Pain Point: Opioid overdoses and deaths continue to be a major public health concern. Narcan (naloxone) 4 mg nasal spray will make the prescription-to-OTC switch to help increase access to this life-saving treatment.

Solution: Our Pharmacist’s Letter, Prescriber’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, Hospital Pharmacist’s Letter, and Hospital Pharmacy Technician’s Letter articles provide talking points healthcare professionals can use to help patients, caregivers, and families get on board with naloxone. We include tips on how to offer patients naloxone as well as key patient education pearls, such as how to identify a possible overdose, administer naloxone, and get follow-up care. Our resource, Meds for Opioid Overdose, offers guidance on how products compare, details on Good Samaritan laws, and answers to other common questions. 

Pain Point: Pharmacists in over 20 states can now prescribe contraceptives and an OTC progestin-only pill may be approved soon.

Solution: Our Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacist’s Letter Canada, Prescriber’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Pharmacy Technician’s Letter Canada articles equip readers with the knowledge they need to help patients sort through contraceptive options wherever they practice. We highlight how contraceptives compare in efficacy, safety, frequency of use, and risks and benefits so that clinicians can work with patients to individualize contraceptive choices. Our resource, Choosing a Contraceptive, includes recommendations to tailor therapy for patients with comorbidities, such as migraine or obesity, and to help manage common side effects.

Pain Point: Over 90% of patients who report a penicillin allergy aren’t truly allergic, partly because about 80% of those with a true allergy to penicillin (amoxicillin, etc) lose their sensitivity 10 years after a reaction. The concern is that patients who report a penicillin allergy may unnecessarily get antibiotics that are less effective, more toxic, or more costly.

Solution: Our Hospital Pharmacist’s Letter and Hospital Pharmacy Technician’s Letter articles provide ways to assess and document penicillin allergies and evaluate antibiotic options in these patients. We also explain the latest thinking about safely choosing an alternative beta-lactam antibiotic based on whether it shares a similar “R1” side chain. This means there are more alternative antibiotics available to patients since there’s less cross-reactivity than previously thought. Our resource, Managing Beta-Lactam Allergies, gives guidance on cephalosporin allergies.

We are excited to announce that Natural Medicines is now NatMed Pro!

Rest assured, you’ll still get the same access to everything you know and love about Natural Medicines. The transition to NatMed Pro will be seamless for you. You’ll continue to access NatMed Pro at naturalmedicines.com and receive the monthly newsletter.

If you’re not getting the NatMed newsletter, make sure you're opted in to our communications. Look out for our new name and logo as we begin to update materials.

Build competence and in-demand compounding skills with CriticalPoint's upcoming 2023 virtual trainings.

Learn more and view the training schedule here.

This month’s TRC Hot Topic on-demand webinar features an expert panel discussion and clinical guidance on sorting through specifics of penicillin allergies. Listen in as speaker, Deanna L. McDanel, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist – Ambulatory Care, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Iowa Healthcare and College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA, and other panelists discuss and answer common clinical questions.

Watch the webinar.