That might be more than itchy skin

If you’ve got someone who starts coming in for calamine lotion, hydrocortisone, Benadryl cream, and all that other skin care stuff, you might want to ask if they’re dealing with skin lesions or psoriasis they haven’t had before.

It seems that skin lesions — especially if they’re painful or accompanied by other symptoms (e.g., fever, sensitivity to light, joint swelling) — might be a sign of a more serious rheumatic disease.

“If the lesions progressively get worse, patients should try to get in to see their doctor sooner for an evaluation.”

As to how you can have that ‘Are your skin lesions getting worse’ conversation … that’s on you. Good luck.

Join AEP at Monday Night Brewing

It’s back and better than ever!

Do you like craft beer and a chance to network and share stories? Of course you do! So come have a beer or soda (or even water) with us^* at Monday Night Brewing! Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 1, from 4:00–7:00 pm. Click here for the details and to sign up, and don’t miss out on a night of fun! (If you feel guilty, tell yourself it’s good for your career. It is.)

^* “Us” being the Academy of Employee Pharmacists, their friends and relations — including students!

With pain relief, topical is … topical

Standard NSAID pain relievers are still wildly popular, but there’s a trend emerging: Consumers are moving toward topical pain relief, according to a pair of recent market-research reports. (Scroll down to the subhed “A topical push”.)

[G]rowth drivers for topical pain-relief solutions include fewer adverse effects than those of traditional oral medications, rising demand among athletes, an increasing number of elderly people and the prevalence of arthritis.

Or, as one exec at a topical-analgesic maker put it, “Customers have pill fatigue. They don’t want to take multiple pills that can damage their liver and will conflict with other treatment options they are doing.”

Here’s a twist: The biggest topical segment isn’t creams or lotions — it’s patches. No mess. (Roll-on treatments are also getting popular.)

Naloxone news: Who can pay?

One of the issues with naloxone going over-the-counter was that now people will have to pay out-of-pocket for it — and that might put it out of reach of a lot of the folks who need it.

The good news (sort of) is that Narcan maker Emergent says “it is aiming for an out-of-pocket price of less than $50 for its nasal spray product.” (Currently its official wholesale price is $125 for a kit with two 4-milligram doses.)

The bad news is that $50 is still unaffordable for a lot of people, and with fentanyl lacing so many drugs, 8mg might not be enough to save someone’s life.

Emergent’s response? Find someone to pay for it.

Emergent emphasized the importance of continued federal funding for substance abuse treatment and prevention programs, including opioid response initiatives that distribute Narcan, and for private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid to consider their coverage of the medication.

Glioblastoma breakthrough

Good news if you have mice with glioblastoma. A new gel — yes, a gel — developed at Johns Hopkins cured 100% of mice with the brain cancer.

No, it’s not as simple as rubbing the stuff on their heads. It’s used after surgery removes the tumor to get rid of any remaining cancer cells that are hidden way.

The Hopkinsians combined an anticancer drug­­­ (paclitaxel) and an antibody (called aCD47) into a gel that can “fill the tiny grooves left after a brain tumor is surgically removed” and slowly release the medication.

The gel can reach areas that surgery might miss and current drugs struggle to reach to kill lingering cancer cells and suppress tumor growth.

Next up is finding a path to clinical trials on humans.

Short takes

That stable mate

Let’s say you just got out of a relationship and you’re hoping to find someone a little more … stable, but also in healthcare (so you have something in common). Based on a Swedish study, you might want to think about an obstetrician or gynecologist.

ADHD can break you

Kids with ADHD are 18% more likely to suffer from fractures than kids without, found Israeli researchers, possibly from chasing squirrels. Once they start treatment, though, the risk goes down.