access" to new cancer drugs compared to people in other parts of Canada, according to a study by a national cancer watchdog group.

The Cancer Advocacy Coalition also says provincial differences in access to life-enhancing drugs could be contrary to the spirit of the Canada Health Act, and calls for a national strategy to improve access for cancer patients across Canada. ...more

Morning-after pill may head over the counter

From the Georgia Strait (BC):
Thirty years ago, Caryn Duncan remembers, you couldn’t buy condoms without first talking to a pharmacist. Ditto yeast-infection cream. That was ridiculous, she said. Now, just as outrageous, Duncan added, the morning-after pill is still stuck behind the counter, with a prying pharmacist sometimes blocking access to the drug.

“Women are smart enough to figure out when and how to take it,” the Vancouver Women’s Health Collective member told the Georgia Straight. “Why can’t we just walk into a store and buy it?” ...more

Combining antipsychotic drugs has no benefit for severe schizophrenia: study

From Canada.com:
Prescribing more than one antipsychotic drug in an effort to help hard-to-treat schizophrenia appears to have no benefit and should be dropped from psychiatric practice, a Canadian-led international study concludes.

Up to one-third of schizophrenics continue to have disturbing symptoms such as auditory hallucinations even when receiving treatment, said Dr. William Honer of the University of British Columbia's department of psychiatry. The treatment of choice for such patients is usually the drug clozapine. ...more

Most ignore drug labels

From the London Free Press:
Every container of over-the-counter pain relief comes with warnings and instructions, but 60 per cent of Canadians never take the time to read them, a new survey suggests.

The Ipsos Reid survey, released yesterday, suggests as many as 10 million Canadians are at risk for serious side effects because they ignore the labels when taking aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, misuse the medication or combine it with other drugs. ...more

Victims fight government, too

From the Ottawa Sun:
Doug Emerson says his father would be alive today if the cancer drugs available in other provinces were approved for use in Ontario.

His beliefs are backed by a new study by the Cancer Advocacy Group of Canada which says cancer patients in western Canada are more likely to survive than patients in the east because not as many drugs are approved for use in provinces like Ontario.

In B.C., 21 cancer drugs have been approved compared to only six in Ontario, said the study which was released yesterday. ...more

Can someone remind me why they call Canada's health system "universal health care" with equal access?

Health Canada warns consumers of recall of Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 �g/mL due to possible mislabelling

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use the prescription drug Octreotide Acetate Omega 500 µg/mL from lot number 5J970 as some vials from this lot may mistakenly contain the antipsychotic drug fluphenazine. ...more

Some refuse to sell morning-after pill

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
Some Manitoba pharmacists are refusing to sell emergency contraceptives, arguing it's an abortion in a pill.

Pharmacists across Canada have the right to refuse as a "matter of conscience," as long as they refer customers to health-care workers who do offer Plan B. ..more

Canadian online pharmacy sells Tamiflu with no Rx

From CTV News:
A Canadian online pharmacy is offering the influenza flu fighter Tamiflu without a prescription.

Health Canada says it has sent a letter to Canada Drug Delivery which can be found online at www.drugdelivery.ca.

A banner on its home page warns Canadians that stocks of Tamiflu are running out. It says this drug is recommended to protect people against Avian flu. ...more

Note: if you look up Tamiflu on this website, it's not being sold without a prescription from a Canadian pharmacy. It currently has a South African pharmacy as the sole buying option.

Tamiflu at drugdelivery.ca

Shunning Medicare, some seniors still turn to Canada for drugs

From the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal:
Some Ohio seniors are still getting medicine from Canada instead of signing up for the U.S. government's new prescription drug program.

Tens of thousands of elderly participants nationwide, most of them low-income, have been unable to get medicines since the government drug benefit went into effect Jan. 1. Either their registrations were lost, or they were told they had to pay much more than the plans promised.

Others simply haven't signed up, confused by the varying benefits and payments with the dozens of private plans that operate the benefit that's supposed to help about 42 million older and disabled people. ...more

Maybe there is still some hope for the international pharmacy business. It should be interesting to see if the frustration level with the Medicare system continues to build. Also, after half a year it will be more clear as far as which method saves more money.

