U.S. Pharmacist Weekly News

March 24, 2021

Medicare Payment for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Nearly Doubles

Some pharmacies might have lost money so far vaccinating older Americans against COVID-19, but that is likely to change with substantially higher Medicare reimbursement as of mid-March. Find out why a key pharmacy group applauds the changes and believes it will help accelerate the vaccine program nationwide.

Beta-Blockers Not More Likely to Cause Depression Than Other CVD Treatments

For years, a nagging question has persisted about beta-blockers and their possible association with depression in users. A new international study puts those worries to rest, however, finding that the commonly prescribed cardiovascular-disease (CVD) medication isn’t more likely to cause depression than other treatments. Here are more details, including information on the medication’s possible effect on sleep.

Do Immunocompromised Patients Have Enough Response to COVID-19 Vaccines?

Immune response to a first mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 appears to be suboptimal in patients who have undergone transplants and are on maintenance immunosuppression regimens. Find out how much effect that had and what future research is needed to better understand the situation, including response to the second shot.

A Third of Older Patients Take Medications That Interfere With Necessary Thyroid Testing

Older patients taking thyroid hormone need to be assessed with thyroid-function tests, but their other medications might be getting into the way. A new study found that nearly a third of thyroid patients aged 65 years and older are prescribed other medications that can skew test results. Here is more information.