Insights Newsletter October 2026: Emerging Trends for Clinical Leadership

This month’s Insights Newsletter covers the latest practice-changing pharmacy updates, emerging trends, and popular natural medicine topics and resources. 

Once-Weekly Insulin Icodec (Awiqli) Arrives for Type 2 Diabetes

Your team will field plenty of questions about insulin icodec (Awiqli), the first once-weekly, ultra-long-acting U-700 basal insulin—approved for type 2 diabetes only (not type 1, and not for patients under 18). Our articles cover how once-weekly icodec compares to daily glargine or degludec (slightly lower A1c, similar hypoglycemia risk), and walks through dosing in practice: how to start insulin-naive patients at 70 units once weekly, how to calculate a converting patient’s loading and week-2 doses, and how to handle a missed dose. We also flag why icodec is a high-alert medication—its 700 units/mL concentration and multidose pen raise the risk of dosing errors—and what to tell patients about storage once the pen is in use. Your team can use our Comparison of Insulins chart to see how icodec stacks up against other basal insulin options. Read More

Community Pharmacies: Point Out the Big Changes to Medicare Part D Plans in 2027

Patients will start asking about 2027 Medicare Part D changes as open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. Our articles prep your team for a bigger-than-usual shift: the annual deductible rising to $700 (up from $615), the out-of-pocket cap climbing to $2,400, and CMS estimating more than 45% of patients will see premiums increase $10 to $20 per month as pandemic-era subsidies expire. We also cover what’s staying the same—the $35/month insulin cap, no-cost recommended vaccines, and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan for spreading out costs. Read More

Hospitals: Stay Ahead of Supply Issues for Neonatal Starter PN

Hospitals need to be ready to compound their own neonatal “starter” parenteral nutrition (PN) bags after a major 503B supplier announced it will stop making premixed starter PN—prompting FDA to temporarily ease compounding guidance while the market adjusts. Our articles cover how to standardize starter PN to limit options and reduce errors, safety checkpoints for ordering, verifying, and compounding, and why hospitals should switch each baby to custom PN within 24 to 48 hours to conserve starter PN supply and better meet individual nutrition needs. Read More

Caffeine Guidelines Prompting Questions

Patients are asking if a recent American Heart Association statement means it’s now safe to drink more coffee, but the headlines are overstating what actually changed. Our NatMed article clears up the confusion. The AHA statement didn’t raise the recommended limit – up to 400 mg of caffeine, or about 4 cups of coffee daily, remains the guideline for most adults, and caffeine content varies widely across coffee products. For kids and teens, caffeine should stay under 2.5 mg/kg daily, and remind families that only added caffeine (not naturally occurring caffeine) is required on labels, so energy drinks and caffeine powders can carry hidden amounts. Read More

Pharmacy & Prescriber Podcasts

Medication Talk

Listen to this month’s podcast episode, Managing Poisonings, as our expert panel of toxicologists and poison-center specialists discusses common questions and best practices about poisoning treatment, from when to call the poison center versus head to the emergency department, to which everyday medications belong on the “one pill can kill” list for kids. Read More

Rumor vs Truth

Listen to the latest episode, Generic Meds, as our editors pick apart the claims pharmacists hear most about generic drugs. Read More

Clinical Capsules

Listen to our latest episode, Preventing Motion Sickness: Where Tradipitant Fits Into Therapy, as our TRC Healthcare Associate Editor and Clinical Pharmacist Vickie Danaher, PharmD, discusses preventing motion sickness with today’s OTC and prescription products. She covers where the new neurokinin-1 antagonist tradipitant fits into therapy, which options are first-line, non-drug measures patients can try, and more. Read More

Other Covered Topics

Be sure to listen to our new Natural Medicines: Evidence in Practice podcast, Toxic Yellow Oleander in Weight Loss Supplements: Recognize the Risk, learn how our Certification Renewal Manager makes PTCB recertification seamless for your technicians and register for our upcoming webinar, What Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation Really Takes, for expert insights on achieving and maintaining accreditation. Read More