Pharmacy

New York Pharmacists Can Dispense Hormonal Contraception Without a Prescription

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an order yesterday allowing New York pharmacists to dispense hormonal contraception without a prescription, and in doing so, New York joins at least 28 other states that have expanded pharmacists’ ability to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraception. Under Governor Hochul’s new order, New York pharmacists are able to dispense…

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Pharmacy Outages Triggered by ‘Blackcat’ Ransomware

Hackers from the ‘Blackcat’ ransomeware gang are reportedly behind the February 21st pharmacy outage last month. The pharmacy outage halted prescription deliveries for nearly one week after hackers reportedly gained access to United Health owned Change Healthcare information technology systems which also led to massive disruptions at pharmacies across the country, including CVS, Walgreens, Publix,…

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Colorado’s Implementation of a Canadian Prescription Drug Importation Program

In late January, Colorado Governor Polis announced the Department of Health Care and Financing (DHCF) released an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) to multiple vendors for Colorado’s Canadian Drug Importation Program. The ITN solicits vendors to manage program oversight and the distribution of imported drugs from Canada to Colorado. In 2019, the Colorado General Assembly passed…

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FDA and NABP Partnership: Information-Sharing for Drug Compounding

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it awarded a cooperative grant to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to create an information-sharing data system to improve the information available to state regulators and the FDA about state-licensed pharmacies that engage in interstate distribution of compounded drugs. The new data system…

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FDA and FTC Issue Joint Warning to Pharmacy Selling Unapproved Products containing CBD

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning letter to Rooted Apothecary LLC (Rooted Apothecary) for illegally marketing and selling unapproved cannabidiol (CBD) products with unsubstantiated claims that these products treat teething and ear pain in infants, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s…

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California Board of Pharmacy Investigates Jurisprudence Exam Cheating Scandal

The California State Board of Pharmacy (Board) administers the California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Exam (CPJE), or pharmacy law exam, for pharmacists to ensure each pharmacist possesses the requisite skills necessary to safely practice pharmacy. To become licensed in California, pharmacists must pass the CPJE, along with a national exam that focuses on the clinical…

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California Expands Access to HIV Prevention Drugs

California Senate Bill 159, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this week, allows pharmacies to offer pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) HIV prevention medications without a prescription in a similar manner to birth control and emergency contraceptives provided certain, specific requirements are fulfilled. California pharmacists, after completing a mandatory training program approved by…

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FTC Continues to Issue CBD Warning Letters

Earlier this week the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent out warning letters to three unnamed companies that sell cannabidiol (CBD) oils, tinctures, edibles and other products which claim to treat pain and chronic illnesses or cure diseases. In its letters to the companies, the FTC warned that it is illegal to advertise that a CBD…

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