Even after overdosing on opioid medications, more than nine out of 10 patients continued to get prescriptions for the powerful painkillers, according to a new study.  As a result, some went on to suffer another overdose. The findings, published December 28 in Annals of Internal Medicine, are [Read more...]

A lawsuit brought against the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) by five West Virginia residents has been settled, and will force the agency to competitively bid its contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs) that cover Medicaid beneficiaries in the state.   Five [Read more...]

Fewer teens are misusing prescription opioids, according to the 2015 Monitoring the Future Survey.  For example, in 2015, 4.4% of high school seniors reported non-medical use of Vicodin compared with the peak rate of 10.5% in 2003.   However, the study also shows that non-medical use of the [Read more...]

Among 21 professionals, the public continues to give pharmacists high marks for honesty and ethics according to the recent annual Gallup Poll.   Pharmacists came in second to nurses and just ahead of physicians.   Pharmacists have been either first or second in the Poll for almost 20 years.