WHO Updates HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Guidelines

The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Guidelines, advising earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy in patients with the disease. In the updated guidelines, the agency recommends starting antiretroviral therapy when the CD4 count reaches 350 instead of the previous recommendation of 200. The agency also recommended that HIV-positive women and their babies receive antiretroviral therapy while breastfeeding to prevent transmission from mother to child.

 The WHO also recommended that countries phase out the use of the drug stavudine (Zerit®) due to toxic side effects in favor of less toxic therapies like zidovudine (Retrovir®) or tenofovir (Viread®).

For more information, visit http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2009/world_aids_20091130/en/index.html;

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy Launches Hemophilia Website

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is proud to announce the launch of our Hemophilia Navigator site. This  in-depth resource helps patients, families and community members find information about bleeding disorders and related topics. The site includes information about factor products, pain medications, supplies, community resources and a whole lot more.

It’s all just a click away at www.hemophilianavigator.com

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy Continues To Expand – Opens Location In Southern California

Swartz Creek, Mich, November 17, 2009 - Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced today the opening of their branch in San Bernardino, CA. Diplomat has 6 additional locations in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Florida.

  “In January, our contracts with managed care organizations in California will potentially impact over 1 million people.” stated Atheer Kaddis, Diplomat’s VP of Managed Care. “Our new San Bernardino location is an important resource for those patients. It will also provide our customers in the Western United States with best-in-class distribution and patient care services.”

 “With new West Coast managed care contracts and expanded national programs we are thrilled to be adding a location in the greater Los Angeles area,” stated Phil Hagerman, President and CEO of Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy. “We also look forward to providing new jobs in Southern California as we build out our facility to be a full service West Coast distribution center for Diplomat.”

 About Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is the nation’s largest privately held Specialty Pharmacy and focuses on complete medication management programs for patients with serious and chronic conditions.  Key programs include:  Oncology, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s, Hemophilia, Growth Hormone and Psoriasis.  Other specialty areas include Transplant, Fertility, Dialysis Medication Management, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Specialty Compounding.  The company also specializes in Disease Management programs for Chronic Kidney Disease patients.  With locations in Flint, Swartz Creek and Grand Rapids, MI; Cleveland, OH; Chicago, IL; and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and a new location in San Bernardino California; Diplomat services the specialty pharmacy needs of patients and physicians nationwide. 

For more information contact:
Kathy Karns
kkarns@diplomatpharmacy.com
810-720-4452

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy Now Provides EXTAVIA® For Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is now providing EXTAVIA®  for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.  At no cost to the patient or health care provider- Diplomat will:

• Initiate and manage the entire Insurance Prior Authorization process
• Assist patients with all insurance issues including Appeals & Denials
• Seek financial assistance from any available Patient Assistance Fund
• Coordinate Medicare Donut Hole Assistance
• Coordinate EXTAVIA® Patient Support Co-Pay Assistance
• Proactively schedule monthly EXTAVIA® refill shipments
• Free Home Delivery

Please call a Diplomat Multiple Sclerosis Care Coordinator  toll free at: 866.208.3430

For more information about Diplomat’s MS Navigator Patient Care Program visit http://www.diplomatpharmacy.com/patient_services/multiple_sclerosis

EXTAVIA® is manufactured by Novartis http://www.extavia.com

Diplomat Pharmacy Provides Votrient™ To Treat Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy provides the medication Votrient™, used to treat patients with renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer. RCC is a common malignancy of the kidney and is highly resistant to chemotherapy.

Votrient, a once-daily, oral medication, is an angiogenesis inhibitor which may help prevent the growth of new blood vessels, thereby blocking the growth of kidney cancer tumors that need blood vessels to survive.

If you have questions about receiving Votrient or any oncology medications, please contact Diplomat’s Patient Care Oncology Navigator Department. Call 1.877.977.9118 or click http://www.diplomatpharmacy.com/patient_services/oncology_therapy

The medication is made by GlaxoSmithKline http://www.gsk.com/

 

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy at Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) Conference

Join Diplomat’s HIV Navigator Team November 19-22 , 2009 for ANAC ’s 22nd Annual Conference at the Hyatt Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, Florida.   Learn about Diplomat’s HIV personalized medication program and how we help prescribers and patients gain access to  meds and improve patient adherence rates.

This year’s conference theme centers around building capacity through collaboration. The conference will include information about HIV care and treatment relevant to nurses and health professionals new to HIV care treatment, as well as those who are experienced, and/or practice at advanced levels. Jacksonville’s warm climate and proximity to the beach make it a great place for Conference and fun!

more info about the ANAC Conference : http://www.nursesinaidscare.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?

For more information about Diplomat’s HIV Patient Care Program: http://diplomatpharmacy.com/patient_services/hiv_aids

H1N1 Vaccine Delays Blamed on Production Challenges

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ordered about 250 million doses of H1N1 vaccine for the 2009-2010 flu season and expected about 29 million doses to be available by the end of October 2009. To date, only 14 million doses have been produced and only 11 million doses have been distributed in the United States.

Most of the delay has been attributed to development of the vaccine and filling vials within the production facilities of the manufacturers that are producing the vaccine. There was also a delay in approval of the vaccine by regulators before it could be manufactured. One of the manufacturers, Novartis AG, has reported that their vaccine may not be available until the first quarter of 2010 due to production issues. Novartis AG will provide continued status reports on the availability of their vaccine.

