Pharmacy Focus

Pharmacy Times
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  • Medicine
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The Pharmacy Times® Pharmacy Focus podcast provides the latest industry news and information, thought-leader insights, clinical updates, patient counseling tools, and innovative solutions for the everyday practice and business of pharmacy. Winner of the 2021 Digital Health Media/Publications Audio Merit Award. 

  1. 1h ago

    Inside the New Consensus Recommendations for Acute Stroke Care

    In this episode of Mind the Meds, host Erica Marini, PharmD, opens with the month's neurology pharmacy news: Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb paused CAR T-cell trials in autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis, after safety concerns. FDA approvals included tavapadon (Juvmo; AbbVie), a selective D1/D5 dopamine agonist for Parkinson disease; apitegromab (Isembyld; Scholar Rock), an add-on myostatin inhibitor for spinal muscular atrophy; and levacetylleucine (Aqneursa; IntraBio Inc) for ataxia-telangiectasia.  FDA also granted priority review to satralizumab (Genentech) for relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody–associated disease. Currently, it is approved for anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder under the brand name Enspryng. Marini closes the segment with positive results for ulefnersen (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka Pharmaceutical) in FUS-ALS in the phase 3 FUSION trial (NCT04768972) and for atogepant (Qulipta; AbbVie) in menstrual migraine prevention. Marini is then joined by Caitlin S. Brown, PharmD, MPH, BCCCP, FCCM, FCCP, associate professor of pharmacy and emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic; and Brian Gilbert PharmD, MBA, FCCM, FNCS, FCCP, FASHP, FKCHP, a former emergency medicine clinical pharmacy specialist. Both are authors of the consensus recommendations on integrating clinical pharmacists into the acute stroke care team, published in the Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.1 The project grew out of the authors’ systematic reviews on pharmacist involvement in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Their panel brought together emergency medicine and neurocritical care pharmacists from academic and community settings, emergency physicians, a neurologist, a librarian, and a statistician. The recommendations were endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the Neurocritical Care Society, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and affirmed by the American Academy of Neurology. Gilbert notes that this multidisciplinary support gives pharmacy leaders evidence they can bring to administrators when making the case for new full-time equivalent positions. Brown and Gilbert walk through the evidence behind both recommendations. Across 10 studies in acute ischemic stroke, pharmacist involvement cut time to thrombolytic administration by about 15 minutes and helped teams meet 45- and 60-minute door-to-needle goals more often. In 6 hemorrhagic stroke studies, pharmacist involvement shortened time to reversal agent administration. The evidence is mostly low-quality retrospective data, and there are no functional outcomes data yet, so the authors relied on time-based surrogate end points. They explain that their hope is future research will capture the full range of pharmacist interventions, that telestroke services will bring pharmacists in to support rural hospitals, and that later American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines will specifically name pharmacists as members of the stroke team. The episode ends with a look back at the January 2026 AHA ischemic stroke guidelines. Most centers had already switched to tenecteplase (TNKase; Genentech), and the guests say the bigger questions now are dosing strategy and whether to keep alteplase (Activase; Genentech) on formulary. They also discuss the extended thrombolysis window of up to 9 hours for patients with favorable imaging, which they expect to spread slowly outside academic centers. Other topics include the new guidance on alteplase for pediatric stroke, which both guests have given only once, and the caution against lowering blood pressure too far after reperfusion. REFERENCEGilbert BW, Brown CS, Acquisto NM, et al. Consensus recommendations for clinical pharmacist integration into the acute stroke care team: Endorsed by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Neurocritical Care Society, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Society of Critical Care Medicine, and affirmed by the American Academy of Neurology. J Am Coll Clin Pharm. 2026;9(7):e70246. doi:10.1002/jac5.70246

    Inside the New Consensus Recommendations for Acute Stroke Care

  2. Sep 25

    How Community Pharmacies Help Patients Quit Smoking

    Cindy Valencia, PhD, MPH, is director of CA Quits at UC Davis Health Center for Healthcare Policy and Research. They can be found on LinkedIn. Robin Corelli, PharmD, is a professor of clinical pharmacy in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the School of Pharmacy of the University of California, San Francisco. You can read their bio here.

