News & Features

November, 2006

Hello! This is the first in what we plan to be a free monthly newsletter produced by us for your enjoyment and information. We will attempt to present timely articles in short capsule form, mostly regarding pharmaceutical questions, but also articles of general interest.

Some Canadian Web sites providing counterfeit drugs. Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON- Testing revealed fake versions of Lipitor and other widely used prescription drugs ordered through Web sites linked to a Canadian pharmacy, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Consumers who bought drugs through the 10 Web sites should not use the medications because they may not be safe, the FDA said. Consumers who ordered drugs through the Mediplan-linked Web sites should talk to their doctors and get their prescriptions refilled, said FDA Associate Commissioner Randall Lutter.

Changes to Medicare Prescription Drug Plans for 2007

Just as physicians, pharmacists and patients were beginning to understand the 2006 Medicare Part D plans, changes have been announced for the 2007 plans. Open enrollment starts November 15th. Patients happy with their current plan should still take a look….their best choice for 2006 May NOT be best for 2007. The AVERAGE monthly premium will stay at around $24 to $29, but the cheapest will go UP to about $10. Plan premiums, formularies, and co-pays may be different, even if patients stay in the SAME plan. With a full year's worth of experience, your pharmacist is in the best position to offer advice as to which plan may be best for you. Please do not hesitate to call upon us to answer any questions you may have. It has been our experience during the last year, that the cheapest plan is not usually the best, and we now know which of the many insurance companies are best avoided.

Airline rules regarding carry-on medications are changing.

Although we have always urged patients to carry on all their medications in case their luggage goes missing, the new rules by the airlines make this more difficult. You can still carry on your meds, BUT they must be in original pharmacy containers, and labeled by the pharmacist. The name on the prescription bottle must match that of the ticket holder. The problems arise when the medications are large, and require large vials that may not fit in your carry on luggage. It also makes no sense to carry a 30 or more day's supply with you for a 1 or 2 week trip. We can help by reprinting your original prescription labels, and affixing them to smaller containers that will carry just enough medication to last the duration of you trip. Your liquid medications must not exceed 3 ounces, but we can also furnish a reprinted label on a 3 oz. container. This service of course, is free of charge. It is always a good idea to check with your airline in advance, to avoid frustration and delays during security check-in.

Political changes may bode well for Medicare recipients.

Newly elected members of congress have indicated that one of their top priorities will be to rescind the onerous clause passed in a previous session, which prohibits Medicare from dealing directly with drug manufacturers for discounts on behalf of seniors. Any money saved by Medicare could result in increased benefits and less expensive treatments for seniors. Hopefully, at last the government seems to realize that the skyrocketing costs of Medicare and Medicaid are due to the indefensible prices charged by big Pharma.

Saving money on cholesterol drugs.

If you are currently taking Zetia or Vytorin for Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, taking half of a tablet will usually give essentially the same results as a full tablet. The difference in LDL lowering effect is negligible. Be sure to use a good pill-splitter. It's more accurate than a knife, but be sure to check with your physician before making any changes in your dosage.

Well seems we're out of room for this month's edition. Please let us know your opinion of this newsletter, and if you would like us to continue it in the future.

The pharmacists and staff at M.D. Pharmacy, your neighborhood pharmacy.

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