More info at www.cdc.gov;

 

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy’s Susan Pennell Completes Anti-Aging Fellowship, Receives Health Practitioner Diplomate

Swartz Creek, Mich., Oct 15, 2009  – Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced today that after successfully completing the fellowship program from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Susan Pennell Pharmacy Director at Diplomat Specialty’s Flint location has been awarded the Designation of Health Practitioner Diplomate. 

The fellowship included Anti-Aging, Restorative and Functional Medicine.  Anti-aging medicine focuses on early detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of age-related decline.  Regenerative medicine optimizes the body’s endogenous mechanisms of self repair.  Functional medicine looks at illness and promotes wellness by focusing on the biochemical pathways and restoring balance.

 “Having an anti-aging expert such as Sue on staff allows Diplomat to meet a growing need,” said Jeff Rowe, Sr. Vice President of Operations for Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy. “With an increasing number of baby boomers seeking out anti-aging therapies, Diplomat is in a position to offer the possible care and advice. Our patients will definitely benefit from Sue’s clinical experience and fellowship training.”

Pennell is a Registered Pharmacist and Certified Clinical Nutritionist. She provides wellness consultations to women and men of all ages. She can be contacted at: spennell@diplomatpharmacy.com

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy Selected As Exclusive Specialty Pharmacy For Inland Empire Health Plan Of California

Swartz Creek, Mich, October 20, 2009 – Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced today that Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) has chosen Diplomat to be its exclusive provider of Specialty Disease Management services for IEHP members with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, and Crohn’s Disease.  Diplomat will provide dispensing and patient care services for these disease states for IEHP members effective November 1, 2009. 

 

“We were selected by IEHP because we will improve services to their members. Our Disease Management Programs are designed specifically to ease the burdens patients face in the management of their challenging conditions,” stated Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy’s President, Phil Hagerman. “Working closely with patients and their physicians we can keep patients more adherent on their medication therapies and that translates into healthier patients. We will be using our new Southern California Distribution center to service our IEHP patients.”

 

“Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy has one of the best Disease Management Programs we have seen among the industry,” stated Dr. William Henning, Chief Medical Officer for IEHP. “IEHP sets a very high standard when selecting a Disease Management Program.  We want to make sure our Members understand their disease states, the medications that they use, and help them to get better through a structured educational/monitoring program.  We believe Diplomat will help us deliver high quality patient care and improve patients’ quality of life through its innovative and flexible program.” 

About IEHP

IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, a Knox-Keene licensed Health Plan located in San Bernardino, California, is a not-for-profit public agency. The IEHP service area includes San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and currently serves over 420,000 Members in the following Programs: Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, and a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Program. 

 

 

About Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is the nation’s largest privately held Specialty Pharmacy and focuses on complete medication management programs for patients with serious and chronic conditions.  Key programs include:  Oncology, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s, Hemophilia, Growth Hormone and Psoriasis.  Other specialty areas include Transplant, Fertility, Dialysis Medication Management, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Specialty Compounding.  The company also specializes in Disease Management programs for Chronic Kidney Disease patients.  With locations in Flint, Swartz Creek and Grand Rapids, MI; Cleveland, OH; Chicago, IL; and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and a new location in San Bernardino California; Diplomat services the specialty pharmacy needs of patients and physicians nationwide. 

For more information contact:
Kathy Karns
kkarns@diplomatpharmacy.com
810-720-4452

Protect Your Kidneys: Another Reason to Lose Weight

-from the National Kidney Foundation

Many Americans are overweight and they probably know being overweight causes health problems. They may not know that being overweight is not good for the kidneys. Excess weight increases the risk of diabetes and hypertension, the two major causes of chronic kidney disease.

Research by the National Kidney Foundation screening program found that many people who attended kidney disease screenings were overweight or obese. In fact, nearly half of those who attended were overweight or obese. The National Kidney Foundation has a community-based health-screening program called KEEP (Kidney Early Evaluation Program). It looks at the health of people 18 years and older with diabetes, hypertension, or family history of these conditions or kidney disease.

The National Kidney Foundation KEEP program has screened thousands of participants. More than one in four people who came to the screenings were found to have chronic kidney disease. Early identification of people at risk is important so chronic kidney disease can be prevented. If people lower their blood pressure and blood sugar if the levels are too high, they can help their kidneys.

Doctors are concerned not only with how much fat a person has, but also where the fat is located on the body. Women typically collect fat around their hips, giving them a pear shape. Men usually build up fat around their bellies giving them more of an apple shape. If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems. Women whose waists measure more than 35 inches or men whose waists measure more than 40 inches have a higher health risk because of their fat distribution.

The risk of kidney disease is higher in people who carry their weight around the middle. In fact, the waist-to-hip ratio (apple-shaped body) is now considered to be a risk factor for chronic kidney disease because it increases the risk of diabetes and hypertension. Having an “apple” shape also predicts heart problems in people who already have chronic kidney disease.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is important for your health and for the health of your kidneys!

If you have questions or need help fighting  Chronic Kidney Disease call Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy at 1.877.977.9119

or help is a click away at:http://www.diplomatpharmacy.com/patient_services/chronic_kidney_disease