Optimum Physician Alliance Pharmacy Update

Generic Alternatives:

• Viagra - sildenafil is now available in 25, 50, and 100mg strengths
  
  
• Coreg CR - carvedilol ER is now available in 10, 20, 40 and 80mg strengths
  
  
• Treximet - sumatriptan/naproxen is now available in 85/500mg strengths
  
  

• Suboxone Sublingual Film - buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film now available in multiple strengths
  
  

• EpiPen - epinephrine autoinjector is now available in 0.3-mg and 0.15-mg strengths

Medication Alerts

• Fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs - A black box warning was added to fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs (Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Floxin and Noroxin). Fluoroquinolones have been associated with tendon rupture and tendinitis. The risk of these adverse events increases in patients over age sixty (60), patients who have had an organ transplant, such as kidney, heart or lung, and when given with steroids.  Please advise patients who are prescribed these drugs to immediately report any pain, swelling or inflammation and to discontinue the drug.
  
  
• Valsartan-containing products: Update [8/2/2018] FDA continues to evaluate valsartan-containing products and maintains a list of products included in the recall, as well as those which are excluded:
  
  - list of products included in the recall
  - list of products excluded from the recall
  
  In addition to updating the lists, FDA revised information related to A-S Medication on the list of products included in the recall. The agency will continue to provide information when it becomes available. Please click here to review the Valsartan Recall FAQs.
  
  
• Extended use dates to assist with EpiPen intermittent supply interruptions: Update [August 21, 2018] Due to the intermittent supply interruptions of EpiPen, FDA is alerting health care professionals and patients of updated dates through which some EpiPens and the authorized generic version, manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies, a Pfizer company, may be used beyond the manufacturer’s labeled expiration date. To help ensure patient safety, these products should have been — and should continue to be — stored as labeled. Read full article