The rising cost of insulin...
October 1, 2019 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Daniela Farzadfar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 Over 30 million Americans are currently living with diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), in 2017, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States was 327 billion dollars with 237 billion dollars alone attributed to direct medical costs.1 Among these direct medical costs… |
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Drug Shortages: Effects & Costs in the United Stat...
August 1, 2014 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Valentina DiGangi,PharmD Candidate c/o 2017, Brandon Hu, PharmD Candidate c/o 2018, Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor, Samantha Lau, PharmD Candidate c/o 2018, and Seowoo Yoon, PharmD Candidate c/o 2018 – What does a clinician do when there is limited access to a particular drug, such as morphine? Should they treat a patient who is… |
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Lower Vaccine Costs for Developing Nations...
July 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Steve Soman, PharmD – India has become a powerhouse in pharmaceutical manufacturing, often supplying generic alternatives at a fraction of the brand name cost to the developing world. Cheaper alternatives make costly drugs more affordable for poorer nations and NGOs.1 Indian manufacturer Biological E. Limited, a biotech firm based in Hyderabad India, signed a… |
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Increased Costs of Treatment due to the DSM-V: Implicat...
April 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: James W. Schurr and David Gao, PharmD Candidates 2014 – A recent Op-ed in Newsday by Allen Frances, MD (of Duke University School of Medicine and chairman of the task force that produced the DSM-IV, the current guidelines for psychiatric disease diagnosis) criticizes the American Psychiatric Association for being “extravagantly indifferent to all matters… |
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Letter to the Editor: An Answer to the Rising Drug Cost...
November 1, 2011 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Dr. Olga Hilas – Foreword: Dr. Olga Hilas is an Associate Clinical Professor at Saint John’s University and a Clinical Pharmacy Manager in internal medicine and geriatrics at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Hilas agreed to provide feedback to in response to Ebey’s article entitled, “Big Pharma vs. Developing Countries: Debating Generic Drugs and… |
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Pharmacy Benefit Managers 2023 Update...
February 1, 2024 - In the News / Politics By: Giavanna Carr, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 In March of 2023, Senators Maria Cantwell and Charles E. Grassley successfully passed the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) Transparency Act through the Senate Commerce Committee.1 The PBM Transparency Act is projected to save taxpayers a total of $740 million dollars over a 10-year period, making this act a… |
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An Oral Revolution in Treating Adults Diagnosed with Ty...
February 1, 2024 - In the News / Politics By: Samia Rahman Adity, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Diabetes Facts and Statistics Type II diabetes (T2D) has been a consequential public health concern in the United States (US). It is a condition where patients have elevated blood glucose levels. Escalation in plasma glucose can lead to detrimental health effects, which include cardiovascular complications like coronary… |
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From Pharmacy Student to Pharmacist: A Breakdown of Exp...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Carolina Vargas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, Zoha Khalid, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, and Nashfa Zaman, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Graduating from pharmacy school is a monumental achievement, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. However, this milestone comes with financial burdens that aspiring pharmacists must be prepared for. This article will… |
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RSV Vaccine: Furthering the Expansion of the Pharmacis...
December 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Ashley Medina, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 After decades of trial and error, science is ready to offer preventative measures against the respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV. Utilizing RSV vaccination tools that have become available will allow for a healthy, fun, and safe transition from winter to spring, often when RSV cases rise.… |
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FDA Falls Behind on Sunscreen Approvals...
October 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Ashley Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Melanoma is the fifth most common cause of cancer in the United States (US). Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the primary risk factor for developing melanoma.1 In order to reduce damage from UV exposure, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends practices such as… |
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The FDA’s Accelerated Approval of Lecanemab for Alzhe...
August 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Imaan Sekhery, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 On January 6, 2023, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Eisai’s Leqembi (lecanemab), an alternative treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The creation of the drug depicts a significant advancement within the small field of AD treatments. This disease state is known to begin with… |
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Nationwide Albuterol Shortage: How Patients, Healthcare...
