Literature Review

All posts tagged with “Clinical News | Pharmacy & Medication News | Pain Management News.”



North Augusta hospice nurse arrested after allegedly using fake prescriptions

01/23/25 at 03:00 AM

North Augusta hospice nurse arrested after allegedly using fake prescriptions Aiken Standard, Aiken, SC; by Matthew Christian; 1/22/25 A North Augusta hospice nurse has been arrested after allegedly acquiring prescription drugs with fake prescriptions. South Carolina Bureau of Drug Control agents arrested Amy Elizabeth Strand, 44, on Jan. 17, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office booking report. Strand obtained lorazepam 2 mg tablets from the North Augusta Kroger on June 22, 2024, Agent B.A. Stafford said in a warrant. ... To get the pills, Strand called in a fake prescription in the name of a patient under her care, Stafford continued. ... Strand has been charged with three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud. 

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Transforming care: Spencer Health Solutions and Pharmerica partner to simplify medication management and improve lives

01/23/25 at 03:00 AM

Transforming care: Spencer Health Solutions and Pharmerica partner to simplify medication management and improve lives The MarCom Journal, Morrisville, NC; by Leigh White, PharMerica and Daphne Earley, Spencer Health Solutions; 1/21/25In a move set to redefine how medication is managed, Spencer Health Solutions (SHS), a leader in innovative healthcare technology, and PharMerica, one of the nation’s largest and most trusted long-term care pharmacy services provider, are joining forces. This transformative partnership aims to make managing medications easier and more reliable for individuals with complex medication needs, senior living communities, and payers nationwide. ... Spencer Health Solutions (SHS) is dedicated to transforming medication management through innovative healthcare technology. ... PharMerica ... serves the long-term care, senior living, hospital, home infusion, hospice, behavioral, specialty and oncology pharmacy markets. 

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Lobbying groups unite to form US Cannabis Roundtable

01/20/25 at 03:00 AM

Lobbying groups unite to form US Cannabis Roundtable MJBiz; by MJBizDaily Staff; 1/16/25 The National Cannabis Roundtable and the U.S. Cannabis Council – two large lobbying groups that advocate on behalf of the state-regulated marijuana industry in Washington, D.C. – are merging to form the US Cannabis Roundtable. The unified group represents marijuana multistate operators such as Cresco Labs, Curaleaf Holdings, Green Thumb Industries, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Verano Holdings as well as single-state operators, according to a [recent] news release. 

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[Korea] A prospective, single-cohort, open, multi-center, observational study of sublingual fentanyl for breakthrough cancer pain: Effectiveness, safety, and tolerability in Korean cancer patients

01/11/25 at 03:05 AM

[Korea] A prospective, single-cohort, open, multi-center, observational study of sublingual fentanyl for breakthrough cancer pain: Effectiveness, safety, and tolerability in Korean cancer patientsCancer Research and treatment; Youn Seon Choi, Su-Jin Koh, Woo Kyun Bae, Se Hyung Kim, Seong Hoon Shin, So Yeon Oh, Sang Byung Bae, Yaewon Yang, Eun-Kee Song, Yoon Young Cho, Pyung Bok Lee, Ho-Suk Oh, MinYoung Lee, Jin Seok Ahn; 12/24Fentanyl, a highly lipophilic opioid, was developed as a sublingual fentanyl tablet (SFT) for the management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP), and its efficacy and safety were confirmed in a randomized, controlled study. In a real-world setting, SFT provides rapid and effective analgesia in BTcP, even at the lowest dose (100 μg), and the safety profile was acceptable.

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Methadone in cancer-related neuropathic pain: A narrative review

01/04/25 at 03:25 AM

Methadone in cancer-related neuropathic pain: A narrative reviewCurrent Oncology; Faten Ragaban, Om Purohit, Egidio Del Fabbro; 12/24The unique mechanisms of action and preliminary clinical trials support methadone's status as the first opioid to consider for CRNP [cancer-related neuropathic pain] when non-opioid first-line treatments have failed to alleviate patient symptoms. Methadone can also be considered as a first-line opioid in patients with mixed nociceptive-neuropathic pain and any of the following features: renal dysfunction; administration of opioids through a feeding tube; a lack of financial resources/insurance; and a switch from another high-dose opioid. More research is needed regarding methadone for CRNP and methadone's preferential use in specific sub-groups of patients.

