ICYMI: Mounjaro and Zepbound are back

The FDA has officially removed tirzepatide from it shortage list. That’s good news and bad news. Good, obviously, for Eli Lilly — the company has obviously resolved the shortage of its injectors.

It’s more complicated for patients, though. The ones who’ve been getting compounded tirzepatide will need new prescriptions to switch to Mounjaro^® and Zepbound^® … and maybe pay the higher price.

And not every pharmacy is going to have it available. The ASHP still says supplies are short, so it can be a roll of the dice.

Compounding pharmacists obviously have to stop dispensing it, unless they find a way to, for example, dispense a version that includes a vitamin supplement and have docs prescribe that. (Would that work? Who knows?)

And then there’s the potential for see-saw availability. How long will the supply of injectors last? Will tirzepatide go back into shortage once they run out?

Many questions, but answers (to use an editor’s abbreviation) TK.

(Side note: If you compound GLP-1 drugs, you might want to read the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding’s statement on the announcement.)

Infect me once, shame on you

If you got the flu last year, good news! UGA researchers found that getting the flu one year can make the next year’s vaccine more effective.

The idea that getting infected with one strain provides some protection from other strains — well, that makes sense; the flu is still the flu. What’s interesting here is that the UGA folks found that prior infection also boosts vaccine immunity the next year.

Don’t forget TechU 4.0!

Are you ready for 2024’s biggest event for Georgia pharmacy technicians?

Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 19 — it’s a day of socializing, networking, and learning — developed by pharmacy techs for pharmacy techs.

And don’t forget that all licensed pharmacy technicians in Georgia must have 20^* CPE hours to renew their license before June 30, 2025.

One low price — just $40 for GPhA members, $65 for non-members — gets you breakfast, lunch, 4 hours of CE, a professional headshot, and the networking event at the 57th Fighter Group restaurant in Atlanta!

Click here for the details!

^* The actual amount of CE credit needed varies on license date. Check our website for details. 

New sunscreen could be coming

We’ve written before how sunscreen ingredients in the US have been lagging a lot of the world. That might be changing, as the FDA is considering approval of the first new sunscreen ingredient in … well, in a long time.

The ingredient is bemotrizinol, and it’s been used worldwide for decades. Now European skincare company DSM-Firmenich is asking for approval here.

If the FDA agrees with DSM-Firmenich’s request, the next step will be for the FDA to propose adding bemotrizinol to the list of over-the-counter drugs that are “generally recognized as safe and effective” to be sold to Americans.

Bemotrizinol has a lot of benefits, including fewer questions about safety and less of a pasty look or feel — that might mean more people are willing to wear them.

The FDA is awaiting all the data on bemotrizinol, and is expected to make a decision by March 2026.

Elsewhere: Lone Star lawsuit

The attorney general of Texas is suing both insulin makers and PBMs, claiming they have colluded collaborated to keep the price of insulin high.

In the Texas lawsuit, [Texas Attorney General Ken] Paxton accused that manufacturers artificially raised the prices of insulin and then paid a significant, undisclosed portion back to the PBMs for preferential treatment in return.

The PBMs subsequently awarded preferred status to the manufacturer with the highest list prices, while excluding lower-priced drugs, the press release from the attorney general’s office said.

Drugmakers and PBMs responded — paraphrasing here — “Nuh-uh.”

You would think people would be dropping like flies

Apparently, per Irish/Canadian/more research, drinking too much coffee (more than 4 cups, i.e., two mugs), too many fizzy drinks, or too much fruit juice can significantly increase your risk of stroke.