August 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Celestine Van Sertima, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Addressing the Issue As the spring season leads the way to respiratory challenges, there have been growing concerns over the shortage of respiratory medications which have raised many problems for people’s health. Specifically, a lack of albuterol metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) has heavily impacted the asthmatic community. Albuterol… |
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Is Organic Food Really Worth It?...
August 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Sairah Sheikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 In a world where people are becoming increasingly health-conscious, organic food is of interest to many. It is often seen as the pinnacle of healthy food, although may not be affordable for all. Those who can afford it spend thousands of dollars a year on organic food and… |
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U.S. Based Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Eli Lilly &...
June 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 March 1, 2023 marked a substantial milestone in the United States’ (U.S.’) fight for affordable insulin. Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) has announced that over the next few months, they will be reducing the price of multiple insulin products as well as capping patient out-of-pocket costs at… |
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Evaluating Efficacy of Bortezomib and Carfilzomib in Tr...
February 1, 2023 - Clinical , Featured By: Brian Chung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, Peter Chung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, and Kevin Kim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects an individual’s plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells located in the bone marrow that are responsible for producing antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins.1 Immunoglobulins… |
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6th Year Perspective: Working with State Representative...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Christina Swiger, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Christina Swiger is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. Christina was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare by her mother who is a store manager at a community pharmacy. Growing up, Christina was able to aid in the care… |
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Different Dietary Fats and their Association with Cardi...
August 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 In the United States (US), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women of most racial and ethnic groups, followed by cancer and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).1 About 659,000 people in the US die from heart disease each year, which encompasses about 1 in… |
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The Controversial use of Aducanumab (Aduhelm) for Alzhe...
February 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Aamir S. Dave, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Judith L. Beizer, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF Alzheimer’s and Dementia Dementia is characterized by the loss of memory and other cognitive abilities that interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disease and is the most common type of dementia, accounting for greater than 60-80%… |
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Molnupiravir: A Prospective Oral Antiviral for Treatmen...
February 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 On January 19th, 2020, a 35-year-old man in an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington was the first to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be infected with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2… |
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Combating Chronic Diseases with a Plant-Based Diet...
December 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Ashely Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 In early 2021, about 6 in 10 American adults had a chronic disease. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States with 1 in 3 deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVD).¹ The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized the impact… |
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An Overview of Ketamine Cystitis...
December 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Pallak Sharma, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Mia Cord-Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Ketamine (Ketalar®) is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a general anesthetic, with additional indications listed within its package insert.1 Ketamine is a highly abused “street drug”, especially in China. To demonstrate, in Hong… |
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Cabenuva: A Monthly Injectable for the Treatment of HIV...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sharon Joseph PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Salma Hewady, PharmD Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a single-stranded retrovirus that attacks the immune system, predisposing the host to opportunistic infections and malignancies. If not properly treated, HIV can progress to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Goals of therapy include restoration of immune function, suppression of… |
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Pharmacy Meets Technology: Pharmacy Informatics...
October 1, 2021 - In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Tiffany Dominic, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 As student pharmacists, there is no doubt that we have been hearing the words “pharmacy informatics” more frequently. However, a big concern remains. Many pharmacy students are not exactly sure what informatics is or only have a general understanding of the topic. Well, look no further and… |
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Antiepileptics in Migraine Prophylaxis...
August 1, 2021 - Clinical By: Krishna Tamakuwala, PharmD candidate c/o 2023 Migraines are characterized by episodes of head pain that are often throbbing and frequently unilateral. Migraines are divided into two categories: migraines without aura, known as common migraine, and migraines with aura, known as classical migraine. Migraines without aura are oftentimes associated with typical symptoms like nausea,… |
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Potentially Life-Threatening Interactions Between Newer...
August 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Richa Tamakuwala, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 There has been a dramatic rise in the number of patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as permanent pacemakers and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs), due to an increasing aging population and clinical trials showing benefits in mortality and morbidity. Multiple studies investigating the use of ICDs… |
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Dravet’s Syndrome and a Novel Antiepileptic Drug: Can...
