October 2024

Updates You Don't Want Your Team to Miss

Explain How Epinephrine Nasal Spray Compares to Injectables

The first epinephrine nasal spray (Neffy) for treating severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis is now available. Our Letter articles discuss the efficacy, dosing, and cost of this new epinephrine form. We also point out other practical considerations such as its shelf life and teaching points for patients and caregivers. Readers can find product comparisons in our chart, Emergency Epinephrine Devices. And our Managing Anaphylaxis FAQ provides guidance on recognizing symptoms, performing follow-up, and more. 

Read More 

And see our Neffy quick skim for pertinent details:

Community Topic: Expect Big Changes to Medicare Part D in 2025

Patients will ask about changes that are coming in 2025, as Medicare Part D open enrollment occurs from October 15 to December 7. Our Letter articles provide an overview of some of the biggest changes, including the new maximum annual out-of-pocket cost and deductible. Our articles also introduce the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that gives patients the option to pay out-of-pocket costs monthly to the plan rather than at the pharmacy. We also give advice on how to help patients understand plan choices, including resources patients can use to compare plans. 

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Hospital Pharmacy: Treat Congenital Syphilis Using Safe Penicillin Practices

Rates of congenital syphilis in U.S. newborns increased tenfold between 2012 and 2022 and can cause significant complications for the baby. Plus, penicillin medication errors have led to neonatal deaths. Our articles provide guidance about appropriate treatment based on the infant’s risk and clinical status, including the dose and route of penicillin administration. We also point out safe penicillin practices in the hospital. Our resource, Keeping Pediatric Patients Safe, gives more advice on ways to prevent medication errors in kids. 

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NatMed Update

Helping Patients with PTSD

The FDA’s recent rejection of MDMA therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sparking discussions about alternative care options and how to best help patients with this condition. Our NatMed article reviews the evidence for mindfulness and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) specifically as there’s supportive evidence for its use in patients with PTSD and limited safety concerns. 

Helping Patients with PTSD

The FDA’s recent rejection of MDMA therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sparking discussions about alternative care options and how to best help patients with this condition. Our NatMed article reviews the evidence for mindfulness and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) specifically as there’s supportive evidence for its use in patients with PTSD and limited safety concerns. 

Upcoming Events

Tradeshows

As we're getting closer to the end of the year, there are still a few opportunities to connect. Send us a meeting request if you’ll be attending any of these shows.

Here's where we’ll be in the coming months:

  • ANCC Magnet Pathway Conference: October 30-November 1, Booth #162
  • ASHP Midyear: December 8-12, Booth #1054

Schedule a Meeting

New Blog! Compounding Chronicles

To Certify or Not to Certify, That Is the Question

USP <797> states that, before a pharmacy can begin sterile compounding activity, the pharmacy cleanroom and devices must be certified initially and every six months thereafter. Simple. Done and done. Right? Well, maybe not so simple. In the latest blog post, Adam West explores the complexities of cleanroom certification and recertification for sterile compounding facilities, highlighting the variability in certification requirements based on specific scenarios outlined in USP <797>. He emphasizes the importance of understanding facility-specific airflow dynamics and the need for collaboration with facilities teams to ensure timely recertification. 

Read the blog post. 

Looking for a cost-effective compounding training solution for your pharmacy team?  

Get unlimited access to our virtual trainings, taught by industry-leading experts and kept up to date with the latest USP standards. At an affordable flat rate, you can send your pharmacy teams to any of our monthly trainings. And now that we've upgraded the CriticalPoint platform, you’re able to seamlessly access all of the compounding trainings in the same place as your other CE subscriptions like Pharmacist’s Letter, providing you with the most powerful one-platform solution. 

