At RxSpark we believe prescription drugs and medication should be accessible and affordable for all Americans. In addition to the savings, discounts, and convenience that RxSpark provides, the RxSpark Blog is here to bring you information, news, current events, and important upates on topics that affect healthcare and prescription drugs. Be sure to check back frequently for updates, and if you find any information that is particularly helpful please don't hesitate to share!
The Trump Administration has finalized new rules changing the maximum length of short-term, limited duration health plans, a step it claims will increase health insurance options for Americans. Issued by the US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and Treasury, the new...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the first of two new pieces of draft guidance that may eventually enable e-cigarette manufacturers to apply for regulated drug status for their products. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said there is “no greater impact we can...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Azedra (iobenguane I 131), the first drug approved for treatment of rare unresectable adrenal gland tumors that spread beyond the original tumor site and need treating with a systemic anti-cancer therapy. Adrenal glands, situated above...
Read MorePatients with neutropenia may have improved access to treatment following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of Nivestym (filgrastim-aafi), a biosimilar for Amgen biologic Neupogen (filgrastim). The FDA’s approval of the biosimilar was based on a review...
Read MoreStreamlining the process of bringing biosimilars to market is one of the keys to facilitating innovation and reducing healthcare costs, according to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Speaking at the Brookings Institution on the release of the FDA’s...
Read MorePharmaceutical giant Merck has reiterated it’s commitment to responsible drug pricing, pledging not to increase the average net price of its products by more than annual inflation. Last year, the company published its second annual Pricing Action Transparency Report, which demonstrated...
Read MoreLast week, Tibsovo (ivosidenib), a new targeted therapy for the treatment of certain adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a specific genetic mutation, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Richard Pazdur, MD, director of the FDA’s...
Read MorePharmaceutical manufacturer Bayer will stop selling and distributing the Essure permanent contraceptive device in the United States after December 31st, 2018, the company announced last week. The product is the only permanent non-surgical form of birth control available in the US and is...
Read MoreDetection of an impurity has prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to announce a voluntary recall of several medications containing the active ingredient valsartan. Among the products recalled are valsartan-containing medications manufactured by Major Pharmaceuticals, Solco Healthcare...
Read MoreThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is examining ways to empower consumers by improving access to a range of non-prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medication and drug products. OTC drugs, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Claritin (loratadine), are considered the first line treatment...
Read More“Change is coming to prescription drug pricing,” is the message from Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Alex Azar, who made the comments at the annual meeting of 340B Health, a trade group for 340B hospitals. At the meeting, he suggested the existing 340B system is in need...
Read MoreOver one-third (34.2 percent) of adults living in America’s rural counties are obese, according to the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obesity prevalence was significantly higher among adults in the nation’s...
Read MoreNew safety labeling changes for fluoroquinolone antibiotics, require these medications to carry stronger warnings about potential mental health side effects and the risk of serious blood sugar disturbances. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced measures to improve labeling consistency...
Read MoreEpidiolex (cannabidiol) is the first medication based on a purified drug substance, cannabidiol (CBD), derived from marijuana to gain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug is indicated for patients aged two years and older with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet...
Read MorePharmaceutical giant Pfizer has raised the price of more than 40 of its medications, including cholesterol-lowering medicine Lipitor (atorvastatin) and erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil). It is the second time the company has announced price increases this year, having raised the price...
Read MoreThe National Institute on Aging (NIA) has issued guidelines to help older adults reduce the risk of hyperthermia, or heat-related health conditions, during the hot summer months. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to heat-related ailments, such as heat stroke, heat edema, heat cramps, heat...
Read MoreUsing a combination of statins and alirocumab to treat patients with diabetes and a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may significantly reduce their risk of further cardiac events, according to the analysis of a recent clinical trial. People with a history of ACS, which includes heart...
Read MoreLess than one-quarter of Americans get the government-recommended amount of exercise, according to an annual health survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Health Statistics Report examined responses to an annual survey and found only 23 percent...
Read MoreManagement of type 1 diabetes in pediatric patients could become easier following the approval of an automated insulin delivery and monitoring system for use in children between the ages of seven and 13. Medtronic’s MiniMed 670G hybrid closed loop system monitors glucose levels and...
Read MoreAmericans suffering from severe emphysema now have a new treatment option available following the decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve, or Zephyr Valve. The device, marketed by Pulmonx Inc, is placed into diseased areas of the lungs by a...
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