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PBMs secretly profited from opioid crisis: New York Times

12/27/24 at 03:00 AM

PBMs secretly profited from opioid crisis: New York Times Becker's Hospital Review; by Alexandra Murphy; 12/17/24 Pharmacy benefit managers were paid by drugmakers, including Purdue Pharma, to keep opioid prescriptions flowing even as overdose deaths soared across the U.S., according to an investigation by The New York Times. The Dec. 17 report highlighted how Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Optum Rx, which control access to medications for millions of Americans, negotiated deals with opioid manufacturers to prevent restrictions on painkiller prescriptions in exchange for lucrative rebates. Between 2003 and 2012, Purdue Pharma paid PBMs roughly $400 million annually to avoid limits on opioid prescriptions, which included measures that could have curtailed overprescribing, such as requiring additional physician justifications or limiting the number of pills dispensed. Internal documents reviewed by the Times show how the PBMs repeatedly collaborated with opioid manufacturers to influence insurers' decisions and block restrictions.

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[KY] Attorney General Russell Coleman files lawsuit against Optum Rx for role in opioid epidemic

12/03/24 at 03:00 AM

[KY] Attorney General Russell Coleman files lawsuit against Optum Rx for role in opioid epidemic Northern Kentucky Tribune - Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism; 12/1/24 The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office has announced its latest lawsuit against a corporation behind the worst man-made epidemic in modern medical history. Attorney General Russell Coleman added Optum Rx and its affiliates to the list of those responsible for the opioid crisis. ... According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Optum Rx played a central role in the reckless promotion, dispensing, and oversupply of opioids. ... “Defendants have hidden their conduct through non-transparent business practices and by requiring each entity with whom they conduct business, such as opioid manufacturers, to enter into confidentiality agreements or otherwise keep their agreements confidential,” said the lawsuit. “No state has been harder hit by the drug crisis than Kentucky. Last year alone, nearly 2,000 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose,” Attorney General Coleman said. “These groups pushed a profit-fueled agenda at the expense of Kentucky families, who are left with empty seats at the dinner table. Our Office will continue to hold those behind the drug crisis accountable for their devastating actions.”

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Official collaboration between IAHPC and INCB

11/21/24 at 03:00 AM

Official collaboration between IAHPC and INCB ehospice; 11/19/24 The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). The purpose of the MoU is “to provide a framework of cooperation and understanding and to facilitate collaboration to further their shared goals and objectives in regard to improving the availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.” ... The objectives laid out in the MOU include among others, the exchange of research, data, and analysis on an annual basis on controlled medicines and the exploration of possible solutions such as joint activities to make such information available to the international community. These objectives will be achieved through regular dialogues between INCB and the IAHPC.

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The power of collaboration: Pharmacists and nurses partner to enhance patient care

09/26/24 at 03:00 AM

The power of collaboration: Pharmacists and nurses partner to enhance patient care American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) News Center; by Karen Blum; 9/23/24 Pharmacists and nurses work together on today's most pressing health challenges - from managing heart failure to deprescribing in palliative care to tackling obesity in pre-transplant patients. The Collaborative Care Grant for Nurses and Pharmacists from the ASHP Foundation and American Nurses Foundation recognizes the potential impact of this interdisciplinary teamwork on improving healthcare outcomes. At UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, the grant program helped fund the creation of a medication optimization clinic (MOC) for those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. “It made a lot of sense to bring together our collective expertise to manage these patients to get them on more optimal medications,” said James Coons, a clinical pharmacist in cardiology at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Coons, an ASHP member and professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, worked with nurse practitioner and longtime collaborator, Jennifer Kliner, on the project.

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Too Much, Too Little, Just Right: Optimizing cancer care for older adults

09/11/24 at 03:15 AM

Too Much, Too Little, Just Right: Optimizing cancer care for older adults The ASCO Post, American Society of Clinical Oncology; by Ramy Sedhom, MD; Bobby Green, MD; and Julia  Frydman, MD, MS; 9/10/24 Imagine walking into a fancy restaurant only to find a menu consisting mostly of kids’ dishes. It would make no sense. Just 25% of restaurant diners are younger than age 12, and they rarely write Yelp reviews. But when it comes to cancer treatment, this is not very far from what we do. The median age for a new cancer diagnosis is 67, and among those who die of cancer each year, 73% are older adults. Yet just one in four clinical trial participants is aged 70 or older. Consequently, guidelines for most new cancer therapies are based on a median age that is significantly younger than the patient population who actually receives these therapies. That’s quite a conundrum. More than half of patients older than age 65 experience toxicity of grade 3 or worse while undergoing standard chemotherapy. ... Palliative Care—For a 40-year-old mother of two young children, the goal of cancer treatment is usually clear: complete remission and long-term survival. But when you ask older patients with cancer about their priorities, a majority regard symptom control, emotional coping, and other quality-of-life measures at least as much as longevity and sometimes more.

