Prime Pharmacists Recognized by the Journal of Managed Car...( ST. PAUL Minn. March 26 /- Pharmacy b...),Health

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics (Prime) announced that three of its clinical pharmacists, Patrick Gleason, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, Cathy Starner, PharmD and Jeremy Schafer, PharmD were awarded the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy (JMCP) Award of Excellence for their manuscript assessing rosiglitazone and pioglitazone utilization trends and associated medical and pharmacy claims data indicating risk for an adverse cardiovascular event.

Prime's analysis followed the May 2007 meta-analysis by Nissen, et al, which suggested that rosiglitazone significantly increased the risk of heart attack. Prime's clinical research and formulary teams began an in-depth analysis of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone utilization based on this publication. The medical and pharmacy claims integrated analysis revealed that over 25 percent of rosiglitazone utilizers had a medical claim diagnosis or concurrent medication which potentially increased their risk for an adverse cardiovascular event prior to May 2007. One year later, Prime reanalyzed the data revealing that 22 percent of rosiglitazone utilizers were still at risk. This clinically important proportion of rosiglitazone utilizers at increased risk for an adverse cardiovascular event aided in Prime's formulary placement decision making.

"Prime's clinical research and development team is honored to be recognized by the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy," said Patrick Gleason, Clinical Outcomes Assessment Director of Prime. "Through Prime's medical and pharmacy claims integration function, Prime's research team is able to improve clinical programs through more precise opportunity identification, management and assessment. This award further exemplifies Prime's commitment to patient safety; providing clients with insightful and actionable information to help them make more informed health care management decisions."