Buzz Newsletter 1/8/26

Welcome to the first Buzz of 2026! We are excited to be back from the holidays, and ready to bring you the latest pharmacy news and information that will make your practice better than ever. 

 

Let's get started, shall we? 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a letter to state officials at the end of 2025 saying they are not requiring the reporting of immunization status for children, adolescents, and pregnant women. This is a break from previous reporting standards started in 2024. 

 

CMS says it "does not tie payment to performance on immunization measures" and that reporting is voluntary to help CMS maintain some kind of dataset. Critics worry that this will lead to fewer vaccines across the board. 

 

On Monday of this week, the CDC updated the recommended immunization schedule again, removing several diseases from the previous routine vaccination schedule for children. 

 

The vaccines dropped from the schedule include flu, rotavirus, meningococcal, Hep A & B, COVID-19, dengue, and RSV. The American Academy of Pediatrics has taken issue with the recommendations and says the action will cause "needless suffering" among children in the U.S. 

 

Public health officials in Canada are saying that U.S. health and science institutions are no longer accurate sources of information. This comes on the heels of Canada losing it's measles elimination status in November of 2025. The U.S. is not far behind Canada in that matter, as officials in this country work to build a case with the World Health Organization to keep our status. 

The holidays saw a surge in flu cases, with 45 states reporting high or very high flu activity. And fun fact: flu cases usually don't peak until late January/early February, so brace yourselves.

 

The H3N2 virus strain is the most frequently reported strain and happens to be the one that causes the most hospitalizations and deaths in older populations. As an added bonus, it has a new version that is different from the strain in this year's flu shots. 

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are expected to try and take up the issue of the expired Affordable Care Act tax subsidies this month as they return to work from the holiday break. Four Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives -- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Rob Bresnahan (PA), Ryan Mackenzie (PA) and  Mike Lawler (NY) -- broke with their party last month and voted alongside Democrats to bring the subsidies to a vote on the House floor. 

 

Late last month, drug manufacturers announced price increases on 350 name branded medications, up 100 over last year's increase, and the list includes vaccines, and cancer treatments.

 

To be fair, they also cut the price on nine medications. 

 

This week, one-year extension was granted by the DEA to allow the prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth appointments. It's the fourth one-year extension, and advocates are pushing for a more permanent solution, as this extension came down to the wire. 

We're all about looking ahead to the future here at GPhA. In fact, that's our theme of 2026 -- we've advocated for the practice of pharmacy for 150 years, and we're not stopping any time soon. To that end, we thought we would take a look at some trends in healthcare and pharmacy that are on the horizon. 

 

Biopharma Dive put together a good list of clinical trials we need to keep an eye on in the coming year, as the biotechnology industry really has a lot of momentum building. Of course those trials include the next phase of GLP-1 agonists, gene therapies, and psychedelics. 

 

This could be the start of one of the most interesting times in healthcare, between the adoption and use of AI technology to increasing attention to behavioral and mental health. Global Healthcare Resource put together a list of the six biggest trends impacting healthcare in the coming year. 

 

Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, has begun marketing their recently approved oral version of the popular GLP-1 as it's now available in the U.S. market. Approved just before the holidays, the medication boasts a 17% average weight loss and is meant for patients who cannot tolerate the injectable medication. 

 

Safer Opioids On Horizon 

Researchers have discovered a new way to use opioids for pain relief without some of the more dangerous side effects. While it won't produce a new pain medication right away, it's a step toward understanding how to build one that might alleviate pain without slowing breathing or creating dangerous addictions. 

 

We said we wouldn't look back, but there are notable moments in medicine that need attention, including testing for Alzheimer's earlier and a pill for sleep apnea. 

Each year at the Georgia Pharmacy Convention, GPhA honors pharmacists and technicians who exemplify the best of the practice of pharmacy. Take a moment to nominate a pharmacist or technician you know for one of our awards, including the Bowl of Hygeia and the Distinguished Young Pharmacist. Read the full list of awards here and use this nomination form to submit your choices. Nominations are open now through February 2, 2026. 

 

We so enjoy having you as a member of GPhA, and want you to stay with us in the coming year. If you have not officially renewed, you're in a grace period, but we need you to confirm and renew your membership, even if you've been on automatic renewal. Give us a call or email and we'll be happy to help you with the process. 

 

Our hardworking representatives and senators in the Georgia General Assembly report back to work on Monday, January 12, and with that comes the weekly Legislative Update from GPhA. We'll recap last year's progress and outline our priorities for 2026, as well as track bills and let you know how to advocate for pharmacy in Georgia. Stay tuned for that email every Monday morning from now until the session ends.