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Novel drug treatments for pain in advanced cancer and serious illness: a focus on neuropathic pain and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

08/24/24 at 03:15 AM

Novel drug treatments for pain in advanced cancer and serious illness: a focus on neuropathic pain and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathyPalliative Care and Social Practice; by Mellar P Davis; 7/24This review will discuss haloperidol, miragabalin, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and clonidine as adjuvant analgesics or analgesics. Haloperidol [demonstrates] ... only low-grade evidence that [it] improves pain when combined with morphine, methadone, or tramadol in patients who have cancer, pain from fibrosis, radiation necrosis, or neuropathic pain. Miragabalin is a gabapentinoid approved for the treatment of neuropathic pain ... [and] in randomized trials, patients with diabetic neuropathy have responded to miragabalin. Multiple randomized trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated PEA's effectiveness in reducing pain severity arising from diverse pain phenotypes. Intravenous clonidine has been used in terminally ill patients with poorly controlled symptoms, in particular pain and agitation.

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The importance of competencies in pain management and palliative care

08/23/24 at 03:00 AM

The importance of competencies in pain management and palliative care Greenwich Sentinel, Greenwich, CT; by Russell R. Barksdale, Jr.; 8/21/24 ... Competencies, ongoing pharmacological education, regular patient pain assessments, management, and medication adjustments are all crucial processes for healthcare providers in today’s complex medical environment. Regrettably, metabolic and behavioral issues related to pain medications, especially opioids, if not properly managed, poses risk of addiction. Beginning in the late 1990s, the consumption of medical opioids used to treat pain increased in many countries worldwide. Since that time, alarmingly the United States has outpaced every other country in per capita opioid consumption. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

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Integration of palliative pharmacists to elevate oncologic care

08/21/24 at 03:00 AM

Integration of palliative pharmacists to elevate oncologic care Pharmacy Times; by Alexis Beachy, PharmD and Jessica Geiger, PharmD, MS, BCPS; 8/20/24... Conclusion: This case demonstrates several aspects of care palliative pharmacists can assist with, though it is certainly not all-encompassing. All things considered, pharmacists are an essential asset of the palliative team. Their experience further enriches the interdisciplinary team and grants all patients and families many benefits. Specifically, patients receiving oncologic care benefit from collaboration with a palliative care pharmacist. In addition to offering a more individualized and holistic approach to care, palliative pharmacists can also provide patients with quicker and improved symptom management, which often improves quality of life and may also increase survival rates.Editor's Note: This article provides excellent history, definitions, and descriptions of the pharmacist's significant role in providing expert palliative and hospice care.

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Medical marijuana study details Arkansans’ use of the drug, raises questions from lawmakers

08/20/24 at 03:00 AM

Medical marijuana study details Arkansans’ use of the drug, raises questions from lawmakers Arkansas Times; by Tess Vrbin for the Arkansas Advocate; 8/15/24 ... The study, conducted by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, is the first ever population-based study of medical marijuana funded by a federal health agency, the National Institutes of Health. ... The state currently has more than 105,000 cardholders, an increase of roughly 29,000 in three years, according to ACHI’s study. ... Lawmakers on the Joint Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee ... expressed concerns about some of the information in the study, such as the fact that one-third of the certifications for medical marijuana cards in 2021 came from just seven doctors, with little evidence of a physician-patient relationship in many cases.Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana to some extent, and Arkansas is one of 14 states in which the drug is legal only for medicinal purposes.

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Pain patients aren’t 'drug users': Exposing a dangerous myth

07/22/24 at 03:00 AM

Pain patients aren’t 'drug users': Exposing a dangerous myth American Council on Science and Health; by Cameron English; 7/18/24 Chronic pain patients who take opioids under medical supervision are fundamentally different from recreational users who take drugs to get high. In their bid to destigmatize and legalize drugs, some drug policy reformers have attempted to blur this clear distinction. [Read case study of a hospice patient who was denied pain meds for longterm conditions, and was put on an opioid for which she had informed the hospice that she could not tolerate. Access to talking with her physician was denied. Result: She changed to a different hospice.]

