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Despite a slow legislative start by President Trump, new federal and state regulatory health care changes will have important implications for pharmacists, P&T committees, and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors consider market stakeholder consolidation, market-driven efficiency demands, consumerism, and legal enforcement of patient rights related to access to appropriate drugs and posit how future P&T committees may approach these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the reportedly increasing medication costs in the U.S. which has prompted the government to make legislation supporting the importation of medication from other countries, especially from Canada, as a cheaper alternative to medication. Topics discussed include the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP's) concern regarding authencity and quality of cheaper medications, and the wholesaler legislation deliberated upon in some U.S. states.

Opioid-use monitoring, medication-error prevention, and counseling/duty-to-warn issues illustrate new or emerging legal risks for pharmacists as their roles expand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe persistence to newly prescribed antidepressant medications within the Rhode Island Medicaid population. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed antidepressant medication persistence in a cohort of new users for a period spanning 2013-2014, focusing on the acute treatment phase (first 12 weeks of treatment). Covariates assessed included patient gender, age, comorbidity status, and measures of health system utilization. Results: Only 53.8% of patients persisted with medication for at least 12 weeks. (Figure 1). Persistence was increased with age ≥ 35, and lower among patients lacking a follow-up visit. Multivariable analyses revealed that patients having at least one office visit during the follow-up period were nearly 2.5 times more likely to persist as compared to patients lacking such visits (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.77-3.35). Persistence was 22% more likely among patients receiving psychiatric services (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.00-1.48). Conclusions: Antidepressant treatment persistence within the R.I. Medicaid population is suboptimal, and lowest among patients lacking follow-up care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased cannabis use has brought about a sea change in policy and attitudes toward regulation, and a multitude of rules that vary widely between states. The disparity has stymied any effective response to the problems surrounding access to cannabis products for those in need. Health care providers and practitioners, as well as P&T committees, must carefully undertake decisions on rational drug use, whether or not their patients are using cannabis while under their care., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no financial or commercial interest in regard to this article.

Despite a slow legislative start by President Trump, new federal and state regulatory health care changes will have important implications for pharmacists, P&T committees, and patients.

Appropriate risk management strategies must be employed for compounding and administering sterile products. We review the new credentialing, regulatory, and related legal aspects of gaining and maintaining compliance for these processes.

The authors consider market stakeholder consolidation, market-driven efficiency demands, consumerism, and legal enforcement of patient rights related to access to appropriate drugs and posit how future P&T committees may approach these issues.

Telehealth is becoming mainstream in the U.S., as more consumers, employers, hospital systems, and even insurers adopt the technology. The authors explore the challenges of regulation, reimbursement, and licensing as the modality evolves.

Opioid-use monitoring, medication-error prevention, and counseling/duty-to-warn issues illustrate new or emerging legal risks for pharmacists as their roles expand.

Pharmaceutical waste has become an urgent public health and environmental protection issue in recent years, leading to a variety of sometimes-conflicting federal and state legislation and regulations that health care entities must take seriously.

Legislative and regulatory efforts to address controlled substance diversion and overuse of narcotics are affecting prescription drug utilization and patient care. These initiatives can influence formulary drug selection, prior authorization procedures, and drug utilization strategies.

State policies vary regarding the legal use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Pharmacists, physicians, and P&T committee members must become familiar with the laws in their states before assuming that this controlled substance can be legally prescribed or dispensed to patients.

Among the health care changes this year: revenues to hospitals will be lower, payments to physicians will be modified, and more patients will be covered by Medicaid.

The ACO model is considered an important achievement of health care reform legislation. However, ACOs might not be able to deliver on their promises in part because of the slowly recovering economy. It is also not clear how much money will be saved, and not all hospitals plan to participate.