Formulary management of 2 new agents: lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate for weight loss.

Background: Obesity may lead to the development of multiple chronic disease states, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Over a half billion adults worldwide are affected by obesity, and more than two-thirds of adults are either obese or overweight in the United States. Diet and exercise have been the mainstays of treatment in this population; however, once failed, noninvasive, long-term effective treatment modality is lacking, and medications may potentially fill the void.

Generic drug discount programs: are prescriptions being submitted for pharmacy benefit adjudication?

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Background: In 2006, pharmacies began offering select generic prescription drugs at discount prices (e.g., $4 for a 30-day supply) through nonmembership and membership programs.

Formulary management of the protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir for chronic hepatitis C virus.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic bloodborne illness in the United States. The incidence of acute hepatitis C in the United States peaked near 50,000 cases in the late 1980s but has stabilized since 2003 to less than 5,000 cases annually. The combination of pegylated interferon (peginterferon) and ribavirin has been the standard recommended treatment for HCV.

Prevalence and predictors of utilization of community pharmacy generic drug discount programs.

Background: Since 2006, select pharmacies in the United States have been offering programs where prescriptions for certain generic medications can be filled at very low cost (e.g., a 30-day supply for $4).