ppp 08-13-07

Quote of the day: The saying "Getting there is half the fun" became

obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines.

Henry J. Tillman

I’ll be headed to the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacist meeting in Boston this October and plan to take my bride of 32 years along. I’ll mix business pleasure with vacation pleasure as we take time away from our “normal life”. Planning is half the fun of vacationing. Pouring over brochures and pictures, claims and promises, fact and fantasy adds to the excitement of any trip. Do we take the Make Way for Ducklings Tour or ride the Duck Boats into the Charles River? Do we hike the Freedom Trail or a mountain path in New Hampshire? Deep sea fishing or diving into the history of New England? So much to do… so little time. One thing for sure is that I’ll have a chance to spend some time with my best friend from high school who lives in NH but works in Boston.

If you are a managed care pharmacist then you should consider the AMCP meeting. This presents the opportunity to network with like minded (and often “different minded”) pharmacists for the exchange of ideas. The meeting has great CE opportunities as well opportunities to attend satellite symposia (also for CE). You can hone skills or pick up a few new ones. Find out what is going on in the industry from people who are making it happen. You do not have to be a member but the price breaks on registration may just be worth joining. If you join you will receive the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy(JMCP), a peer reviewed journal that serves as a chronicle of managed care pharmacy’s past as well as a the first light into the future as new thoughts and ideas are proffered along with solid research reports.

Just click on http://www.amcp.org/ to find out more about the organization, the 2007 Educational Conference, or the JMCP. They have a placement service at the meeting if that is your cup of coffee (The tea is in the harbor... or so I'm told).

pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience.

Canadian’s approved a marijuana based lingual spray, Sativex, for multiple sclerosis 2 years ago and just approved it for cancer pain. Still a long way to go in Europe and the USA but it is legal in Canada, dude.

When originally brought to market, insulin was derived from pork and beef pancreases. Now Human Recombinate insulins are the gold standard. We don’t grind up humans but fool other organisms into making a replicate of human insulin. Scientists have now shown no differences between insulin produced in safflowers versus insulin produced in E.coli bacteria. The safflower process is not yet approved but, while both products are purified, I would take the flower power if I had a choice.

A swimmer who stays in the water too long may develop the unappealing wrinkled appearance of a prune. Bifeprunox, a potential new antipsychotic drug from Wyeth, was given a “non-approvable” letter by the FDA. Wyeth stock drops 5% so much hope was pinned on the approval.

Maraviroc (Selzentry) was just FDA approved against HIV. Used with other antiretroviral drugs after specific laboratory tests, this one simply blocks viral entry into the cells. Carries a BLACK BOX warning about potential liver function problems. Nevere the less, another arrow in the quiver of physicians treating AIDS patients.

IBM readies tracking chips (RFID) for use on more drugs to thwart counterfeiters. RFID has been used on Viagra and Oxycontin for some time but the technology will expand to other brand name drugs. I don’t expect that it will reach generics for a long time, except where required by law (like California).

Missouri patients whose drug regimens change while in a nursing home can donate them for use in poor(er) patients. Only drugs that have never been under the patient’s direct control can be donated. Even though the law makes for good PR he state can not document any savings. Maybe the other states who are considering legislation or implementation should talk to their friends at the “show me” state.

Johnson and Johnson owns the red cross and is suing the RED CROSS. In 1895 Old Clara Barton, the foundress of the Red Cross did acknowledge that J&J owns the commercial rights to the red cross. The Red Cross organization has been selling first aid kits at Target and Walmart with the J&J logo. Will be interesting to see how THIS one plats out!

Disclaimer: "Pepin's Pharmaceutical Prattle" (AKA "The Prattle") is the property of PHARMWORKS, LLC and Steven M. Pepin, Pharm. D, BCPS. The opinions expressed are those of the bald-headed author. To start or stop any drug without the advice and supervision of your physician would be stupid. So don't do anything based upon what you read here without professional advice. To be added to or removed from the distribution list please e-mail your request to spepin@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 1998-2007 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------