Michigan is the first state to launch coronavirus "Test to Treat" programs that include free testing and telehealth services, with 13 locations throughout the state. The state health department said Monday the Mitten State is the first to launch this federal initiative at neighborhood testing sites to provide quick access to free COVID-19 antiviral medications. What is the COVID Test to Treat program? The program serves Michigan residents with limited access to a health care provider. The sites allow people to access COVID-19 testing, a health assessment and appropriate prescriptions in one visit. People who test positive for COVID-19 at the location can utilize the free telehealth services on-site. A health care provider will review the person’s medical history and [...]

By Mark Hicks | The Detroit News Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed an executive directive to determine how the state can lower the cost of insulin, her office announced. "The egregiously high cost of insulin is unsustainable," Whitmer said in the order. "My administration is committed to making insulin available to those who need it at an affordable price." The governor's move comes after U.S. President Joe Biden in August signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps insulin copayments at $35 per month starting in January for Medicare beneficiaries only. A $35-per-month limit on out-of-pocket costs for those on private health insurance was removed from the legislation. Whitmer's order noted "many Michiganders who need life-saving insulin are not covered by the [...]

Ilisa Bernstein, PharmD, JD, FAPhA, interim executive vice president and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) released the following statement regarding HHS Secretary Becerra signing a Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act declaration that grants pharmacists the authority to administer monkeypox vaccines. “APhA appreciates the trust and confidence that HHS has in pharmacists by issuing a PREP Act declaration enabling pharmacists, pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians, as appropriate, to order and administer monkeypox vaccines and therapeutics across the country, under certain conditions. This will provide greater access to patients in need of these vaccines and treatments to address this public health outbreak.” “This is a win for patients. Pharmacists are easily accessible and readily located, particularly in underserved communities. State [...]

The CDC dropped its universal masking guideline for healthcare workers after a weeklong slowdown in COVID-19 hospitalizations and nursing home infections nationwide, CBS News reported Sept. 23. The change is one of the final sets of revisions to overhaul recommendations for COVID-19 since August. The CDC says healthcare facilities should still rely on its original "Community Transmission" benchmarks. This means over a quarter of counties nationwide can choose not to require masking in their facilities. Masking is still recommended, especially during situations such as an outbreak or when caring for immunocompromised patients.

The causes of burnout in pharmacy are multifactorial. The solutions need to be as well. Pharmacy is a rewarding career. Pharmacists provide much-needed access to health care for people living in care deserts and they keep people safe with vaccination services. But as helpful and as important as the job is, burnout is still a fact of life for many pharmacists. Even before the pandemic, burnout in the profession was on the rise. A 2019 workforce study1 found that 71% of practicing pharmacists reported workload as high or excessively high, and studies since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have found that burnout has increased, with some finding 35.9% had increased workload, 52.2% worked overtime, and challenges like patient incivility.2 The [...]