Soon after a report revealed an average 650% markup on "gray-market" drugs, which are used when there is a shortage of other drugs, U.S. senators called for an FDA hearing. Read full article.

A monthly review of the
peer-reviewed literature by
Drug Topics' Editorial Advisor
Anna D. Garrett, PharmD, BCPS. Anna Garrett is manager, Outpatient Clinical Pharmacy Programs, Mission Hospital, Asheville, N.C.

Medication storage was one of the biggest problems that The Joint Commission found in hospitals in 2010, according to its new survey. Read full article.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is warning pharmacists, physicians, and nurses against misadministration of insulin through inappropriate dosing and treatment of hyperkalemia. Read full article.

Premature infants who get empirical antibiotic therapy for five days or more are at higher risk for late-onset sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and death, according to a new report. Read full article.

FDA has approved emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Complera, Gilead Sciences), a complete single-tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in treatment-naive adults. Read full article.

FDA has announced changes to the boxed warnings, contraindications, and warnings sections of the labels
for 32 products. Read full article.

FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of March 27, 2012, for the review of the New Drug Application for the investigational agent peginesatide (formerly known as Hematide). If approved, peginesatide will be the first once-monthly erythropoiesis stimulating agent available for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease in patients on dialysis in the United States. Read full article.