U of A’s DrugBank gives doctors an information high

From the (University of Alberta) Gateway:
While encyclopedias are left gathering dust on bookshelves, U of A researchers have taken advantage of the Internet’s accessibility by developing an online DrugBank, an extensive catalogue of information covering about 95 per cent of all known drugs.

Dr David Wishart, a University researcher and professor in Computing Science and Biological Sciences, in conjunction with seven other PhD level scientists, biotechnicians and computer scientists, has erected a website that lists both drugs and their corresponding destinations in the human body.

“What distinguishes the DrugBank from other lists of drugs is it includes both drugs and drug targets, or more specifically, what drugs themselves work on,” Wishart explained. “Most doctors, scientists and pharmacists don’t know those specific targets, and so this is something new, something different.” ...more

It's not mentioned in the article for some reason, so here is the URL for DrugBank:
http://redpoll.pharmacy.ualberta.ca/drugbank

Pharmacists' home visits help patients with meds

From the Vancouver Sun:
Throughout the Fraser Health region, pharmacists are visiting recently discharged hospital patients in their homes, where the health professionals are given permission to peek into medicine cabinets and kitchen cupboards to ensure the patients don't wind up back in hospital because of some medication error.

The innovative program is the only one of its kind in Canada and early results, based on a pilot project in White Rock, indicate that for members of the target group who get the home visits -- seniors prescribed more than six medications -- there are fewer hospital re-admissions and shorter hospital stays when there is a readmission. The University of B.C.-sponsored pilot project also showed that seniors made fewer trips to the emergency department after a pharmacist paid them a home visit. ...more

I think this is an excellent example of how pharmacists can improve patients' health, work in a challenging clinical environment, and save the system money. Hopefully the results of this program will spawn further developments.

Canada Services Ordered To Close

Another American front shop operation for a Canadian pharmacy bites the dust...

Canada Services, the business that helped seniors get cheaper prescriptions from Canada, is being shut down. In court papers filed Monday, Circuit Court Judge William Srstka ruled that the company's work with MediMart, a Canadian pharmacy, is illegal. As such, Brent Christopherson, Canada Services' owner, has been operating a pharmacy without registering or obtaining a permit from the state board of pharmacy. ...more

Headache sufferer finally gets a shot of relief

From the Toronto Star:
There wasn't much left of the real Heidi Hobday after her migraine headaches had taken their toll.

"I had to go to work, no matter how bad the pain," says the 42-year-old executive assistant. "You have to — you medicate and then you go. But it affected every aspect of my life."

Hobday found she couldn't make any plans ahead of time — not even seeing a movie with a friend — because she never knew when a headache would hit. ...more

Interesting...is there anything Botox can't do?

Nevada draws line in Canada drug fight

From the San Diego Union Tribune:
Nevada's law allowing citizens to import prescription drugs from Canada ratchets up the battle that pits states against the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry.

The Nevada law "is going to be the pharmaceutical industry's Alamo," said David MacKay, former executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. "No other state has passed legislation like this."

The state Pharmacy Board gave approval Thursday to carry out the law, defying the advice of Attorney General George Chanos, who said he favors allowing the imports but warned that the Nevada law is unworkable. ...more

No evidence cough syrups work, expert panel says

From Reuters Health:
Over-the-counter cough medicines do little good and may harm children, U.S. experts said in new guidelines released on Monday.

Adults are better off using older nonprescription antihistamines and decongestants to stop the flow of mucus that causes the cough, the American College of Chest Physicians said in its guidelines.

"Cough is the number one reason why patients seek medical attention," Dr. Richard Irwin of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who chaired the guidelines panel, said in a statement.

"There is no clinical evidence that over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants actually relieve cough," Irwin added. ...more

Coroner calls for better drug paper trail

The province's chief coroner issued six pointed recommendations yesterday after reviewing the investigation into the deaths of 11 customers of Hamilton's King West Pharmacy.

Dr. Barry McLellan called for a review of resources dedicated to catching counterfeit drugs in Canada, noting staffing may have to change in order to minimize the risk of fakes getting into the drug distribution system.

McLellan also called for a detailed paper trail to better trace starting from when prescription drugs are made to their sale in drugstores, and for regulations that govern where pharmacists can buy drugs to be "reviewed and if necessary restricted." ...more

The press release detailing all of the recommendationas can be found here.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was real black eye for pharmacists across the country. However, I'm not exactly sure how the recommendations specficially help. There are a lot of rules already in place governing chain of supply that this guy did not follow.

