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Additional Information
Healthcare Professional Resources
*PLEASE NOTE – The C Diff Foundation does not endorse any product, medication, and/or clinical study in progress and available. All website postings are strictly for informational purposes only.
New guidance for C. difficile infection management in adults:
- For patients with an initial C. difficile episode, fidaxomicin is recommended rather than a standard course of vancomycin.
- For patients with recurrent C. difficile episodes, a standard or extended-pulsed regimen of fidaxomicin should be used rather than a standard course of vancomycin.
- For patients with a recurrent C. difficile episode within the past 6 months, bezlotoxumab and standard-of-care antibiotics should be used rather than standard-of-care antibiotics alone.
“Head-to-head trials of differing anti-CDI recurrence strategies using narrow-spectrum antibiotics that target C. difficile, restoration of the microbiome using biotherapeutics or [fecal microbiota transplantation], or augmentation of the host immune response with agents such as bezlotoxumab given alone or in combination (eg, in combination with fidaxomicin) are needed,” the authors wrote. 2017 Guidelines in their entirety
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
Released updated clinical guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI), which was recently published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. These guidelines represent the official practice recommendations of the ACG and indicate the preferred approach to the management of adults with C.D.I.. (2021)
(fidaxomicin) tablets
This private and confidential program provides product free of charge to eligible individuals, primarily the uninsured who, without our assistance, could not afford needed Merck medicines. Individuals who don’t meet the insurance criteria may still qualify for this program if they attest that they have special circumstances of financial and medical hardship, and their income meets the program criteria. A single application may provide for up to 1 year of product free of charge to eligible individuals and an individual may reapply as many times as needed.
See a video on how to fill out the enrollment form here
Download an enrollment form checklist
Program Contact Information
800-727-5400
915-849-1037
Hours: 8 AM – 8 PM ET
Days: Monday – Friday
ZINPLAVA (bezlotoxumab) is now available for prescription.
Ordering information is available on the brand website
What is Zinplava™ ?
ZINPLAVA™ is indicated to reduce the recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients 18 years of age or older who are receiving antibacterial drug treatment of a
C. difficile infection and are at a high risk for C. difficile infection recurrence.
ZINPLAVA is not indicated for the treatment of C. difficile infection.
ZINPLAVA is not an antibacterial drug.
ZINPLAVA should only be used in conjunction with antibacterial drug treatment of a C. difficile infection.
Please see Prescribing Information for ZINPLAVA (bezlotoxumab)
Patient Information for ZINPLAVA
Please see Prescribing Information for ZINPLAVA (bezlotoxumab)
Full prescribing information can be read at
https://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/z/zinplava/zinplava_pi.pdf
The Merck Access Program can help answer physician’s questions about:
Insurance coverage for patients
Prior Authorizations and Appeals
Coding and Billing
Potential financial assistance options for eligible patients
Full program details can be found at:
https://www.merckaccessprogram-zinplava.com/hcp/
Also, Information about co-pay assistance for eligible, privately insured patients
Information about available independent assistance foundation support.
FIRVANQ® comes in 25 mg/mL or 50 mg/mL kits.
Each kit contains a bottle of vancomycin hydrochloride USP powder for oral solution and a bottle of grape‑flavored diluent for simple reconstitution.
References: 1. FIRVANQ® Prescribing Information. Wilmington, MA:
References:
- FIRVANQ® Prescribing Information. Wilmington, MA: Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc; 2020.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2018 annual report for the emerging infections program for Clostridium difficile infection. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/eip/pdf/cdiff/2018-CDI-Report-H.pdf. Accessed January 7, 2021.
Firvanq is part of the Glycopeptide Antibiotics class and treats Gastrointestinal Infection and Diarrhea. Glycopeptide antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, lower respiratory infections, skin infections, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal infections. They work by killing the bacteria causing the infection. Firvanq is only available as a brand name drug. The lowest GoodRx price for the most common version of Firvanq is around $143.68, 16% off the average retail price of $172.06. Compare glycopeptide antibiotics.
June 01, 2021 – in a 24-hour period without an alternative explanation and a positive stool test for C. difficile.1 … to severe or fulminant colitis.2,3 • Up to 50 percent of nursing home residents are colonized with C. difficile for the results of C. difficile test results.1 • C. difficile testing recommendations1 − Do not test C. diff (Clostridioides difficile). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 2020. … Fidaxomicin versus vancomycin for Clostridium difficile infection.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Office of Communications
5600 Fishers Lane, 7th Floor
Rockville, MD 20857
Communicating by Phone with AHRQ: The public inquiries number is: (301) 427-1104.
Click HERE for SEPSIS Awareness Information
Duration of Contact Precautions for Acute-Care Settings
February 2018 – Update Published
ANTIBIOTIC INFORMATION:
Antibiotic-Resistance CDC Links Of Interest:
Core Elements:
https://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/healthcare/implementation/core-elements.html
https://www.cdc.gov/longtermcare/prevention/antibiotic-stewardship.html
Links to Patient Safety Atlas
Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas: Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs by State Data (2014-2015) https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/PSA/indexST.html
CDC Standard Precautions and OSHA Mandated PPE
Utilize healthcare professional prevention guidelines and stay safe.
For Clinicians: 6 Steps to C. diff. Prevention
- Prescribe and use antibiotics carefully. About 50% of all antibiotics given are not needed, unnecessarily raising the risk of C. difficile infections.
- Test for C. difficile when patients have diarrhea while on antibiotics or within several months of taking them.
- Isolate patients with C. difficile immediately.
- Wear gloves and gowns when treating patients with C. difficile, even during short visits. Hand sanitizer does not kill C. difficile, and handwashing may not be sufficient.
- Cleanroom surfaces with bleach or another EPA-approved, spore-killing disinfectant after a patient with C. difficile has been treated there.
- When a patient transfers, notify the new facility if the patient has a C. difficile infection.
(1) CDC Released by the CDC: February 2015
Contact C Diff Foundation to receive your complimentary DVD
“Raising C. diff. Awareness for Healthcare Providers”
since 2013 and share this important information with your staff and colleagues.
