This month’s Insights Newsletter covers the latest practice-changing pharmacy updates, emerging trends, and natural medicines trending topics and resources. Read about how to prepare for the new sterile compounding USP <797> and nonsterile compounding <797> updates. Learn how to keep up with the latest changes in pharmacy law, the latest schedule for the CriticalPoint trainings, and more!
Insights Newsletter | January 2023
Prepare for USP <795> Nonsterile Compounding Changes
Updated USP <795> standards that will impact nonsterile compounding will go into effect on November 1, 2023. The goal of these changes is to optimize the quality of compounded preparations by reducing contamination, variability, etc. Our articles explain that the new standards will affect many compounds, from “magic mouthwash,” to topicals, to suspensions or solutions from liquids or pills, as well as commercially available compounding “kits.” We give advice on how to ensure pharmacies are compliant before the changes go into effect. This includes guidance on planning, requirements for the compounding area, hand hygiene, documentation, and assigning beyond-use dates. The resource we provide takes a deeper dive into the standards and answers frequently asked questions. Read Newsletter
Use New Guidelines to Reinforce Safe Opioid Use
Updated CDC guidelines related to opioid use for noncancer pain were recently published. The big change is the removal of specific recommendations, such as limiting opioid prescriptions for acute pain to three to seven days or a max opioid dose of 90 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per day. Our articles help clinicians to continue balancing opioid risks with potential benefits. We explain that non-opioids are at least as effective as opioids for many types of pain and emphasize nondrug measures for pain. We educate readers about the new focus on managing “subacute pain,” lasting one to three months, to prevent inadvertent long-term opioid use. When an opioid is needed, we give advice on the type of opioid to use, how to start it, and how to taper. We also remind readers to offer naloxone with opioid prescriptions, especially for patients at increased risk of overdose. Read Newsletter
Other Topics Covered
Learn how to stay current with the latest pharmacy law and regulatory changes, and read recent updates in our Immunization Resource Hub. Don’t miss our new on-demand webinar, and be sure to check out January’s most popular charts for our Letter products.
Insights Newsletter | January 2023
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