The recommendation that would be a big change is the last one, which would give the college the power to close a health professional's practice down without having to go to court.

Viagra packages to include anti-counterfeit tags

Pfizer Inc., in a move to thwart counterfeit Viagra, on Friday said it has included special radio frequency identification tags on all packages of its anti-impotence pill to verify they are the authentic Pfizer product.

The world's biggest drugmaker said the new technology, which is difficult and costly to duplicate, would create barriers "for criminals who might attempt to counterfeit our products." ...more

Does anyone know if this is going to be added to Canadian product in the near future?

Governor Advocates Canadian Drug Imports

It sounds like Arnold has reconsidered his position on importing Canadian medications. He's written a letter to some Congressman but it doesn't appear like he will do much beyond that.


California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is urging the federal government to amend current laws restricting the importation by Americans of affordable prescription drugs from Canada and other countries.

In a letter to four ranking US Congressional leaders - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - the governor acknowledged that his own efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs have been ''insufficient.''...more

New drug may slow the effects of Alzheimer's

If you're working in community pharmacy, you may get some questions about this during the week.

A study has found that a new drug has the potential to slow down and even modify the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

It's the first time a drug has been found to have the potential to actually slow down, not just treat the symptoms of the disease which affects more than 360,000 Canadians.

Alzheimer's impairs memory and basic abilities, and leads to irreversible brain cell loss.

The new drug, Flurizan, is not on the general market yet, but was studied in patients who are experiencing mild to moderate stages of the disease...more

Pharmacists clamp down on meth ingredients

Manitobans will have to depend on the good will and good judgment of pharmacists to help stop the illegal use of pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in the highly addictive street drug crystal meth.

The Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association yesterday unanimously ratified amendments to provincial Pharmaceutical Act regulations.

Pseudoephedrine will be reclassified as a Schedule 2 substance, which limits its sale to a maximum of 3,600 milligrams at the time of purchase — or two containers, depending upon the size...more

This change in scheduling is now in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba that I know of, but I believe the rules are a bit different in each province.

Druggists overwhelmed / New Medicare drug plan 'glitches' leave pharmacists struggling to fill orders

Is anyone really suprised about this?

Pharmacists say they have been unable to fill prescriptions or have given out drugs without knowing if they will be paid since Medicare's new prescription drug benefit began Jan. 1.

Some customers lacked cards or notification from insurers about their coverage. Computer problems verifying a patient's eligibility, busy help lines and mismatched identification numbers also have hampered the ability of pharmacists to fill orders...more

I'm sure that the new multitude of plans must be driving American pharmacists up the wall. Will the patients get frustrated and go back to Canadian internet pharmacies? If things don't improve, I suspect some will try Canada again.

Sonora business is online drugs link

Here's the link to another story about a Canadian internet pharmacy storefront operation, this time in northern California. It's going to be interesting to see how many of these operations are affected by the new Medicare plan.

New year, new ideas

I hope everyone had a good holiday season and I wish everyone the best in the new year. With the new calender, there will be a few changes coming on this blog. I'm switching the focus from news links only to a more traditional mix of news links and commentary. It's going to take a bit of time to feel out what seems right for me, but look for some changes over the next weeks, including a change in appearance for Canada Pharmacy News. One difference will be the ability to make comments, which should be enabled very soon.

Once again, I wish you all the best in the new year...

Alberta restricts cold remedies

From the Globe and Mail:
Alberta will follow the lead of the other Prairie provinces by limiting access to cold remedies that are used to make crystal meth.

Alberta will require that cough and cold remedies that contain only the chemical pseudoephedrine must be sold in pharmacies and be stored behind the counter. ...more

Health Canada prohibits sale of Bextra in Canada

From Health Canada:
Following a review of safety information, Health Canada is informing the public that Bextra, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat arthritis and pain, will not return to the market.

