WYOMING DRUG UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD

Minutes

January 29, 2004

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Members Present: Kendra Grande, Mike Carpenter, Richard Johnson, George Zaharas, Bill Harrison, Scott Johnston, Steve Brown, Dawn Ford, Antoinette Brown, Aimee Lewis, Deb Devereaux, Linda Martin

Members Excused: Kay Kohler, Lenny Kosirog, Becky Drnas

Guests: UW Resident Justin Woods, Laura Miller, Lori Howarth (Berlex),

Dennis Sagendorf (Purdue Pharma), Paul Pereira (TAP Pharma), Linda Pryor (Pfizer), Larry Bridger (Pfizer), Joan Solem (Lilly), Betty Iverson (Wyeth), Kelly Steiner (Merck), Jeff Jenkins (Merck), Angela McCoy (Janssen), Bob Schultz (BCBS WY), Michelle Simmons (Ortho McNeil), Mike Rass (Takeda), Bill Thomson (PhRMA Counsel)

The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Dawn Ford at 11:00a.m.

The minutes of the November 20, 2003 meeting were approved as presented.

Dept of Health

Effective March 1, 2004, Altace (ramipril) will be approved to treat patients with diabetes or coronary artery disease based on the results of the HOPE trial. The Board suggested that we look at the utilization of lisinopril and enalapril and the costs of switching from enalapril including PA request costs.

The next Preferred Drug List Advisory Group meeting is April 15 in Cheyenne where the evidence regarding NSAIDS and the statins will be reviewed.

Prior Authorization statistics for the first month of 2004 were not available. When it becomes available, the first year of statistics will be posted. It was noted that claims for PPIs decreased $18,000 from the previous year.

The Board approved limiting Cialis to 6 tablets/31 days until more information about extended half life and side effects is available.

The PharmAssist program began Dec. 1. There are consultant pharmacists in Cheyenne, Torrington, Casper, and Laramie. There were 92 calls in December. Thirty-four were forwarded to pharmacists for consultation. Three have been returned with good results-potential savings of $80-100 per month. Potential savings, customer satisfaction and MD surveys about the service will be measured in the future. If increased appropriations are granted next year, the program will go statewide.

Educational programs

Kendra reported on the use of quetiapine (Seroquel) for sleep. From January 1 through November 25 of 2003, quetiapine usage was $1,076,000. There was no clear indication of usage and this will be continually monitored.

Justin Woods, a pharmacy resident at the Cheyenne VA, presented his project on PPI interactions which will be published in the WYDUR Newsletter.

We will be monitoring the usage of memantine for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s over the next year.

The Neurontin project (Pfizer/WYDUR) will be providing 2 live presentations in Casper and Cheyenne and additional teleconferences to promote the appropriate prescribing of Neurontin.

Meetings are being held with Berlex to discuss an appropriate project design for multiple sclerosis patients in the Wyoming Medicaid population.

Talks with the Dr. Hernandez continue on designing a program to enhance appropriate prescribing of atypical antipsychotics.

Retrospective alert changes

Suppress criteria #103-HTN with stimulants

Suppress criteria #888-statins

Add age hard edit for growth hormone of < or = to 18 y.o.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:00p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Debra S. Devereaux MBA, FASHP