Buzz Newsletter 051426

Welcome to the May 14 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.

Dr. Marty Makary is resigning as head of the FDA just 13 months after taking the helm of the administration. His tenure has been troubled, with complaints coming from both within and without the regulatory agency. Makary faced pressure from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., among others, but his efforts to speed up drug reviews should not be overshadowed. The FDA recently began work on real-time approvals during the drug trial process that could get important medicine to market faster. 

Are PBMs reforming themselves? One of the largest PBMs in the country says it's implementing changes to be less PBM-y. 

 

Optum Rx announced that it is adopting a new model reimbursement that is not linked to list prices or volume of prescriptions but rather to flat monthly fees. The company says it is designed to eliminate spread pricing and operate with more transparency for clients and pharmacies alike. 

 

The full press release from UnitedHealth Group can be found here. 

NAD+ has some fantastic marketing. Wellness influencers and celebrities are touting the restorative powers of the coenzyme, which initially the NAD+ researchers found exciting. 

 

However, one of the leading researchers into NAD+ says that the "cart might be well ahead of the horse." While evidence is certainly leaning toward all of the wonderful claims being true, not all are scientifically verified and more research is needed. Most of the research to date has been in animal studies, not human. 

 

Wellness is the subject of multiple CE sessions at the 2026 Georgia Pharmacy Convention, including a session on peptides with Pete Nagel, PharmD, and one on implementing a metabolic wellness program with Laura Greene, PharmD. If you have not yet registered for the Convention, you can do so here. 

Back in April, we covered the news of a new breakthrough drug for treating pancreatic cancer, daraxonrasib. 

 

The New York Times published an article this week that goes into detail about how a medication that that came to fruition. It's a good read about how scientists made the breakthrough discovery that could mean an extended lifespan -- if not a cure -- of one of the deadliest cancers. 

Tazverik, a sarcoma and lymphoma drug, has been voluntarily pulled from the market by its manufacturer due to an increase risk of blood cancers developing.

 

The risk was noted back in 2020 when the medication was first approved but studies have shown since then that the rate of incidence has increased beyond original trial results, so Ipsen has pulled the medication from the market. 

Your dog might help you live longer. 

 

Of course they do, because dogs are awesome. But they also get their owners/guardians/staff outside more for walks, lower their blood pressure, and improve overall cardiac health. All of those can lead to increased longevity. 

 

Because they're good boys & girls. 

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! 

 

 

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. 

 

Or Region 9 members & friends can join the Region 9 Spring Meeting on May 21 at 6:00pm at J. Michael's Prime in Canton, sponsored by Dexcom.