    How Community Pharmacies Help Patients Quit Smoking

  3. Sep 17

    Centanafadine May Offer Second-Line Option for Patients With ADHD If Stimulants Fail

    In this episode of Psychiatric Pharmacy Pulse, host Megan Maroney, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP, speaks with Danielle Stutzman, PharmD, BCPP, clinical assistant professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and assistant adjunct professor at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and member of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists Board of Directors, about where centanafadine (Simtriyo; Otsuka Pharmaceutical) fits into attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pharmacotherapy. Centanafadine received FDA approval in July 2026 as a norepinephrine-dopamine-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NDSRI) for ADHD in both pediatric and adult patients, with DEA scheduling still pending. Maroney and Stutzman note its mechanism is not entirely novel, drawing comparisons to tricyclic antidepressants, atomoxetine (Eli Lilly), and viloxazine (Qelbree; Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc).  A pooled meta-analysis of 4 phase 3 trials plus a phase 2b crossover study found a Hedges’ g effect size of about 0.37 for overall symptom severity versus placebo, a modest result that falls short of typical stimulant effect sizes of 0.8 to 1.0, though executive functioning outcomes on caregiver-rated scales appeared more promising. Safety data showed a nonsignificant increase in adverse effects (AEs) overall (pooled risk ratio, 1.29), with appetite suppression, nausea, and rash among the most common issues. Rash was the leading cause of study discontinuation in the youngest age group. Indirect comparisons suggested centanafadine may carry a lower risk of insomnia than methylphenidate and fewer AEs than atomoxetine and viloxazine, though lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse; Takeda Pharmaceuticals) remained more effective. A boxed warning for suicidal ideation applies, which is consistent with other ADHD medications. Practical advantages discussed include a lack of reliance on cytochrome P450 metabolism, lower drug interaction risk than atomoxetine or viloxazine, and capsules that can be opened and sprinkled on applesauce, yogurt, or orange juice. Centanafadine did increase caffeine exposure roughly 2-fold, warranting patient counseling. Both Maroney and Stutzman positioned the drug as a potential second-line option for patients who are not candidates for stimulants or who have not tolerated or responded to first-line therapies.To provide feedback or suggest topics of discussion for Psychiatric Pharmacy Pulse, please reach out to Gillian McGovern, Editor (gmcgovern@pharmacytimes.com).REFERENCES1. Mattingly GW, Turkoglu O, Chang D, Ward C, Skubiak T, Zhang Z, Cutler AJ. 52-week open-label safety and tolerability study of centanafadine sustained release in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2025;45(5):454-462. doi:10.1097/JCP.00000000000020202. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. Otsuka receives FDA approval for first-in-class SIMTRIYO (centanafadine) for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Otsuka US. July 24, 2026. Accessed September 16, 2026. https://www.otsuka-us.com/otsuka-shares-fda-review-update-for-centanafadine3. Adler LA, Adams J, Madera-McDonough J, et al. Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of centanafadine sustained-release tablets in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: results of 2 phase 3, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trials. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2022;42(5):429-439. doi:10.1097/JCP.00000000000015754. Muneer MA, Naveed M, Amjad M, et al. Efficacy and safety of centanafadine in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2026;56(3):47-65. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42267239/5. Schein J, Cloutier M, Gauthier-Loiselle M, et al. Assessment of centanafadine in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a matching-adjusted indirect comparison vs lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, atomoxetine hydrochloride, and viloxazine extended-release. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2024;30(6):528-540. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2024.30.6.5286. Stein MA. Editorial: centanafadine for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is a broader mechanism of action better? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2026;65(6):764-765. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2025.10.0207. Ward CL, Childress AC, Jin N, et al. Centanafadine for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adolescents: a randomized clinical trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2026;65(6):805-817. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2025.06.023

    Centanafadine May Offer Second-Line Option for Patients With ADHD If Stimulants Fail

