Community Provider Corner

(From the January 2024 Issue of Medstat)

Flovent Discontinuation Announcement

The producers of brand name Flovent® HFA (fluticasone propionate) and Flovent® Diskus® (fluticasone propionate inhalation powder) have announced that effective January 1, 2024, these products will be discontinued. This is a commonly prescribed inhaled corticosteroid medication, often used in the treatment of asthma. The authorized generics, fluticasone propionate HFA (generic for Flovent® HFA) and fluticasone propionate diskus (generic for Flovent® Diskus®) are now available.

According to the FDA, an authorized generic is an approved brand name drug that is marketed without the brand name on its label. Other than the fact that it does not have the brand name on its label, it is the exact same drug product as the branded product. Pharmacies can substitute the generic without an updated or new prescription if refills remain on the original Flovent® prescription. Prior to refill, patients should check with their insurance to determine if they cover the generic medication, or if they prefer a different inhaled medication.

Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis

Did you know that missed and delayed cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis still happens in Ohio?

Diagnosis and treatment of CF have dramatically improved over the past 20 years with the introduction of newborn screening (NBS) and CFTR modulator therapy. Despite this, there are still infants with an abnormal screening for CF who do not get the recommended sweat chloride testing within 30 days of life. This can lead to missed or delayed diagnosis.

New CF medicines can be started as young as 30 days.

Depending on the gene mutations, some CFTR modulators can be started very early. These modulators are life-changing for patients and dramatically improve outcomes, especially the earlier they are started. Early diagnosis matters.

Help to identify all infants with CF.

The Abnormal CF Newborn Screen Response Team is here to help provide clear communication of NBS results to families and to help schedule sweat chloride testing. CF NBS results can be confusing for both patients and primary care teams. Many barriers exist contributing to delays in diagnostic testing. We can help interpret screening results and coordinate follow-up testing as indicated.

NBS for CF will miss 5-10% of infants with CF.

Please remember that newborn screening does not rule out a diagnosis of CF. Newborn screening is a great tool, but as with any screening test, it is not perfect. If there are any concerns a patient has CF, a sweat test and evaluation by an accredited CF center should be arranged even if the patient had a normal newborn screening for CF.

Interested in learning more?

Plan to attend “Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening in Ohio: Need to Know Information for the Primary Care Provider” on May 9, 2024, from 12 to 1 p.m. for more information about practical and useful updates in interpreting and following up on abnormal NBS for CF.

Questions about an abnormal CF Newborn screen? 

Contact the CF NBS team.

Register Now: Project ECHO Q1 Offerings

Project ECHO is a collaborative, tele-mentoring program designed to bring together subject matter experts and community providers in an “all teach, all learn” environment. ECHO creates ongoing learning communities where community-based providers from a variety of disciplines receive support and develop the skills they need to diagnose and treat pediatric patients. Designed to help move knowledge, not patients, through case discussions and didactic presentations, Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers ECHO groups across a range of topics, including behavioral health, constipation, pediatric pain, telehealth autism assessment, Tourette syndrome and tic disorders and cerebral palsy. Register now for ECHO’s in first quarter of 2024.

ADHD Academy

Do you know a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Are you wondering if there are any strategies to help with managing a patient with ADHD? The ADHD Academy through Nationwide Children's is just what you need. These programs can be an invaluable resource for anyone feeling lost on how to treat someone with ADHD. The ADHD Academy is a series of programs designed for parents, teachers, providers and others who care for a child (or children) with ADHD. The series runs from October to June each year. These classes are held for a couple of hours in the evenings to allow working individuals to attend. All the instructors for the ADHD Academy are members of our Behavioral Health team at Nationwide Children's. They are well-versed in the characteristics of ADHD and will offer useful strategies and different approaches to help the patient with ADHD. These classes are designed with your patient families in mind and are a wonderful opportunity to learn about ADHD and how you can help children be more successful.