The FDA sent a warning letter to Alkermes Dec. 11 for failing to warn against potentially fatal risks associated with its drug, Vivitrol, which is used to treat opioid addiction.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is urging Ohio's Medicaid director to reform the state's pharmacy reimbursement system, according to The Columbus Dispatch. 

Mylan and Pfizer are among the drugmakers that have released large amounts of drug waste into waterways near their manufacturing facilities, according to an investigation by STAT and Type Investigations. 

An annual recognition program developed by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and sponsored by Amgen, the Best Practices Awards have been given every year since 1999 to outstanding pharmacists who have successfully implemented innovative systems into their pharmacy. 

A new version of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, unveiled Dec. 10, includes no market exclusivity protection for biologic drugmakers, according to STAT. 

Zolgensma, Novartis' gene therapy treatment that was approved in May, costs $2.1 million and has often been referred to as the world's most expensive drug. David Lennon, president of AveXis, the biotech that developed the drug and was later acquired by Novartis, argues that isn't the case, according to the Financial Times. 

This year saw a record number of mergers and acquisitions between drugmakers, resulting in a total $342 billion spent on deals, according to MarketWatch. 

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang Dec. 10 released his plan to lower drug costs if elected, which includes allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and creating public facilities to make generic drugs.

California is fining CVS Health $3.6 million for failing to follow the state's recycling law, state regulators said Dec. 9. 

Walmart will only accept electronic prescriptions for controlled substances starting in 2020, meaning patients taking drugs to treat such conditions as anxiety, depression, HIV/AIDS or sickle cell disease may be unable to fill their prescriptions at Walmart, the American Medical Association argues.

Civica Rx, the nonprofit generic drug company formed by several major health systems, will have eight critical injectable medicines available for its member hospitals by year-end.

The FDA approved Amgen's drug, Avsola, a biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson's Remicade, the company announced. 

The FDA recently approved the first new treatments for sickle cell disease in nearly 20 years, but each costs about $100,000 per year and raises questions around how patients can access the treatments, according to The New York Times.

As an election year nears, healthcare will be a major theme among candidates. Hospital leaders will need to pay attention to drug pricing legislation and possible changes to the 340B drug program and the ACA, according to a report from the McKesson RxO team.

As an increasing number of drugmakers and patient assistance charities have settled lawsuits accusing them of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute, lawmakers are urging HHS to tighten oversight and require more information from the charities, according to STAT.  

Ten hospitals and health systems that posted job listings seeking pharmacy leaders in the last week:

Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., last week unveiled an updated version of their drug-pricing proposal, as well as a creative plan to get it signed into law, according to STAT. 

Republican lawmakers introduced a drug-pricing proposal Dec. 9 to compete with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's signature bill expected to get a House vote this week, according to STAT. 

Both Merck and Sanofi said Dec. 9 they plan to acquire smaller drugmakers for more than $2 billion each, according to STAT. 

The FDA has been approving new drugs so quickly that some patient safety advocates are voicing concerns, according to Bloomberg.