August 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological disorder caused by unusual nerve cell activity, and is among one of the most common disease states encountered today in clinical practice. Each year around 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with epilepsy.1 Epilepsy is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as… |
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Emerging Frontiers in Multiple Myeloma Pharmacotherapy...
June 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Nishanth Viswanath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by an accumulation and proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. 1 Throughout the course of the disease, malignant plasma cells induce an overproduction of non-functional immunoglobulin (paraproteins), which is evident during urine and blood screenings. 2… |
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Desmopressin Challenge for Von Willebrand’s Disease i...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Oluwafemi Popoola, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021, SUNY Binghamton School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences A patient with past medical history of von Willebrand’s disease (VWD) and myasthenia gravis on chronic prednisone therapy, presented for follow-up for VWD at the hematology/oncology clinic. The provider considered having the patient undergo a “desmopressin challenge” with desmopressin… |
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FDA approves Vibegron (Gemtesa®) for the Treatment of ...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Arya Firoozan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition that causes a sudden and frequent urge to urinate. It is also associated with incontinence and nocturia. Nocturia refers to waking up at night due to the urge to urinate. OAB is diagnosed if there is no other current infection or… |
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Increasing Evidence of the Benefits of Statins...
April 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Pallak Sharma, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Rebecca Samuel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Statins, some of the most well-known cholesterol lowering medications, have been demonstrating increasing evidence of safety and benefits to the elderly patient population. 5 Statins are a class of medication that can help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)… |
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AstraZeneca Sells Rights to Two Cardiovascular Drugs fo...
April 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Introduction The British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to sell its rights to two cardiovascular drugs to Germany’s Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH for $400 million. This decision allows AstraZeneca to reinvest in the company’s main areas of focus: cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, cancer, respiratory, inflammation and… |
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NMOSD Treatment...
February 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Lyana Sayilar PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022 Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare disorder affecting 4,000 to 8,000 Americans. Adults with this disorder are often found to have anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4)antibodies that primarily attack healthy cells and proteins in the optic nerves and spinal cord. The majority of patients have relapses within three… |
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Use of dexamethasone for the treatment of COVID-19: an ...
February 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Bisma T. Sekhery PharmD. Candidate c/o 2025 COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the health, economic, and social aspects of life for every person. Currently, there is only one Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for COVID-19–remdesivir (Veklury®). The lack of approved therapies makes COVID-19 difficult to treat and increases overall mortality… |
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Asthma, Alveoli, and Albuterol: A General Overview of A...
December 1, 2020 - Clinical , Featured By: Jeremy Mesias, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 It starts with a simple cough or a wheeze. Suddenly, it escalates to tightness in the chest. Breathing gets quicker but shallower, making you feel short of breath. These are the most common and recognizable symptoms of an asthma attack. Around the world, nearly 300 million people… |
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Transition of Care: A New and Emerging Pharmacy Special...
December 1, 2020 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Sami Barakat, PharmD. and Natalia Jucha, PharmD. Candidate c/o 2022 Since the publication of the Institute of Medicine report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, there has been a growing movement to improve patient safety. The report revealed that more than 7000 deaths occur annually due to medication errors.1 It… |
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Vancomycin Monitoring for Serious MRSA Infections in Ad...
December 1, 2020 - Clinical , Featured By: Darien Lee, Pharm D Candidate c/o 2021 Vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, is one of the most commonly used medications in hospitals. Its widespread use is attributed to its efficacy for the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. One of its most notable features is its coverage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus… |
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Provider Status: What is it?...
October 1, 2020 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Katharine Russo, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021 As of July 1, 2000, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) mandated for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree to be the sole degree required to enter pharmacy practice in the United States. ¹ With this advanced degree came the complex education, training, and clinical practice… |
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New York State and Provider Status...
October 1, 2020 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Mah Noor, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021 Over the past decade, pharmacists across the nation have joined in a number of grassroots efforts to gain legislative recognition as health care providers. As of 2019, thirty-four states have recognized pharmacists as providers in at least one section of their state statute or in their state… |
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The State of Pharmacy Advocacy in New York...
