Inmar Insights: Healthcare

There's No Single Cause Behind The Overdose Epidemic

There’s a reason you see and hear so much about fentanyl; its potency as an opioid is surpassed only by its ability to damage public health when illicitly manufactured, distributed and misused. But, with stories of fentanyl-fueled tragedy dominating the news, it’s easy to overlook the fact that our nation’s health faces a significant threat from another, very close-at-hand source -- the diversion of drugs stored at home. A look at available data, however, reveals how “loss of custody” of medications at the household level is contributing to the current health emergency.

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Transforming Drug Diversion Monitoring with AI

Drug diversion monitoring plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of pharmaceutical supply chains, helping ensure patient safety and preventing illicit activities. It’s worth noting that approximately 1 in every 100 healthcare workers are estimated to divert drugs (Protenus, 2023 Diversion Digest). Relying solely on manual processes to detect anomalies and identify trends that point to drug diversion in the clinical space has proven to be time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. Enter AI — a game-changer that has revolutionized drug diversion monitoring with efficient pattern recognition, real-time insights, and enhanced accuracy.

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Successful Returns Management Starts With An Effective Returns Policy

Establishing a clear and consistent returns policy is an absolute requirement for any drug- or device-maker committed to successfully mitigating the financial liability attached to product flowing back through the supply chain.

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Importing Drugs from Canada: Prudent policy or political ploy?

The recent decision by the Food and Drug Administration to approve Florida’s Canadian Prescription Drug Importation Program was definitely a new development in the “Will Canadian drug imports solve anything?” saga, but that the FDA gave the state the go-ahead should be no real surprise to anyone.

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The Push for Healthcare Price Transparency: Will Pharmacies See a Benefit?

Recent passage of the Lower Costs, More Transparency (LCMT) Act in a bipartisan vote by the U.S. House of Representatives is being heralded by the bill’s sponsors as “landmark legislation,” but is it really? The bill -- which is a long way from becoming law -- is focused on the very politically popular issue of lowering prescription drug prices for consumers. But where is the benefit for pharmacies?  

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Are Your Hazardous Drug Handlers Taking Proper Precautions?

In conjunction with USP797, which covers hazardous drug compounding, USP800 became official on November 1st, 2023 — which means you could already be out of compliance!

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How Will FDA’s Stabilization Period Impact Your Pharmacy?

The goal of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) is, and has always been, the safety and security of prescription drugs for patients. So when the industry began voicing concern about meeting the November 2023 deadline, the FDA listened and updated its guidance. 

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Align Your Pharmacy With The DSCSA Timeline

Compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) means you have to be able to track and trace the transaction history of every medication that passes through your pharmacy. Managing DSCSA requirements is critical for ensuring patient safety, but so is having the time to focus on patients — and you can’t afford to sacrifice one for the other. There needs to be a solid plan in place before compliance is at stake.

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Your Hospital Could be at Risk in Multiple Departments

When you think of recalls, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  Most people in the healthcare industry would probably say pharmaceuticals, but those aren’t the only hospital products that get recalled. Not by a long shot. From biologics to devices to food in the cafeteria, your facility is full of potential recalls. It’s important you’re prepared to protect staff and patients in every department. 

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