The manufacturer voluntarily suspended sales of Bextra in April 2005 due to safety concerns related to rare but serious skin reactions and cardiovascular problems. Health Canada issued a stop-sale order which ensured that Bextra (the brand name for valdecoxib) would not return to the market without further consultation with Health Canada. ...more,/a>

Important Safety Information on the discontinuation of Climacteron Injection

From Health Canada:
Sandoz Canada wishes to inform you that CLIMACTERON® Injection has been discontinued as of October 22, 2005. ...more

TheStar.com - Pfizer sued again over Depo-Provera

From the Toronto Star:
A $700 million class action lawsuit against Pfizer Inc. alleges young women who took the birth control medication Depo-Provera have developed osteoporosis.

The motion for a class action lawsuit, filed yesterday in Toronto, also alleges that long-term users have been diagnosed with other bone mass density problems, including long recovery from fractures, brittle teeth, and hip, spine and jawbone problems. ...more

Health officials won't revive arthritis drug

From the Toronto Star:
Bextra, an anti-inflammatory drug for arthritis sufferers, will not be allowed back on the Canadian market.

Based on recommendations from an expert safety panel, Health Canada said yesterday the cardiovascular risks of the drug, including heart attack and stroke, outweighed its benefits. ...more

Manitoba Internet Pharmacies

From the Brandon Sun:
Origins: Started in late 1999 when a young Manitoba pharmacy graduate began selling Nicorette gum, a stop-smoking aid, over Ebay at the same time another Manitoba pharmacist started selling small quantities of insulin supplies to North Dakota. ...more

'Canadian' drugs come from other nations: FDA

From CTV News:
An investigation conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found a significant percentage of drugs touted as Canadian and shipped from Internet pharmacy websites claiming to be Canadian were not actually from Canada, the agency announced Friday.

The FDA said nearly one-half of the imported drugs intercepted from four selected countries were shipped to fill orders consumers believed had been placed with Canadian pharmacies.

Of the drugs that were promoted as Canadian, 85 per cent actually came from 27 countries around the globe and a number were counterfeit, the agency said. ...more

Health Canada won't allow Bextra back on shelves

From CTV News:
The painkiller Bextra will not be allowed back on the Canadian market, Health Canada announced Friday.

In barring the return of the drug, Health Canada is following the advice of an expert panel, which after reviewing evidence and holding public hearings, concluded Bextra should not be sold in this country.

Bextra is a member of a class of drugs known as cox-2 inhibitors. Better known cox-2s are Celebrex, which is still sold, and Vioxx, which was pulled from worldwide markets in late September 2004. ...more

Legal protection for euthanasia pharmacists

From Expatica:
Belgian pharmacists are now allowed to supply doctors with a fatal dose of medicine with which euthanasia can be carried out.

More than three years after Belgium legalised euthanasia, the new regulation relating to pharmacists has been published in the government newspaper 'Staatsblad'. Publication makes the new law legal.

Up until now, pharmacists faced the risk of being prosecuted for being an accomplice to a criminal act, medical weekly 'De Huisarts' reported. ...more
(Editor's Note: Not a Canadian pharmacy story, but interesting when it comes to ethical pharmacy practice in other parts of the world.)

Changes will hurt ’Net pharmacies

From the Brandon Sun:
Any breathing room the fall of the federal government afforded Canada’s Internet pharmacy industry could slowly evaporate in early 2006 because of a new U.S. drug benefit that will compete for many of the same patients.

Observers on both sides of the border don’t believe the plan will be the death knell for the $1-billion-a-year cross-border drug industry.

But on the heels of a year when the strong Canadian dollar thinned profit margins and federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh weighed measures that would effectively drive the industry out of Canada, it’s not exactly how mail-order druggists want to ring in 2006. ...more

Pharmacare program visions, methods vary differ

From the London Free Press:
...more

Furor erupts at medical journal

From the Globe and Mail:
The Canadian Medical Association Journal said yesterday that its owner, the Canadian Medical Association, transgressed the journal's editorial independence by demanding changes to a news report questioning the way pharmacists were handling sales of Plan B, the morning-after birth-control pill.

In an editorial slated for the Jan. 3 issue but released on-line yesterday, journal editor John Hoey announced he had struck a blue-ribbon panel to draw a clear line for the CMA on the issue of editorial autonomy. ...more

Vioxx lawsuit ends in mistrial

From the Fort Frances (Ont.) Times:
A judge declared a mistrial today in the first U.S. federal lawsuit over the once-popular painkiller Vioxx.