October 1, 2020 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jeremy Mesias, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 As we begin another October, we mark the start of American Pharmacist Month and celebrate pharmacists and their work around the country. We are also reminded of the great leaps and bounds our profession has made over the years to advance patient care. Behind all great progress,… |
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Pharmacists for Black Lives...
October 1, 2020 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Aiša Mrkulić , PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 In fulfilling our vow to uphold the Oath of a Pharmacist, we must regard, “the welfare of humanity and relief of suffering” as our top priority. Voluntary are the promises which accompany this oath, promises with wellness at their forefront. ² It is not without reason… |
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Novel agents in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic le...
August 1, 2020 - Clinical , Featured By: Nishanth Viswanath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Introduction Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a hematological malignancy of mature CD5 positive B-lymphocytes that primarily affects elderly patients.1 With the average age of diagnosis being 71, the incidence of CLL is relatively rare in younger populations, though cases have occurred in those under the age of 50.1… |
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COVID-19 and the vaccine development process: A closer ...
August 1, 2020 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the viral strain responsible for causing COVID-19, continues to have a profound impact on communities at a local, national and global level. As of August 20, 2020, nearly 5.7 million confirmed cases exist in the United States with a total of… |
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Usage of Ibuprofen and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme In...
June 1, 2020 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Evan Cheung, PharmD (c/o 2020) On March 11th, 2020, a research article was published in the Lancet journal that informed the public about a hypothesized issue regarding the use of ibuprofen in COVID-19 patients.1 Because of the information found in this article, patients and medical professions are wary of utilizing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs… |
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Overview of the use of neuromuscular blocking agents in...
February 1, 2020 - Clinical , Featured By: Joseph DiPaola (PharmD Candidate c/o 2022), Nishanth Viswanath (PharmD Candidate c/o 2022) Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are drugs that induce a physiological state of paralysis, and are used in a variety of surgical procedures, disease states, and situations in clinical pharmacy and anesthesiology. Practitioners have been successfully using NMBAs since 1995 after the… |
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Basal-bolus vs. sliding-scale insulin in hospitalized p...
December 1, 2019 - Clinical , Featured By: Maria Sedky Saad (PharmD Candidate c/o 2021), Shivani Shah (PharmD Candidate c/o 2021) Hyperglycemia is a common condition in hospitalized patients whose glucose levels are normally controlled with oral antidiabetic medications, which are often discontinued upon admission. To circumvent hyperglycemic complications in hospitalized patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, glucose levels… |
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Treatment of iron deficiency anemia...
December 1, 2019 - Clinical , Featured By: Maryam Sekhery, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 According to the World Health Organization, anemia is defined as having a level of Hemoglobin (Hb) below 13.0 g/dL in male adults, below 12.0 g/dL in female adults who are not pregnant, and below 11.0 g/dL in pregnant women.1 Hemoglobin is an iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in red… |
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FDA approves romosozumab (Evenity®) for the treatment ...
December 1, 2019 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Michael Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 Osteoporosis is a bone disease affecting nearly ten million people in the United States.1 It can be caused by excess bone loss, insufficient bone production, or a combination of both factors. The disease is responsible for two million broken bones and 19 billion dollars in related healthcare… |
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The “Netflix” approach to hepatitis C drugs...
August 1, 2019 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Michael Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 In a February 2019 Senate Finance Committee hearing, executives from major pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie, Merck, and AstraZeneca were criticized for the high cost of brand-name prescription drugs.1 When asked why brand-name prescription drugs in the United States were more expensive compared to other developed countries, an… |
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United States Department of Health and Human Services (...
June 1, 2019 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Michael Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 In 2017, 70,237 overdose deaths occurred in the United States. Of those deaths, 47,600 (sixty-seven point eight percent of all drug overdose deaths in 2017) involved opioids.1 As the current main driver of drug overdose deaths, opioids and their misuse and abuse represent an ongoing health epidemic… |
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves patisiran (...
April 1, 2019 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Michael Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 In the investigation of gene function and its role in health care and disease management, RNA interference is an important scientific tool. Possessing the ability to individually turn off nearly 22,000 genes upon introduction into human cells, small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs), while useful in research settings,… |