US Pharm.
2008;33(8):14.
Florida to Adopt Pharmacy
Technician Rules
Tallahassee, FL
-- Joining nearly 40 other states that mandate a mix of registration,
certification, and training, Florida has passed legislation requiring
registration for the state's estimated 40,000 to 60,000 pharmacy technicians.
The action, which requires the Florida Board of Pharmacy to adopt registration
rules by 2010, reflects the increasing trend of having pharmacy technicians
handle such tasks as typing prescriptions, counting pills, and filling drug
vials. Michael McQuone, executive vice president of the Florida Society of
Health-System Pharmacists, views the new legislation as "an important new
safety measure." Walgreens had opposed earlier versions of the legislation,
but the company believes that its own training program, already approved by
the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, will meet the new Florida
requirement. CVS spokesman Michael DeAngelis said that the company was
actively involved in the negotiation process and helped craft the language of
the final bill "to ensure that…the state board of pharmacy would have the
power to approve our technician training program, a program that has been
approved by many other state boards."
Bush Administration Settles
Medicare Part D Suit
San Francisco, CA
-- The Bush Administration has agreed to make significant changes to its
administration of the prescription drug benefit in response to the Medicare
Part D class action lawsuit Situ v. Leavitt. The suit, filed in 2006 by
the National Senior Citizens Law Center and the Center for Medicare Advocacy
against Michael Leavitt, secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services, argued that the Bush Administration failed to provide sufficient
protections for low-income senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The
suit was brought on behalf of 6.2 million "dual eligible" Medicare
beneficiaries--persons who are elderly and/or disabled and very poor. The
plaintiffs argued that the Medicare Part D program is poorly managed and, as a
result, created ongoing barriers for this population to obtain medications.
Cholesterol Drugs for Kids?
Elk Grove
Village, IL -- Some
children should be given cholesterol drugs to guard against future heart
problems, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP). The AAP recommends cholesterol screening for children and adolescents
with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease. It also recommends
screening patients whose family history is unknown and those who have heart
disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Cholesterol screening, says the academy, should take place after age 2 but no
later than age 10. Cholesterol-reducing medications should be considered for
children older than 8 who have high LDL concentrations. The AAP also
recommends reduced-fat dairy products, such as two percent milk, for
overweight or obese children as young as age 1.
New Pharmacy School
Receives Approval
New York, NY
-- The New York State Education Department has approved Touro College of
Pharmacy's Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program, paving the way for this fall's
inaugural class. In addition, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
has granted the college Pre-candidate Status. The modern facility will be
located in New York City's Harlem community. Interested applicants should send
an e-mail to: info.pharmacy@touro.edu with "Program Details" in the subject
line. Updates with news of the college will be available at
www.touro.edu/pharmacy.
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