Drug Information Questions: Vaccines are Drugs Too...
August 1, 2021 - In the News / Politics By: Aisa Mrkulic, Maria Michael and Svetlana Bachayev, PharmD Candidates c/o 2022 With the surge of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines sweeping the nation, there have been many concerns surrounding their safety and impact on everyday life as we adjust to the new normal. During our Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) at Long Island… |
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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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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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Digital sensors in drugs and how they will impact pharm...
February 1, 2018 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jonathan Mercado, PharmD Candidate c/o 2019 – In November of 2017, the FDA approved the first drug to contain digital sensors.1 Abilify MyCite® (aripiprazole) is indicated for schizophrenia and is manufactured by Japanese company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical.2 While patients may be hesitant to use a medication that digitally tracks whether or not they’ve taken it,… |
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Two hepatitis C drugs approved for pediatric use...
April 1, 2017 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Anna Diyamandoglu, PharmD Candidate c/o 2020 – Hepatitis C is an infectious disease which is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is characterized by inflammation of the liver. Its effects on the body range from a mild illness that lasts several weeks to a chronic illness that attacks the liver and affects… |
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Appropriate Use of Antiepileptic Drugs for Prophylaxis ...
January 1, 2016 - Clinical , Featured By: Anthony Vecchione, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Seizures are a well-described complication of acute brain injury and neurosurgery. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are frequently utilized for seizure prophylaxis in neurocritical care patients, but this practice is controversial because of the possible adverse effects of these drugs (which can affect patient outcomes). Practitioners have prescribed AEDs… |
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Should Pharmacists Provide Drugs for Lethal Injections?...
September 1, 2015 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Svetlana Akbasheva, Staff Editor – This March, both the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) and American Pharmacists Association (APhA) updated their official positions regarding the pharmacist provision of drugs for lethal injections as part of executions.1,2 The IACP stated that “while the pharmacy profession recognizes an individual practitioner’s right to determine whether to… |
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Illegal Sale of Drugs Online...
July 1, 2015 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Benedette Cuffari, BS Toxicology Candidate, ‘16 – “Initial Prescription Free,” “FDA Approved,” “Save Thousands!” and “Our Generic Drugs are Identical to Those Sold in the U.S.,” are some of the many advertising tools that thousands of websites around the world have been using to lure customers into buying illegal pharmaceuticals online. The U.S. Food… |
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How Many Drugs is Too Many?...
March 1, 2015 - Featured , In the News / Politics How Many Drugs is Too Many? By: Caitlyn Cummings, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 and Ruby Lee, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – In Dina Spector’s Business Insider article, “The World’s 2nd-Smartest Man Reveals The ‘Brain Drugs’ That He Thinks Make Him Smarter,” the daily medications taken by Rick Rosner, said genius, are revealed.1 There are unsubstantial… |
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Combating Counterfeit Drugs...
October 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Azia Tariq, Staff Editor – With the sale of counterfeit drugs reaching an alarmingly higher rate than ever, The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in collaboration with the Skoll Global Threats Fund, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the multi-agency… |
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Drugs and Diseases: The Survival Manual...
August 1, 2013 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Beatrisa Popovitz, Staff Editor – You may have heard the countless horror stories passed on by upperclassman of how D&Ds seep into the crevices of our brains and take over our psyches to inevitably make us breathe, sleep, and speak pharmacy. Stressing out over exams and investing what may seem like all of your… |
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The Industry: Generics Drugs and Intellectual Property ...
October 1, 2011 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Ebey P. Soman – The World Trade Organization (WTO) and its member nations met in Uruguay in 1994 to establish international norms for trade, economy, and development. They developed the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which provided patent protection for pharmaceutical companies to make brand name medications and market those… |
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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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6th Year Perspective: From Pharmacy Student to Pfizer F...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Frances Alexis Dela Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 By: Celestine Van Sertima, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Frances Alexis Dela Cruz is a driven and dedicated PharmD candidate at St. John’s University who is anticipated to graduate in 2024. With a focus on pharmacy studies, Frances exhibits a passion for the pharmaceutical field and is… |
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Rho Chi Talks: Interview with the CEO of Cullinan Oncol...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Nadim Ahmed, President and CEO, Cullinan Oncology By: Sairah Skeikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Nadim Ahmed is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Cullinan Oncology. He has always had an interest in oncology and the opportunity to help cancer patients and their families, which is demonstrated in his extensive prior experience working in… |
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The New “Zombie Drug”...
December 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Sandra Jojo, PharmD Canddiate c/o 2024 The United States (US) is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. All across the US, opioids continue to be abused regardless of strict laws. Communities suffer the consequences as more and more individuals become addicted to illicit drugs. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported that… |
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A Pharmacist’s Guide to Renal Transplant Therapeutics...
December 1, 2023 - Clinical , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Omar Elhoriny, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Nancy Yousry, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 The therapeutic space of solid organ transplantation holds great relevance to practicing pharmacists and yet is rarely a topic of discussion in didactic teaching. The field of renal transplant therapeutics has made remarkable strides over the years, offering new hope to… |
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FDA Approves First Nonprescription Oral Contraceptive...
December 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Bhojranie Brahmanand, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Traditionally, a prescription has always been required for contraceptives such as birth control. However, on July 13, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Perrigo’s Opill®, a daily progestin-only oral contraceptive (POC) as the first over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill.1 This drug was originally approved for prescription… |
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How drug shortages have affected pharmacies, pharmacist...
December 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Jennalynn Fung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Drug shortages are not new; however, their frequency has significantly increased over the years. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease doctor and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, stated, “[i]t’s something that I’ve seen from time to time since I started practice about 20 years ago,… |
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The Current Landscape of Treatment Options for Alzheime...