Merck & Co. emerged from its third Vioxx trial today with a hung jury when the panel failed, in about 18 hours of deliberations over three days, to side with the drug-maker or the widow of a 53-year-old Florida man who died after taking Vioxx for about a month.

The jury resumed what was to be its fourth day of deliberations today but within about 20 minutes, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon called the jurors in and reminded them they had agreed to reach a verdict in a “reasonable time.” ...more

The art of the drug `detailer'

From the Toronto Star:
No gifts. No golf. No galas. No sports tickets, no special promotions and — to punish for one of the worst sins — no spouses at drug company-sponsored events.

As the Canadian pharmaceutical industry clamps down on its own lavish spending and aggressive marketing tactics aimed at the nation's 60,000 doctors, the focus has turned to the well-honed skills and performance of the drug sales rep.

It's no longer about gifts, but gift of the gab. The pitch is not about hard sell, but hard information. It's about looking good, talking straight, getting in and getting out. ...more

Pharmacies working to help prevent meth production

From the Tillsonburg (Ont.) News:
Pharmacies in Tillsonburg are doing their part to curb the production of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is a potentially-deadly drug that can cause respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat and can lead to anorexia.

The National Drug Scheduling Advisory Committee recently recommended certain cold medications be rescheduled in pharmacies. ...more

Shoppers likely to come out on top in drugstore boom, analyst says

From the Globe and Mail:
North America's drugstore business should enjoy lots of robust good health, according to Bay Street.

The population is getting older and more frail, which should mean lots of demand for medication and health products. Meanwhile, gorgeous emporiums of beauty and makeup products are replacing traditional medicinal-smelling pharmacies. ...more

Important Safety Information on the Association of Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) with severe mucocutaneous reactions

From Health Canada:
Berlex Canada Inc., in collaboration with Health Canada, is informing healthcare professionals of new safety information regarding ZEVALIN. ZEVALIN, as part of the ZEVALIN treatment regimen, is a medication used for the treatment of patients with some types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that have received and are not responding to other treatments, including patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that is not responsive to rituximab.
For the public...
For health professionals...

Roche could allow wider production of Tamiflu

From CTV News:
Roche Pharmaceuticals could soon allow 15 generic drug companies to produce Tamiflu in case of an avian flu pandemic.

Tamiflu, the brand name for the drug oseltamivir, is one of only four drugs that works effectively against influenza. It can reduce the severity of the disease, and in some cases prevent infection.

Doctors believe the drug could help control a pandemic of H5N1 avian influenza, although its effectiveness would likely be less than it is against seasonal influenza, according to Reuters. ...more

Ottawa's Tamiflu purchase under fire

From the National Post:
Vancouver's chief medical health officer says the federal government spent millions of dollars on an expensive antiviral drug because it wanted to reassure Canadians it was doing something to prevent a global flu pandemic.

Dr. John Blatherwick says the government should be stockpiling Tamiflu in powder form, by the barrel, instead of buying the drug in pill form, because the packaged pills have only a five-year shelf life. ...more

Toronto MD accused of withholding Vioxx data

From the Toronto Star:
A Toronto doctor is defending her work on a controversial study that helped put popular arthritis painkiller Vioxx on the market, after The New England Journal of Medicine yesterday publicly accused her and her co-authors of withholding critical heart attack data.

In an electronically published editorial, editors of the prestigious journal alleged that authors of the landmark $100 million study — which involved 8,000 people in 22 countries, including 300 Canadians, to measure the safety of Vioxx before it was allowed for sale — failed to included data on three heart attacks among subjects taking the drug. The three heart attacks occurred months before the study was published in the journal in November 2000, but were not disclosed during the revision process, the editors said. ...more

FDA heightens warning for Paxil

From the Edmonton Sun:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is strengthening its warning that the antidepressant Paxil may be associated with birth defects, citing a new study that found babies born to women taking the drug had double the rate of heart defects of other infants.

