By: Mohamed Dungersi – On behalf of the Rho Chi Honor Society Beta Delta Chapter, it is with immense pleasure that I present to you our monthly newsletter publication, Rho Chi Post. The Rho Chi Honor Society, which is the only national pharmacy honor society of its kind, works to create and recognize lifelong intellectual leaders…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to adequately perfuse tissues. It is often associated with serious consequences, such as kidney failure, liver dam-age, heart attack, and stroke. Patient care is focused on preventing these complications. Recently, attention has turned to other concerns: studies…

By Marie Huang – On September 22nd, members of Rho Chi gathered in Sullivan Hall Room 306 for the first General Body Meeting of the semester. As President Mohamed Dungersi stepped to the front of the room and reintroduced the executive board, students quietly helped themselves to scrumptious, hot slices of Domino‟s Pizza, and retreated…

By: Ebey P. Soman – Meet Dr. Parnali Chatterjee, a new faculty member in our St. John’s University family. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Chatterjee at the doctoral seminar hosted by Dr. Lin Mantell entitled, “Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics in Drug Discovery and Development.” I was introduced to Dr. Chatterjee through Dr. Frank…

By Ebey P. Soman – TNF-alpha inhibitors are drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, as well as other disease states. These agents suppress the immune system and increase the risk of developing serious infections. Currently, there are five approved drugs in this category: • Adalimumab (Humira®, Abbott) • Certolizumab pegol…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – Once again, Albany is in the setting of a fierce debate on pharmacy. On June 15th, 2011, the New York State Assembly passed Bill 5502, which would forbid insurance companies from mandating the use of mail-order pharmacies for patients under their medication plan. Bill 5502 specifically mandates that medication plans…

By: Ebey P. Soman – During a seminar held by the Career Center on September 30th, 2011, I had the opportunity to hear Mrs. Laura Cranston. She is a pharmacy graduate of St. John‟s University (class of 1984) and a former Executive Resident of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). Dr. Robert Mangione, Dean…

By: Marie Huang – Every month, Rho Chi Post has the wonderful opportunity to sit down and talk to an inspiring leader among the student pharmacists here at St. John‟s – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he or she wants to see in the…

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…