HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the cancellation of nearly $500 million in federal contracts associated with mRNA vaccine development.  The decision comes after a review of pandemic-era investments made through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority,…

A growing number of hospitals and health systems are using EHR tools to autoverify some medications without a pharmacist’s review, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.  No industrywide guideline for this practice currently exists, so an ASHP working…

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals as high as 250%, the steepest rate proposed to date, as part of a push to bring more drug manufacturing to the U.S., CNBC reported Aug. 5.  In an…

Healthcare experts are calling for the end of routine use of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in a common allergy medication, sold as Benadryl, citing safety concerns that outweigh benefits, CNN reported Aug. 1.  “It’s time to move on. For every…

Fairfax, Va.-based Inova Health System recently opened a 75,000-square-foot central pharmacy center, which it says is the largest centralized pharmacy services center in Virginia. The facility houses specialty, retail and mail-order pharmacy operations aided by “advanced automation, robotic filling, medical-grade…

The Association of American Medical Colleges endorsed the 340B Pharmaceutical Access to Invest in Essential, Needed Treatments and Support Act, legislation that would amend the 340B statute to confirm that covered entities can use contract pharmacies to dispense outpatient drugs. …

Here are seven new drug shortages and discontinuations, according to drug supply databases from the FDA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.  Adefovir dipivoxil tablet: Apotex Corp has discontinued 10 milligram Adefovir Dipivoxil tablets, an antiviral medication used to…

The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter for Regeneron’s biologics license application for odronextamab, a bispecific antibody targeting CD20 and CD3 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.  The rejection…

The FDA is mandating labeling changes for opioid pain medications to highlight the risks associated with their prolonged use.  In May, members of a public advisory committee examined data linking extended opioid use to risks including misuse, addiction and overdose,…

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has updated guidelines in an effort to improve how medication information is communicated through EHRs.  The revised “Guidelines for Safe Electronic Communication of Medication Information,” last updated in 2019, reflects challenges with health information…