Check Out Our Upcoming Virtual Training Classes: 

Explore CriticalPoint

New Blog! Compounding Chronicles

To Certify or Not to Certify, That Is the Question

USP <797> states that, before a pharmacy can begin sterile compounding activity, the pharmacy cleanroom and devices must be certified initially and every six months thereafter. Simple. Done and done. Right? Well, maybe not so simple. In the latest blog post, Adam West explores the complexities of cleanroom certification and recertification for sterile compounding facilities, highlighting the variability in certification requirements based on specific scenarios outlined in USP <797>. He emphasizes the importance of understanding facility-specific airflow dynamics and the need for collaboration with facilities teams to ensure timely recertification. 

Read the blog post. 

Looking for a cost-effective compounding training solution for your pharmacy team?  

Get unlimited access to our virtual trainings, taught by industry-leading experts and kept up to date with the latest USP standards. At an affordable flat rate, you can send your pharmacy teams to any of our monthly trainings. And now that we've upgraded the CriticalPoint platform, you’re able to seamlessly access all of the compounding trainings in the same place as your other CE subscriptions like Pharmacist’s Letter, providing you with the most powerful one-platform solution. 

Check Out Our Upcoming Virtual Training Classes: 

Explore CriticalPoint

Pharmacy Law & Regulatory Update

Top 5 Most Searched Pharmacy Law FAQs of 2024

Curious about the most popular topics in Bula’s FAQs? Here are the 5 most searched FAQs that we saw this year: 

  1. Immunization - Vaccines: What vaccines may be administered by a pharmacist?  
  2. Expanded Scope: What "Rx-Only" drugs may pharmacists provide without a prescription from another professional?    
  3. Technician Duties: In addition to traditional technician functions that do not require professional judgment/ are non-discretionary, what tasks can a technician perform?   
  4. CPA Services Allowed: What types of clinical services can pharmacists perform under a DTM CPA? (e.g., prescribing, modifying therapy, CLIA-waived tests, etc.)  
  5. PIC for Nonresident: Does the state require a nonresident pharmacy pharmacist-in-charge to hold a license in both states?

Our team is also currently working on new FAQs related to technician immunization and Test and Treat protocols, as we've seen significant changes regarding technicians immunizing under the PREP Act and expect more updates before the end of the year.  

With Bula, you get more than just our FAQs. You also gain access to our pharmacy law database, hundreds of pharmacy policies and procedures, collaborative practice agreement templates, and more. To learn more about Bula’s offerings, contact us today.

Request Information

Product Spotlight

Quickly Assess Your Technicians' Skills and Speed Up Onboarding and Training 

Effective onboarding and career development tools are essential for improving retention and enhancing pharmacy operations. PTU Knowledge Assessment identifies pharmacy technicians' strengths and weaknesses in over 10 key areas in just 2 hours, providing a quick solution to get technicians trained and supporting your pharmacy immediately. 

Why You Need Knowledge Assessment: 

  • Efficient administrative management 
  • Provide personalized technician training 
  • Faster training & onboarding process 
  • Quickly assess technician competency 
  • Assess skills and knowledge in 10+ categories

Request Information

Streamline Training & CE/CME

Managing and assigning CE/CME and training for your clinicians just got easier! NetCE All Access now supports your team of -behavioral health professionals and case managers, in addition to APRNs, RNs, PAs, and physicians. 

Unlock the largest library of accredited CE/CME, simplify meeting state requirements, consolidate your providers, and access powerful admin and user management tools.

Clinical Resources

Medication Talk

Pharmacy and Prescriber Podcasts

Listen to this month’s podcast, Asthma and COPD Treatment, where our expert panel discusses answers to your big questions about treatment of asthma and COPD. 

Pharmacist’s Letter and Prescriber Insights subscribers can get CE credit for listening to our podcasts. 

keyboard, coffee, and phone with podcast displayed on screen

Popular Charts

Vaccinating Immunocompromised Patients

Our updated chart compares the injectable devices and new nasal spray with regard to dosing, administration, shelf life, cost, and more.   

Learn More:

Emergency Epinephrine Devices

Our updated chart answers important questions that come up frequently in practice. Use our chart for help identifying which patients are immunocompromised in the context of vaccination, whether patients with immunocompromise or their household contacts can receive inactivated or live vaccines, and more.

Learn More:

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