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Targeted palliative care enhances outcomes in advanced cancer

07/17/24 at 03:00 AM

Targeted palliative care enhances outcomes in advanced cancer Physician's Weekly; 7/15/24 ... Excessive polypharmacy is common in patients with cancer, especially older adults. According to a 2023 study published in Cancer, up to 80% of older patients take five or more medications, and up to 40% take 10 or more. Patients who receive numerous medications as part of supportive care may be at increased risk for potentially inappropriate medications and drug-drug interactions, which could impact their QOL. The study authors emphasized the importance of meaningful screening and interventional tools to optimize the use of medications for palliative care in these patients. In a more recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Giusti Raffaele, MD, and colleagues aimed to streamline pharmacotherapy by targeting the most impactful symptom.

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Pain management in the wake of the opioid crisis

07/17/24 at 03:00 AM

Pain management in the wake of the opioid crisis Forbes; by Web Golinkin; 7/15/24 Pain is the single most frequent reason for patient visits in the United States. An estimated 20 percent of adults experience chronic pain, and nearly seven percent experience a level of chronic pain that limits their daily activities. However, most doctors and other healthcare professionals have very little education in pain management, according to Scott Fishman, MD, an internationally recognized expert in pain management, ... This lack of education was one of the main causes of the Opioid Crisis, Fishman says ... of the part of the crisis that was caused by the over-prescribing of opioids, many clinicians have become so wary of the medical-legal issues surrounding pain management that they have gone from an overly liberal approach to a restrictive one in which some prescribers are effectively abandoning patients who need to have their symptoms treated. Both extremes are frequently fueled by lack of knowledge and training, according to Fishman. ... The solution is to close the education gap ...

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2 Ketamine palliative care projects explore interdisciplinary collaboration

07/17/24 at 03:00 AM

2 Ketamine palliative care projects explore interdisciplinary collaborationHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/29/24Two ketamine-assisted therapy projects are examining ways to develop training and collaboration models for utilization among palliative care patient populations. A growing body of research is uncovering the potential benefits of ketamine therapies to help with symptom management. But greater understanding of the drug and its impacts is needed to help palliative care providers and other health professionals guide patient experiences, according to Dr. Michael Fratkin, board president of the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care. Fratkin is also a palliative care specialist at Humboldt Center for New Growth.

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Aligning pill burden and palliative care needs in late-stage CVD: AHA

07/05/24 at 03:00 AM

Aligning pill burden and palliative care needs in late-stage CVD: AHA TCTMD - Cardiovascular Research Foundation; by L.A. McKeown; 7/2/24 The first scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) that focuses specifically on pharmacotherapy considerations in the palliative management of patients with CVD [cardiovascular diesease] urges a patient-centered, compassionate approach to de-escalating and deprescribing. ... In addition to shedding light on how and when to start deprescribing and de-escalating common cardiovascular drugs, the statement discusses palliative drugs for pain, shortness of breath, and appetite in the context of CVD, which [Katherine E.] Di Palo [PharmD (Montefoiore Medical Center, NY)] said the committee identified as a gap in knowledge given that much of the evidence for these drugs comes from patients with serious illnesses like cancer. ... Important Takeaways: Di Palo and colleagues note that palliative care complements cardiovascular care in several important ways, including reducing physical symptom burden, managing emotional and spiritual distress, providing sufficient support for caregivers, and helping patients choose treatment in line with their goals for care. Editor's Note: Click here for the American Heart Association's statement, which we posted on 7/2/24. 

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Muncie hospice nurse accused of obtaining narcotics 'by fraud or deceit'

07/03/24 at 03:45 AM

Muncie hospice nurse accused of obtaining narcotics 'by fraud or deceit' The Star Press, Muncie, IN; by Douglas Walker; 7/2/24 A Muncie hospice nurse is accused of ordering prescription pain medication in the names of nursing home residents who then never received the narcotics. Meredith Griffin Briles, 45, is charged in Delaware Circuit Court 5 with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit, possession of a narcotic drug and failure to make, keep or furnish a record. All three charges are Level 6 felonies carrying up to 30 months in prison.

