mularies and benefits to include a full range of treatment options then in use by prescription drug plans. Mandates imposed by the MMA included a requirement that Part D was to provide the most clinically appropriate medications at the lowest achievable cost for all Part D beneficiaries. The MMA also required CMS to acknowledge the specific needs of individuals who were already stabilized with ...

indications for linezolid use are nosocomial or community-acquired pneumonia and skin infections or soft tissue infection caused by gram-positive microorganisms, but new recommendations may emerge. it is important to balance benefits with risks because severe adverse events have been described in patients taking linezolid treatment. accordingly, we evaluated the suitability of linezolid prescri...

BACKGROUND Assessment of patterns of drug to detect performance problems and compliance with standards facilitates objective comparisons and impact evaluation. Children are at higher risk of consequences of irrational prescribing and antibiotic misuse. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the prescribing pattern and utilization of antibiotics for children using standard prescr...

Data from the 2001 College Alcohol Study, a national sample of U.S. college students, were used to conduct multinomial logistic regression analysis examining correlates of substance use. Students were divided into three groups based on their lifetime substance use: non-users, non-medical prescription drug use only, and illicit/street drug use only. The purpose of this analytic strategy was to e...

Sofosbuvir is an antiviral drug that entirely revolutionized the treatment of hepatitis C. This drug has an Iranian commercial brand, which is known as Ledibiox. Several adverse events have been reported with this drug, including syncope, pancolitis, and exacerbated pulmonary arterial hypertension; however, arrhythmia rarely has been described through the literature. Here, we report a 40-year-o...

The Medicare Part D prescription drug program was implemented in 2006 to provide prescription drug coverage for elderly and disabled citizens. Recent data indicate that Part D provides prescription drug coverage for 3.4 million American seniors who did not otherwise have prescription insurance.1 Analyses of prescription claims data suggest that Part D has increased prescription drug utilization...

The determinants of realized, perceived, and potential access to prescription drugs among an elderly population were studied. Data were derived from telephone interviews of 3498 noninstitutionalized elderly persons living in west Texas. Access indicators examined were whether the respondents were taking prescription drugs, had perceived problems in obtaining prescription drugs, had comprehensiv...

Despite increased availability of online promotional tools for prescription drug marketers, evidence on online prescription drug promotion is far from settled or conclusive. We highlight ways in which online prescription drug promotion is similar to conventional broadcast and print advertising and ways in which it differs. We also highlight five key areas for future research: branded drug websi...

Introduction P harmaceuticals are a critical element of modern medical treatment, yet the traditional Medicare benefits package does not include coverage of outpatient prescription drugs. This omission is significant because the 38.1 million people who comprise the Medicare population are disproportionately likely to use drugs.The elderly represent 14 percent of the U.S. population but account ...

The medications most often implicated in prescription drug abuse are opioid analgesics, sedative-hypnotics and stimulants. Patients with acute or chronic pain, anxiety disorders and attention-deficit disorder are at increased risk of addiction comorbidity. It is important to ask patients about their substance-use history, including alcohol, illicit drugs and prescription drugs. Patients who abu...