  4. Sep 15

    Blood Cancer Awareness Month: Advances, Access, and Hope in Blood Cancer Care

    Pharmacy Focus

    Blood Cancer Awareness Month: Advances, Access, and Hope in Blood Cancer Care

  5. Sep 3

    Vaccine Timing and Safety in Patients With Neurological Diseases

    This episode of Mind the Meds features guest Patti Yager-Stone, PharmD, BCPS, a clinical pharmacist in neurology at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, who oversees infusion management and vaccine coordination for about 120 neurology patients. Yager-Stone explains that immunomodulating and immunosuppressant therapies both increase infection risk and can blunt vaccine response, making pretreatment vaccination and timing central to her practice. When vaccination history is incomplete, she recommends avoiding live vaccines in patients on many of these therapies and stresses using serologies and thorough documentation review, instead of patient recall alone. For pneumococcal vaccination, she highlights the CDC's PneumoRecs VaxAdvisor tool for navigating vaccine selection based on patient age and risk conditions. For Yager-Stone’s institution, the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is favored over the 21-valent option for those who are immunocompromised because the latter excludes serotype 4, which is responsible for more than 30% of invasive pneumococcal disease cases in Oregon and several other western states.Marini and Yager-Stone discuss a recent cohort study that eased longstanding concerns about live vaccines, particularly the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, triggering relapses in those with multiple sclerosis, a finding both say has reinforced their practice of offering the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to patients without documented immunity amid current measles activity. They also note that immunosuppressed patients with measles may present atypically, without the characteristic rash. The conversation also touches on the newly approved mRNA influenza vaccine for patients aged 50 years and older, which showed superior relative efficacy against influenza-like illness compared with standard-dose vaccine in trials; however, higher rates of reactogenic side effects such as fatigue were observed with the vaccine.The episode closes on emerging observational evidence linking several vaccines, most notably the recombinant zoster vaccine, along with respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccines, to reduced dementia risk, including a large study of skilled nursing facility residents showing a 24% relative risk reduction among those who received the zoster vaccine. Yager-Stone also flags an underrecognized risk with complement inhibitors, which increase meningitis risk substantially, and points to updated guidance suggesting concurrent antimicrobial prophylaxis alongside vaccination for these patients.

    Vaccine Timing and Safety in Patients With Neurological Diseases

  6. Aug 28

    Beyond CRS and ICANS: Managing the Delayed Toxicities of Cilta-cel

    Sara Scott, PharmD, BCOP, Emma Uchida, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, and Rebecca Gonzalez, PharmD, BCOP, gather for a roundtable on the rare, delayed toxicities associated with ciltacabtagene autoleucel in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

    Beyond CRS and ICANS: Managing the Delayed Toxicities of Cilta-cel

  7. Aug 26

    Food, Fungals, and Flexibility: Real-World Dosing of Revumenib

    Pharmacy Focus

    Food, Fungals, and Flexibility: Real-World Dosing of Revumenib

  8. Aug 21

    Introducing the Psychiatric Pharmacist Pulse Podcast

    Megan Maroney, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP: Hello, I'm Megan Maroney, and this is Psychiatric Pharmacy Pulse, a monthly podcast where we talk about hot topics in psychiatric pharmacy. I'm a clinical associate professor at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University, and a clinical psychiatric pharmacist at Monmouth Medical Center. I am also a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist and a fellow of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists. So, this podcast is really just a chance to talk about hot topics in psychiatry, new literature coming out, new drugs coming out, things that are coming down the pipeline. We also are going to have guests on the show to discuss these topics. Some of the upcoming episodes we have are on the new [attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder] drug centanafadine (Simtriyo; Otsuka Pharmaceutical) and the rescheduling of cannabis and what that means in terms of pharmacy practice. So, I hope you'll join me for these podcasts and feel free to write in with your ideas for topics and things that you want to hear about and give us feedback. We'd love to hear it. If there’s a topic you want to come on the podcast and talk about, let us know. [I would be] happy to cover things that everyone wants to hear about. To provide feedback or suggest topics of discussion for Psychiatric Pharmacy Pulse, please reach out to Gillian McGovern, Editor (gmcgovern@pharmacytimes.com).

    Introducing the Psychiatric Pharmacist Pulse Podcast
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4.7
out of 5
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About

The Pharmacy Times® Pharmacy Focus podcast provides the latest industry news and information, thought-leader insights, clinical updates, patient counseling tools, and innovative solutions for the everyday practice and business of pharmacy. Winner of the 2021 Digital Health Media/Publications Audio Merit Award. 

Information

  • Creator
    Pharmacy Times
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    360
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Pharmacy Focus

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