Government agency calls off effort to assess antipsychotic use in nursing homes, watchdog group reports
By
Tim Mullaney
Jul 26, 2013
A government investigation into nursing homes’ antipsychotic prescribing practices will not move forward due to budget and staff cuts, according to nonprofit investigative news organization The Center...
Analgesics account for most nursing home medication errors, researchers find
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 17, 2013
Most nursing home medication errors involve analgesics and sedatives, and these drugs are likely to account for errors regardless of how frequently they are administered, according to recently published...
Providers refocus on 15% drug reduction
By
Tim Mullaney
Jun 01, 2013
Skilled nursing providers fell short of reaching a 15% reduction in off-label antipsychotic use by the end of 2012, the American Health Care Association formally announced last month. However, AHCA did...
Seroquel maker to pay $5.5M in latest settlement related to off-label use of the antipsychotic drug
By
McKnight's Staff
Feb 13, 2013
Drugmaker AstraZeneca recently settled a lawsuit with the state of Kentucky over allegations of improperly marketing its atypical antipsychotic drug Seroquel. Under the settlement, the London-based pharmaceutical...
Woman gets 3 years in prison for giving psychotropic medication to nursing home residents
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 11, 2013
The former director of nursing at a California nursing home was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for administering powerful drugs to subdue residents.
Nursing home antipsychotic legislation set aside
By
McKnight's Staff
May 29, 2012
The U.S. Senate did not approve legislation that would strengthen regulations for antipsychotic use in nursing homes, despite overwhelmingly passing a bill it was attached to on Thursday.
Antipsychotic drug use correlated to staffing levels
By
McKnight's Staff
May 01, 2012
While antipsychotic drug use overuse has decreased since 2005, nearly a quarter of U.S. nursing homes are still giving many residents the medications against recommendations, a Boston Globe analysis reveals.
Federal prosecutors reject $1 billion J & J settlement
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 12, 2012
Government prosecutors rejected a proposed settlement worth roughly $1 billion with pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson over questionable marketing tactics for the antipsychotic Risperdal.
Senate hearing on antipsychotic use in nursing homes to be held today
Nov 29, 2011
The Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing today about the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes.The hearing, titled “Overprescribed: The Human and Taxpayers’ Costs of Antipsychotics...
AstraZeneca settles for $520 million following investigation into improper marketing of anti-psychotic...
Apr 28, 2010
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $520 million to end a federal investigation into its alleged illegal marketing of the drug Seroquel for off-label uses, according to reports from Washington.