FDB (First Databank, Inc.)’s Post

Do you know what you’re injecting 💉 Patients should not have to worry about whether the medication they have been prescribed is what it says on the label. However as the popularity of weight loss medications continues to rise, so does the worrying trend of counterfeit versions entering the market. Recently, the World Health Organization issued an alert highlighting the surge of imitation Ozempic and the severe risks posed by these fake medications. https://lnkd.in/gp4V5VVi ❌So what are the risks?❌   ❓ Unknown ingredients – unlike the genuine product from Novo Nordisk which has undergone rigorous safety and efficacy testing. This may lead to increased adverse reactions and potential harm 🚫 Lack of regulation - Fake medications often bypass regulatory oversight, meaning they can be produced in unregulated environments without adherence to safety standards. This lack of control increases the risk of contamination and incorrect dosages. There seems to be online pharmacies appearing from everywhere offering these medications without much in the way of medical review/oversight. What should you advise patients? ✅ Chose providers that are trusted and regulated – the pharmacists prescribing should be GPhC registered and ideally the company/pharmacy CQC registered  🙅♂️ Avoid online platforms that do not require a prescription or offer suspiciously low prices. If it seems to good to be true…it probably is.  🔎 Verify the Product by checking the packaging, labelling, and product details against those of the genuine product. If something seems off, consult with a healthcare professional before using. ✉ Providers should ideally be sending the prescription to their GP, this means that there is another clinician assessing how appropriate the medication is. #Ozempic #Wegovy #semaglutide #GLP1 #obesitycare #weightmanagement #obesity #metabolichealth #novonordisk #medicineregulation #WHO #safeprescribing #habitual #pharmacy #GPhC #clinicalsafety #digitalhealth

African nations are not the only ones battling substandard falsified medical products. You would be mistaken if you thought this sort of thing only happens in places with regulatory challenges like in some African nations. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday sent warning letters to CVS Health, Walgreens and other companies over manufacturing and marketing of unapproved eye products the agency says could pose a risk to people who use them. The agency said the products are illegally marketed to treat conditions including conjunctivitis — pink eye — glaucoma and cataracts, and some of the warnings cited sterility issues with the products. If this happens in the US, then it shows that regulators anywhere can never rest on their laurels if FDA faces issues like this with well-established businesses like Walgreens and CVS. https://lnkd.in/e8JcNDUF #africa #health #healthcare #medicines #vaccines #regulatorycompliance

Drug diversion is a national problem that places patients and staff at risk. It can also create financial and public relations liabilities. Discover four steps to creating a medication diversion program shared by HealthTrust’s Pharmacy Solutions team. #drugdiversion #pharmacy

READ: Agency and Industry Discuss Drug Supply Chain Policy Solutions https://lnkd.in/erqqksK3 Author: Pat Day "This past June 12th, representatives from various government agencies as well as industry leaders and the Duke-Margolis ReVAMP Drug Supply Chain Consortium met to discuss policy solutions to improve the reliability of U.S. drug supply chains." Click to Read More! #SupplyChain #DrugShortage #Quality Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy

Our modern healthcare system is a labyrinth, and lurking within its twists and turns is an unexpected danger: our own medicine cabinets. As we increasingly rely on prescription drugs, we also expose ourselves to a myriad of unseen threats, all hidden within those innocuous pill bottles. Today, the battleground of prescription drug misuse is riddled with painkillers, stimulants, and depressants. Opioids, Adderall, and various antidepressants take center stage, their potential for abuse often overlooked. Is it time to raise questions about the pharmaceutical industry's role in promoting these drugs? Perilously, the industry's influence on prescribing practices, aggressive marketing tactics, and profit motives are alleged to contribute to this ongoing crisis. Is there a lack of transparency at play here? It's a popular yet deadly misconception that prescription medications are entirely safe. In reality, each has a range of potential side effects, risks, and interactions - some even lead to dependence and withdrawal, whilst the overuse of antibiotics is driving a public health catastrophe in the form of antibiotic resistance. Are we adequately educated on these dangers? Finally, let's not ignore the unseen impact of prescription drug misuse and overuse. More than 2 million Americans are fighting a battle against prescription opioid addiction, a war that often escalates to more dangerous substances like heroin. So, how do we navigate this labyrinth? Improved policies, more open communication, patient education, and wide adoption of electronic prescribing systems are just part of the solution. As active participants in our healthcare decisions, we must also demand transparency, regulation, and adherence to ethical marketing practices. Our journey through the prescription drug era is fraught with perils, but by unmasking these hidden dangers, we can strive towards a healthier, safer future. #PrescriptionDrugDangers #HealthcareTransparency #PatientSafety #PharmaceuticalMarketing #AddictionAwareness Read more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/erfBdcXj

In this Breaking Down Health Care conversation, John Hennessy, MBA, and Michael Kolodziej, MD, discuss the process of drug approvals and the role of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including how and why the process takes so much time—and can add to the cost of treatments once they hit the market. "Until fairly recently, the FDA wasn't very tough on companies to complete their follow-up studies. But the political climate has changed, and now it's acknowledged that those follow-up studies have got to be done. And if the data doesn't confirm that efficacy that we thought was present, those drugs should go. We need to see more of that at the FDA. That, in fact, is the primary mechanism by which we safeguard the efficacy part of the FDA mandate," said Dr Kolodziej. Check out the full conversation here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eNkzTp45 #JournalOfClinicalPathways #DrugApprovals #HealthCareCosts #FDA #Medication

https://lnkd.in/gCVbysXy I for sure appreciate this as there is “no pinch and zoom” capability on physical drug packaging. I am also hoping more data is made available around side effects, personalized dosage (upon consent) etc… #authenticity #transparency #justwow #initiative

🖊#fda has approved RiVive, 3 milligrams (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription use for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. 💡The approval of RiVive nasal spray for nonprescription use was supported by data from a study submitted that showed similar levels of RiVive reach the bloodstream as an approved prescription naloxone product. The drug has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for use. 👉Check out the Clinical Considerations for Studies of Devices Intended to Treat Opioid Use Disorder: https://shorturl.at/lvCGY #fdaapproval #opioidusedisorder #naloxone #devices #symmetrictraining

Our presentation at the World Drug Safety Congress Americas by the American Society of Pharmacovigilance in Boston. What's Next: New Horizons for Patient Safety and Personalized Medicine with Benjamin Brown, me, and Cathy Cather #patientsafety #pharmacovigilance #pharmacogenomics #PGx #fourthcause

The August 2023 issue of Health Affairs is now available. Dive into a variety of topics, including articles on prescription drug price competition, the long-term effects of OxyContin marketing, the targeting of hospital COVID-19 relief funds, the effects of a nurse home visiting program, and more. Catch up with your copy today: https://bit.ly/3OK31UQ