By: James Schurr, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2014 – Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that results in a state of thyrotoxicosis, or a cause of hyperthyroidism, due to the Immunoglobulin G-mediated agonism of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptors located on the thyroid.  Stimulation of TSH receptors causes an increase in circulating thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – As previously reported, there is currently great concern in the medical community because of the growing number of drug shortages.  Many of these are drugs that are critical to patient care, such as chemotherapy agents and antibiotics.  Last October, President Obama issued an executive order in an attempt to curb…

By: Shannon Tellier – Dr. Tran is an assistant clinical professor at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, and a clinical pharmacy manager in Internal Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian: Columbia University Medical Center.  She received her BS in Public Health and Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel…

By: Mohamed Dungersi – On February 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved important safety label changes for the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.  Aligned with the FDA’s goal to provide the public with more information for the safe and effective use of statins, the agency made several modifications to the…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – As previously reported, the recent rise in violence against pharmacies (by people in search of narcotic medications) has riled the New York State legislature into action.  The attorney general has also joined the fray in the fight against prescription drug abuse.  Last June, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, proposed setting…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – A few months ago, a new product called AeroShot Pure Energy hit the markets in New York and Massachusetts.  AeroShot is a new inhaler that gives the user bursts of caffeine.  Each inhaler contains an estimated 100mg of caffeine, approximately the same amount as a large cup of coffee.  It…

By: Ebey P. Soman – The FDA recently approved a combination tablet of linagliptin with metformin hydrochloride (Jentadueto®) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.  Developed by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly, the new combination tablet provides a twice-daily treatment option for healthcare providers looking for greater flexibility in treating diabetes. Prescribers may add a…

By: Mohamed Dungersi – Starting July 1, 2012, Albertans will be able to have their prescriptions renewed at their local pharmacies and pharmacists will receive reimbursements for the service.  Patients will be able to renew medications for blood pressure, birth control, and asthma (particularly, inhalers) without waiting weeks to get into their family doctor’s office.…

By: Marie Huang –  E M E L I T H I U M U O E L L E N I S S A T U E Z L A Z I N I L E L I N A G A M P I Z O T E A I L A T…

By: Marie Huang – Each month, the Rho Chi Post has the wonderful opportunity to sit down with an inspiring leader among the student pharmacists here at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he…

By: Charles George, Pharm.D. – Charles George, Pharm.D. is a recent graduate from the University of Florida in 2011.  He currently works as a community pharmacist for Walgreens Pharmacy in the Central Florida area.  Since graduation, his daily interaction with patients revealed the need for pharmacists to adapt to the evolving role of community pharmacy. …

By: Marie Huang – The amphitheater at Nassau University Medical Center fills up slowly as Dr. Alan Jay Cohen, a psychiatrist from Oakland, California, makes his way up to the podium to lead a talk about bipolar disorder, specifically differentiating between its presentations in adults versus in developing children. Among nonprofessionals, bipolar disorder is simply…