Pharmacy Technology

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. Patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease said the illness prevented them from living life to its fullest, according to research conducted by drug maker GlaxoSmithKline.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. With the holiday season just around the corner, CVS/pharmacy is encouraging older adults and their caregivers to make family health part of the conversation during family gatherings.

With annual enrollment for Medicare Part D under way through Dec. 31, now is the ideal time for seniors and their caregivers to review their medication regimen and identify ways to save on annual medication costs, the company stated.

CHICAGO — A social media go-to-market strategy is fast becoming a must-have for companies these days, especially those companies operating in the healthcare arena. It’s no longer enough to push patient education out through a branded online page, not with the growing prominence of social media sites. Today, companies need to seed that education across Facebook and Twitter and/or actively engage bloggers and heavy users to successfully get that education out to the masses online.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — There is a direct correlation between the amount of a patient's out-of-pocket co-pay and prescription abandonment, according to the findings of a CVS Caremark-sponsored study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study also found that e-prescriptions are more likely to be abandoned at retail compared with handwritten prescriptions.

SAN DIEGO — The Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to a drug for treating sickle cell disease.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute on Tuesday announced the appointment of Susan Borra as SVP communications for the nation’s largest food retail trade association, effective Dec. 1.

NEW YORK — Drug maker Takeda Pharmaceuticals is launching a campaign to raise awareness of gastroesophageal reflux disease, the company said Tuesday.

Takeda created the website GetToKnowGERD.com to coincide with GERD Awareness Week, which takes place from Nov. 21 to 27. The company also is using the occasion to promote the GERD drug Dexilant (dexlansoprazole).

NEW YORK — Rite Aid “likes” this.

Rite Aid became the first drug store retailer to “friend” Pharmacist Society powered by Drug Store News earlier this month, unlocking a host of new tools and functionalities for its pharmacists, and providing the company an entirely new way of connecting with pharmacy students all across the country.