Buzz Newsletter 05/07/26

Welcome to the May 7 edition of the GPhA Buzz Newsletter.

 

This weekly round up of pharmacy news and information is a member benefit, and if you are having difficulty receiving all GPhA emails, please whitelist our domain as well as glueup.com. You can find instructions for that on our website here.

It seems not a day goes by without a mention of GLP-1s in the news, and today is no different. 

 

A new randomized trial out of Denmark shows that people with obesity and alcohol use disorder drank less while taking semaglutide. That makes perfect sense, as GLP-1s can decrease food noise and cravings. The study showed that participants receiving even a low does of semaglutide saw a 41% reduction in heavy drinking days. That could be a game changer for anyone facing addiction. 

And now for the not so great news in addiction. 

 

The New York Times has a report this week on another class of synthetic opioid hitting the streets -- orphines. Orphines are far more deadly than fentanyl and undetectable in toxicology screens. 

 

Orphines aren't new to the prescription drug world, as they were invented in the 1960s by the same team that developed fentanyl. However, research and development was halted after the team discovered deadly side effects. 

 

The article traces the resurrection of orphines by backyard chemists and how they ended up in the illicit drug supply chain again. 

Three people have died after a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, which up until Wednesday had been barred from docking off the coast of South Africa.  

 

But as of Wednesday afternoon, the AP reported that three patients with confirmed cases of hantavirus had been evacuated off the MV Hondius and taken to the Netherlands for treatment. The ship will continue on to Spain to disembark the 150 other passengers and crew. 

 

This outbreak of hantavirus, which is normally a rodent-borne disease, was an atypical virus that can spread human-to-human.  

 

Medpage Today has a good background story on the virus here. 

Cytokinetics drug Myqorzo (aficamten) showed successful trial results in treating non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which would make it the first approved drug for the condition. In December, the FDA cleared Myqorzo for treatment of obstructive cardiomyopathy. 

 

Auvelity got FDA approval last week for treating Alzheimer's dementia related agitation, making it the first in its class to treat the agitation associated with dementia. Almost 70% of Alzheimer's and dementia patients have some form of agitation, which is hard on the patient and caregiver alike. 

Speaking of Alzheimer's, there's a new study that shows that a simple amino acid -- arginine -- can reduce the buildup of amyloid proteins in the brain, thus slowing the progression of the disease. It's only been studied in animal models but results look good. 

 

Another study is showing that travel can improve mental health and slow some signs of aging, including cognitive abilities. The break from routine and being in a strange environment helps build a more resilient body and brain. 

 

May we suggest a trip to Amelia Island this summer? 

Prisons around the world are fighting the latest prison smuggling enterprises -- drone delivery -- by fortifying windows and walls and making it difficult for drones to deliver the goods (mostly drugs and weapons). 

 

However, ye olde prisons in and around London have a particular difficulty in fighting these drone drops: their prisons are so old, the brick is too crumbly to sustain any additional fortification to the structures. 

 

Not at all pharmacy related, we know. But it made us think that as much as we love old and historic buildings, sometimes new is better. 

Join 300+ of your colleagues and friends for a week full of insightful CE courses, lunches, and networking on beautiful Amelia Island. We are working hard to build the full schedule now, and can't wait to see you all June 18-21! 

 

Our 2026 Spring Region Meetings have been a big success, and we've seen good turnout across the state. We've enjoyed presentations from sponsors, and Region 5 & 7 held a joint meeting with axe throwing! 

 

The Region 11 Spring Meeting, sponsored by Wegovy, is tonight, Thursday, May 7 at 6:30pm at Cucina 503 in Augusta. You can still register or just come along and join us for a special presentation from our sponsor. The meeting is free for members and non-members alike. 

 

You can also join us at the Region 12 Spring Meeting on May 21 at 6:30pm at Saltwater Fishery in Dublin, sponsored by Amgen.