September 13 Pharmacy Week in Review: WHO Statement Emphasizes Accurate Vaccine Information; FDA Issues Warning Letter to JUUL Labs; Study Says Many Deaths Still Attributed HIV

This weekly video program provides our readers with an in-depth review of the latest news, medical product approvals, FDA rulings, and more. The Week in Review highlights a Contemporary Clinic article each week, and is a can't miss for the busy health care professional.

Laura Joszt, Host:Hello and welcome to thePharmacy TimesNews Network. I’m Laura Joszt your host for our Pharmacy Week in Review.

The World Health Organization recently issued a statement emphasizing the importance of disseminating accurate vaccine information,Pharmacy Timesreported.

Vaccine misinformation is considered a major risk to public health, threatening to reverse the sound scientific research on the importance of immunizations. Additionally, the WHO statement discussed the efforts of platforms such as Facebook and Instagram that are trying to combat misinformation by directing social media users to the organization’s accurate and reputable vaccine information, available in several languages.

Facebook and WHO have been collaborating to ensure that people have accurate information at their fingertips to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis, influenza, measles, polio, and yellow fever.

The WHO statement highlights the importance of the government and health sectors taking steps to instill trust in vaccines and educating parents about the importance of immunizations and alleviating their concerns.

The FDA has issued a letter to JUUL Labs Inc, requesting more information about the company's outreach and marketing practices of electronic nicotine delivery systems and related products, as well as the company’s advertising and marketing. The letter specified concerns around marketing targeted at students,Contemporary Clinicreported.

To align with FDA policies, companies must scientifically demonstrate that their products pose less risk than traditional products before they are able to market products for reduced risk. According to acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless, JUUL has ignored this law in marketing its products.

The warning letter cited several statements examined during a July 2019 Congressional hearing on JUUL products. According to the testimony, a JUUL representative speaking with students at a school made statements that identified JUUL products as "much safer than cigarettes.”

In the letter, the FDA also asked JUUL to provide information on why it uses a nicotine concentration of 5% in its products, which could potentially increase addictiveness.

A recent analysis examined long-term trends in HIV-related mortality among individuals living with the disease in New York City, showing that deaths associated with underlying infection remain prevalent,Specialty Pharmacy Timesreported.

The review of 252 autopsies in adult patients with AIDS or HIV infection also demonstrated an increase in longevity of life for individuals living with HIV between 1984 and 2010, which is because of the development of combination antiviral drug therapies.

The leading cause of death among individuals with HIV in New York City continues to be associated with infections, such as pneumocystis pneumonia in the lungs, which can even affect patients who are treated for HIV, according to the researchers.

The findings suggest that despite advances in treatment, individuals with HIV are still dying predominantly from the underlying disease and not just factors related to old age

Pharmacists may get more questions about Mavyret if patients have seen a recent commercial for the prescription medication.

In the spot, called “In Only Eight Weeks,” the narrator explains that Mavyret is the only 8-week cure for all common types of hepatitis C.

According to the commercial, Mavyret is intended to treat adults who have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C.

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Thanks for watching our Pharmacy Week in Review. I’m Laura Joszt at the Pharmacy Times News Network.