At least four states are working to prevent pharmacies from compounding unauthorized solutions of Ozempic and Wegovy — two popular drugs from Novo Nordisk — because of safety concerns, NBC News reported May 3. 

Demand for Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs has been high for months. Because of this trend, the drug's maker, Novo Nordisk, said May 4 it will decrease its output. 

Pharmacists in New York will now be able to prescribe birth control pills over the counter — eliminating the need for a physicians' sign-off in the process — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced at a May 2 press conference.

The FDA approved GSK's respiratory syncytial virus vaccine intended for adults 60 and older on May 3. It's the first RSV vaccine cleared in the world, the drugmaker said.

Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's drug candidate slowed cognitive decline by 35 percent in a phase 3 study, but the trial revealed some safety risks, including two deaths from brain swelling and nearly 1 in 4 participants experiencing amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. 

After working for more than 20 years on drug shortages, Erin Fox, PharmD, is not burnt out. 

As technology and automation continue to advance, pharmacies are in need of pharmacy technicians who specialize in informatics to help implement and troubleshoot innovations as they evolve. The problem? There is no defined, direct career path to becoming one. 

Some gabapentin oral solutions, a medication for seizures, restless legs syndrome and shingles, are currently in shortage, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. 

A prostate cancer drug candidate from Pfizer and Astellas Pharma reduced the risk of metastasis or death by 58 percent in a phase 3 trial, the two drugmakers said April 29. 

With dozens of experimental gene therapies floating down the research and development pipeline, here are five candidates grabbing headlines: 

Teva Pharmaceuticals recalled 13 lots of fentanyl buccal tablets, a Type II substance, because of omitted safety updates on its medication guide, the FDA said April 28. 

Florida Rep. Cory Mills and California Rep. Sara Jacobs filed a bill April 28 that, if passed, would require drugmakers to tell the FDA if they experience a six-week-long demand increase for a product. 

Upward of 90 percent of PharmD graduates from Ada-based Ohio Northern University were placed in residency matches, according to an April 28 news release. 

As the U.S. grapples with a 10-year-high of ongoing drug shortages, there are three pressing drug supply issues for hospitals, according to Erin Fox, PharmD, associate chief pharmacy officer for shared services at Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health. 

With hundreds of experimental gene therapies in the pipeline and development, Eric Tichy, PharmD, division chair at Mayo Clinic and an expert in the pharmacy supply chain, told Becker's he wonders who will pay for these drugs that cost seven figures each. 

Bristol Myers Squibb's CEO plans to retire Nov. 1, and the drugmaker promoted two C-suite leaders effective immediately, according to an April 26 news release. 

The FDA approved the first fecal microbiota drug to be taken orally.

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. decreased 35 drug prices April 26, according to a news release shared with Becker's. 

The FDA added penicillin G benzathine to its drug shortages list April 26. The drug is the standard treatment for syphilis and is also used to treat strep throat. 

Clinical leaders know drug shortages are nothing new, but the current situation is incredibly challenging. Ongoing and active shortages are the highest since 2014, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).1