The FDA announced yesterday it has asked manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline to reclassify the drug, which goes by the generic name paroxetine, as a "Category D" drug for pregnant women. The classification means that studies in pregnant women have shown a risk to the fetus. ...more

Paroxetine HCl - Paxil and generic paroxetine

From FDA Medwatch:
The FDA has determined that exposure to paroxetine in the first trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk for congenital malformations, particularly cardiac malformations. At the FDA’s request, the manufacturer has changed paroxetine’s pregnancy category from C to D and added new data and recommendations to the WARNINGS section of paroxetine’s prescribing information. FDA is awaiting the final results of the recent studies and accruing additional data related to the use of paroxetine in pregnancy in order to better characterize the risk for congenital malformations associated with paroxetine. ...more

Diabetes association seeks price cap on drugs

From CBC News:
A national cap is needed on the cost of drugs and supplies that diabetics must pay for out of pocket, the Canadian Diabetes Association said Wednesday.

People with diabetes should not have to spend more than three per cent of their income to cover medication, supplies and devices, said the association's 2005 Diabetes Report.

Cost is a barrier to properly managing the disease, it said. More than two million Canadians have diabetes. ...more

Pharmacists told not to ask sexual history

From CTV Toronto:
Ontario pharmacists are being told to stop asking women about their sexual history before dispensing the so-called morning-after pill.

This comes in response to a request from the province's privacy commissioner.

Commissioner Ann Cavoukian says the Ontario College of Pharmacists has agreed to tell its members to not use a contentious voluntary screening form that asks sensitive questions. ...more

Diabetes association calls for catastrophic drug plan

From the Toronto Star:
Canada must implement a national catastrophic drug plan to help diabetics, whose out-of-pocket expenses for medicines and supplies vary widely across the country and jeopardize their ability to control the potentially life-threatening disease, says a report by the Canadian Diabetes Association.

"People with diabetes in Canada have difficulty accessing and affording the diabetes medications, devices and supplies they need to manage their disease and reduce their risk of very costly health complications," Dr. Karen Philp, the group's national director of public policy and government relations, said today in releasing the report. ...more

Multiple forms of drugs causing errors

From the Monterey County (Calif.) Herald:
Dr. James Kmetzo knows that Diltiazem is usually the drug of choice for high blood pressure.

But then his choices explode. Cardizem, Dilacor and Tiazac are all brand names for Diltiazem. But should he prescribe Cardizem CD, Cardizem SR, Cardizem LA, Dilacor XR or Tiazac? All four come in varying doses, some taken once a day, some twice, some crushable, others not. ...more

Health Canada warns consumers to return bottles of Euro-ASA 80 mg chewable tablets to place of purchase

From Health Canada:
Health Canada is warning consumers that two lots of Euro-ASA 80 mg orange flavoured, chewable tablets (Euro-ASA Chewable Tablet) lack child-resistant packaging, even though the label indicates the bottles are child resistant.

The orange-flavoured, chewable tablets may encourage children to ingest large quantities. Each bottle contains enough drug to seriously harm a child. ...more

The lure of Canadian drugs may disappear

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Canadian pharmacists are likely to lose a big chunk of their $1 billion-a-year mail-order business when Americans on Medicare start getting taxpayer help paying for drugs starting next month.

"Our best guess is that we'll lose 15 to 25 percent of our American customers," said Robert Fraser, a Winnipeg pharmacist and a board member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.

That pleases druggists such as Harold Anderson of Hallock, Minn., who has been losing some business to Canada. Medicare won't help pay for the imported prescriptions. ...more

Manitoba, Sask. clamp down on sale of meth ingredient

From CBC News:
Many common cold medications will no longer be available on pharmacy shelves in Saskatchewan and Manitoba as part of an effort to fight production of crystal meth.

Pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in some cold medications, can be used to produce a version of methamphetamine, the highly addictive street drug crystal meth.

The medications, including common remedies such as Sudafed Decongestant and Benylin D for Infants, will be kept behind the counter and only doled out by a pharmacist in single purchases as of Jan. 15, said Theresa Oswald, Manitoba's healthy living minister. ...more

Morning-after pill privacy concerns raised

From the Toronto Star:
Canadian pharmacists are being advised to collect a woman's name, address, phone number and sensitive details about her sexual activity before dispensing the so-called morning-after pill.

The guidelines, put out by the Canadian Pharmacists Association, have drawn concern from women's health groups, which say the rules are discriminatory and raise privacy issues.

Anne Rochon Ford, co-ordinator of Women and Health Protection, a coalition of groups concerned about drug safety and funded by Health Canada, said she's not aware of any other behind-the-counter drug where pharmacists are asked to gather data before dispensing it, which "makes (the drug) look suspect and very loaded." ...more