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Factors affecting palliative care collaboration with pain medicine specialists

07/02/24 at 03:00 AM

Factors affecting palliative care collaboration with pain medicine specialists Clinical Pain Advisor; by James Maitlall, MD; 6/27/24 Structured collaboration between physicians working in palliative care (PC) and pain medicine (PM) may increase PC physician referral of seriously ill patients to PM specialists and potentially optimize their care, according to study results published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. ... In a survey study, a multicenter team of investigators explored attitudes and beliefs among US PC physicians regarding PM specialists, as well as factors potentially impacting collaboration between physicians in these 2 areas of practice. ... The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) approved the survey for distribution to 1000 of its physician members, who were selected at random. ... The investigators concluded, “Although we found that PC physicians have highly positive attitudes about the value of PM specialists, referral rates remain low, even for IDDS implantation, which has perhaps the largest body of evidence for patients with complex cancer-associated pain.”  

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Interdisciplinary Pain Board for managing patients with palliative care needs and substance use disorder: A pilot study

06/22/24 at 03:10 AM

Interdisciplinary Pain Board for managing patients with palliative care needs and substance use disorder: A pilot study Journal of Palliative Medicine; Sarah Hauke Given, Patricia Reid Ponte, Kate Lally, Isaac S Chua; 6/20/24 online ahead of print Context: Patients with cancer-related pain and concurrent substance use disorder (SUD) present a unique set of challenges for palliative care clinicians. A structured forum for interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to effectively manage this complex population. Objectives: Describe the feasibility and acceptability of a palliative care Complex Pain Board (CPB), an interdisciplinary team meeting to provide concrete care recommendations for patients with cancer-related pain and concurrent SUD and/or psychosocial complexity. 

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Managing palliative care challenges for patients with complex symptoms

06/11/24 at 03:00 AM

Managing palliative care challenges for patients with complex symptoms Pharmacy Times; 6/7/24In an interview with the Pharmacy Times, Justin Kullgren, PharmD, FAAHPM, Palliative Medicine Clinical Pharmacist Specialist and PGY2 Pain Management & Palliative Care Residency Program Director at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, James Cancer Hospital, shares insights into palliative care and common challenges faced by pharmacists treating patients with complicated symptoms. ... Pharmacy Times: What do you wish pharmacists understood about hospice and palliative care in terms of patient care for patients with complicated symptoms? Kullgren: So, I think, number 1, pharmacists across all healthcare systems, in the hospital, at community pharmacies, long-term care, you are all going to be involved in these patients— it’s just to what degree. ... We want to do those therapies that ... are going to have the least amount of risk for our patients, or at least side effects for our patients. ...

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Reply to: Frailty and ethics at the end of life: The importance of a comprehensive assessment

06/10/24 at 03:00 AM

Reply to: Frailty and ethics at the end of life: The importance of a comprehensive assessmentJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Colum Thomas MD, Eduardo Bruera MD, William Breitbart MD, Yesne Alici MD, Liz Blackler MBE, LCSW-R, Julia D. Kulikowski MD, Daniel P. Sulmasy MD, PhD; 6/5/24The care of older persons at the end of life often involves competing concerns and highly value-sensitive decisions. In a recent article, we proposed a set of ethical rules—the canons of therapy—to help clinicians navigate complex cases involving older adults with delirium at the end of life. The canons of therapy most pertinent to such cases are restoration, means-end proportionality, discretion, and parsimony (see Table 1 for a description). These canons provide a structured toolset aligned with practical wisdom, which can serve as an ethical heuristic for guiding therapeutic judgments. ...

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The latest research indicates massage therapy has benefits from birth to end of life

06/07/24 at 03:00 AM

The latest research indicates massage therapy has benefits from birth to end of life Cision PR Newswire; by American Massage Therapy Association; 6/5/24 The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) is sharing recent research on how massage therapy can provide benefits from infancy through end of life. Across all ages, massage therapy can be a therapeutic approach to enhancing physical and emotional well-being. Explore the latest studies on how massage therapy can help improve the quality of life for infants, middle-aged individuals, and older adults. ... A nationwide survey of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners in palliative care documented recommendation rates of integrative therapies to target symptoms of palliative care patients. The survey found that massage therapy was the third most recommended integrative care modality behind mind-body interventions like meditation and biofeedback. The integrative therapies aimed to reduce pain, anxiety, mood disturbances, and distress.Editor's Note: While hiring a professional massage therapist might not be practical for your budget, explore contracting with massage therapist who is trained in working with medically-fragile persons to provide simple trainings for your nurses and nurse aides. Additionally, professionally trained massage therapists might be interested in volunteering their services, within appropriate parameters (i.e., not transferring the medically-fragile patient to a massage table, having a caregiver present to assist with communication, etc.). 

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