U.S. Pharmacist Weekly News

December 31, 2024

Low-Dose Minoxidil Found Safe for Breast Cancer Patients

One of the most dreaded side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. New studies—mostly involving breast cancer patients—have found that low doses of oral minoxidil are effective and safe in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. Similar results were found in another study with patients with late alopecia—an incomplete hair regrowth >6 months following cytotoxic chemotherapy or from initiation of endocrine therapy. Read more.

How Biosimilar Competition Affected Adalimumab Usage, Pricing

While lower healthcare spending has always been a goal of biosimilar introduction, slow and low uptake for an adalimumab biosimilar has raised concerns that manufacturers might withdraw from the market or avoid developing future biosimilars, according to a new analysis. Find out what solutions are suggested by the authors, including that policymakers could prohibit rebates for biologics after initiation of biosimilar competition.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Can Persist After Steroid Cessation

The dangers of supraphysiologic doses of anabolic androgenic steroids and their association with persistent coronary microvascular dysfunction have been recognized for years. But a new Danish study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open has raised further concerns after finding that those effects can last years after discontinuation of the drugs. Read more.

Pharmacy Medication Disposal Receptacles Increased Opioid Disposal

A project in 16 Kentucky counties demonstrated that the availability of more opioid disposal receptacles meant that many more unused prescriptions were safely discarded. Find out how the project worked and how much difference it made in the pounds of pills discarded, as well as the pharmacists’ role in and their reactions to the campaign.