Clarification: In Wednesday’s Buzz we said that Texas prohibits pharmacists from giving flu shots. In fact, points out the indomitable Tracie Lunde, Texas only prohibits pharmacists from administering flu shots to children under seven. We apologize for the error.

Medicaid expansion in 17 seconds

Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah voters chose to enact Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. That makes 36 states that have expanded to program that provides health insurance to more low-income people.

Georgia probable-governor-elect Brian Kemp has said he opposes expansion, which would provide coverage to about 726,000 more Georgians; the state currently has the third-highest rate of uninsured people in the country (behind Texas and Alaska).

Our number two story

The FDA has approved Experior, a drug designed to make cow manure smell better. “The product will likely be marketed as a benefit to the environment.”

It keeps going, and going…

Naloxone nasal spray apparently remains effective long after its expiration date.

• Current, official shelf life: 18 to 24 months.
• Actual tested shelf life: up to 19 months longer (i.e., 3 to 3 ½ years) … and maybe even more than that (testing is ongoing).

Community pharmacists: Looking to grow your immunization biz?

Have we got a dinner for you! Well, the folks at Pharmacy Times do: Immunization Considerations for the Community Pharmacist in Atlanta Buckhead on November 13.

It’s at the South City Kitchen Buckhead (3350 Peachtree Road NE) from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Click here for more info and to register — no robots allowed.

CVS über alles?

“CVS Lays Out Vision for Future as Aetna Merger Looms”

Aspirin, reconsidered (for some people)

Daily low-dose aspirin has been a mainstay to protect cardiovascular health, but new studies show that, for those over 70 without existing CV problems, it might do more harm than good.

The power of coffee explained

It’s not in the caffeine (although the caffeine ain’t bad). Much of coffee’s medicinal effect comes from phenylindanes — compounds created during the roasting process.

It is the phenylindanes, rather than any other coffee-related compounds, that seem to inhibit the amalgamation of tau and beta-amyloid. These are toxic proteins, of which the excessive buildup in the brain is a key factor in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Takeaways: 1) Decaf is as good as regular coffee when it comes to protecting your brain, and B) Darker roasts are better than lighter ones.

TLC and a teddy bear

When it comes to younger children, the best medicine — at least for a common cold — is probably no medicine at all. (That’s according to a review of studies in the British Medical Journal.)