October 1, 2023 - Clinical By: Anureet Kaur, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an epidemic. Currently, the neurodegenerative disorder holds the title of the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), disproportionately affecting older adults.1 The National Institute on Aging reports that the number of people with AD doubles about every five years beyond… |
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Efficacy of Cabozantinib, Nivolumab, and Ipilimumab Com...
October 1, 2023 - Clinical By: Shakhzoda Rakhimova, PharmD Candidate ℅ 2024 Introduction Renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) is a type of kidney cancer in which malignant epithelial cells are found in the lining of the renal tubules or renal cortex.1 Clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type, accounting for about 80% of all RCC cases.2 ccRCC is named aptly… |
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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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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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Zavegepant: An Intranasal Breakthrough in Treating Acut...
June 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Samia Rahman Adity, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Migraine has been a throbbing topic of discussion and a serious public health concern in the United States (U.S.). As of 2018, headache was seen to be the fourth or fifth most common cause for patients to visit an emergency department.1 The National Institute of Neurological… |
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FDA Regulatory Change Expands Access to Mifepristone...
June 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Ashley Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Medical abortion is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to end intrauterine pregnancy through ten weeks gestation (i.e., within 70 days of the start of a patient’s last menstrual period). Mifepristone plays a major role in the termination of early pregnancies within the United States (U.S.).… |
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Evaluation of Ivermectin for Treatment of COVID-19...
April 1, 2023 - Clinical By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an illness caused by severe acute respiratory system coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that primarily affects the respiratory system.1 In order to enter human cells, the virus’ spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) must bind to a cell membrane-bound… |
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A Beacon of Hope for Multi-Drug Resistant HIV Patients:...
April 1, 2023 - Clinical By: Debika Kundu, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Jeilyn Nunez, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that targets one’s immune system and renders it weak against many diseases, such as influenza, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and cancer. HIV can enter one’s body through various modes of transmission, including anal or… |
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6th Year Perspective: APPE Rotations at the Westcheste...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Justin Budz is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. While at St. John’s, Justin participated in multiple organizations, which ultimately led him to discover the career path he wanted to pursue. Most notably, Justin served as the Development and Outreach… |
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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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Mounjaro (Tirzepatide): Dual-Targeted Treatment for Typ...
October 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Zarin Chowdhury, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 and Lauren Merkovich, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a long-term medical condition in which the body is unable to use insulin properly, resulting in abnormal blood glucose levels.1 More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10); approximately 90 to 95%… |
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FDA’s Approval of Pharmacists Prescribing Paxlovid...
October 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Imaan Sekhery, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 On July 6, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised the precedent Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s Paxlovid, granting licensed pharmacists the right to prescribe Paxlovid to suitable patients. This revision will significantly increase access to Paxlovid, assisting in patient recovery from Coronavirus Disease 2019… |
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Rectal Cancer Disappears After Use of Immunotherapy...
October 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Sairah Sheikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Promising new research conducted by doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center showed 100% remission of rectal cancer in 12 patients after immunotherapy. Traditionally, patients with rectal cancer are treated with chemotherapy and radiation, followed by a surgical resection of the rectum.1 However, this method carries the… |
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Paxlovid, the First Oral Antiviral Treatment for Covid-...
August 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Kirby An, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) is a virus that took the world by storm with its initial discovery in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. On January 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first case of Covid-19 in the United States (US) after a 35… |
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Wegovy® (Semaglutide): New FDA Approval for Use in Obe...
August 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Pauline Choi, PharmD There has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity, and it has become an international health problem amongst all age-groups, including children, adults, and adolescents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the definition of obesity for adults and children is a BMI > 30 kg/m2, and a weight-for-height… |
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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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An Aspirin A Day Keeps the First Heart Attack Away… N...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jun Suh Hong, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Aspirin belongs to a class of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Known by many for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its association with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, aspirin plays an essential role in stroke prevention. As such, it has a crucial role in… |
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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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Ranitidine (Zantac®) Making a Comeback...
October 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Mandy Zheng, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 “Where can I find Zantac?”. From April 2020 to May 2021, the answer was, you cannot. On April 1, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered for all ranitidine (Zantac®)- containing products to be removed from the U.S. market.¹ Ranitidine was a popular over-the-counter (OTC) and… |
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Opioid Addiction During a Public Health Crisis...
October 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Anjali Rana, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 and Katharine Russo, PharmD The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose challenges, both nationally and worldwide. Many countries that were facing public health crises prior to COVID-19 have subsequently seen a worsening of these crises, as much of the funding and attention previously available has… |
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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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CAR T-cell therapy for Multiple Myeloma...
August 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Lyana Sayilar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Multiple myeloma is characterized by an accumulation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow and the formation of tumors in bones. An insufficient quantity of healthy blood cells are produced in the bone marrow leading to a weakened immune system.1 The exact cause of multiple myeloma… |
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A New Approach with an Old Drug: Colchicine and Heart D...
August 1, 2021 - In the News / Politics By: Mathew Fontanez, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 What place does the familiar gout medication colchicine have in the fight against heart disease? Colchicine and its natural source, the autumn crocus plant, have been used to treat the “disease of kings”, or gout, for well over 2000 years. As a result of hyperuricemia, gout often… |
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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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Pharmaceutical Breakthrough for the Treatment of Duchen...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Rubab Hassan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration and weakness along with various other symptoms. It is predominantly caused by deletions of one or more exons, which lead to mutations of the dystrophin gene. Dystrophin stops muscle fibers from being degraded by proteases.… |
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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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Connecting the Dots: Ankylosing Spondylitis and Heart D...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic inflammatory condition that primarily affects a person’s back.¹ It is a form of arthritis that affects the spine and causes inflammation of the spinal joints, leading to severe, chronic pain and discomfort.² Ankylosing spondylitis can also impact other areas of the… |