The First Lab-Grown Blood Transfusion...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: John Ortiz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 What is a Blood Transfusion? A blood transfusion is a procedure where donated blood is intravenously administered to a patient. Generally, it is used to treat patients who are experiencing blood loss or a deficiency of integral blood components. In the United States, there are 21 million blood transfusions… |
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FDA Approves Jardiance® for the Treatment of Adults wi...
February 1, 2024 - In the News / Politics By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Effective September 22, 2023, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for empagliflozin (Jardiance®) 10 mg tablets for the treatment of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at risk of progression. This decision was based on the results of the EMPA-KIDNEY phase III… |
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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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The “Morning-After” Antibiotic...
February 1, 2024 - In the News / Politics By: Anureet Kaur, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 According to surveillance data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemic is escalating at an alarming rate. The health agency reports that in 2019, there were 1.8 million cases of chlamydia, more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea, and… |
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FDA Approves Bimzelx® for the Treatment of Moderate to...
February 1, 2024 - In the News / Politics By: Bhojranie Brahmanand, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 On October 18, 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Bimzelx (bimekizumab) for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1 Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease that is associated with cutaneous and systemic manifestations. The pathophysiology can be characterized by abnormal keratinocyte… |
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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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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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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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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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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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FDA Grants Approval for AREXVY, the First Respiratory S...
October 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 On May 3, 2023, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Arexvy (RSVPreF3), the first vaccine to combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and older.1 Overview of RSV RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms that… |
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Zuranolone: An Oral Development in the Treatment of Pos...
October 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Giavanna Carr, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Postpartum depression, also known as PPD, is classified as perinatal depression, which is experienced by those who have recently given birth. PPD is the leading complication following childbirth, affecting 1 in 7 women worldwide.1 Oftentimes, this is the first time the mother suffers from any type of depression,… |
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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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Health-Related Mechanisms Behind Exercise...
October 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Sairah Sheikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Increased physical activity is often touted as a lifestyle choice that improves bodily health dramatically. Over recent years, there has been an increase in research showing that exercise can help to prevent chronic diseases. Physical activity exerts its benefit through a wide variety of mechanisms. Exercise can improve… |
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WeightWatchers Enters the Obesity Drug Market Upon Acqu...
August 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Geraldine Ciaccio, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 The personalized weight-loss program WeightWatchers took a significant step into the newly popularized obesity drug market. As one of the leading weight-loss programs in the United States, WeightWatchers customizes diet plans according to individual health goals. To expand its weight management platform into clinical settings, the company agreed… |
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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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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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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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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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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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New Study Expands Pharmacists’ Role in Treating Opioi...
June 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Geraldine Ciaccio, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 The role of pharmacists in public health has been expanding in recent years. The list of pharmacists’ responsibilities continues to grow with the treatment of the opioid crisis in the United States. In the past year, pharmacists newly received the authority to dispense naloxone under a standing order.… |
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The 1980’s HIV and AIDS Epidemic...
April 1, 2023 - In the News / Politics By: Christian Porcu, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and John Ortiz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impairs immune cells, leaving patients with an increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and other illnesses. HIV is transmitted through an exchange of bodily fluids, most often through unprotected sex or sharing drug injection equipment.1 The first stage… |
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Evaluating Treatments and Preventative Measuresfor Monk...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sairah Sheikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 As Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases started to decrease in the United States (US), many Americans breathed a sigh of relief. However, on May 17, 2022, fear of a new infectious disease struck the nation. The first case of the monkeypox outbreak in the US was reported… |
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FDA Approval of Pemazyre® as a First-in-Class Treatmen...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases expressed on the cell surface of both developmental and adult cells. Aberrant expression of FGFRs has been implicated in a wide variety of cancers and is considered an oncogenic signaling pathway.1 FGFRs are activated by… |
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Relyvrio: A New FDA-Approved Medication for Amyotrophic...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Yu Jeng Lee, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both the upper motor neurons (UMN) and lower motor neurons (LMN). This disease causes muscle weakness, which progresses to disability, and subsequently death, primarily due to respiratory failure.1,2 … |
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FDA Approves Tzield (teplizumab-mzwv) to Delay Onset of...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Diabetes mellitus encompasses both chronic and reversible conditions that affect the body’s ability to utilize glucose. In 2019, about 28.7 million (8.7%) people in the United States (US) had diagnosed diabetes. Of this population, about 1.6 million (5.7%) people ages 20 or older and 244,000 (0.9%) people… |
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Evaluating the Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders fro...
December 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Geraldine Ciaccio, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Pregnant women treated with antidepressants may no longer have to endure the worry that their medications will harm their newborn. Previous studies have shown a correlation between the use of antidepressants in pregnant patients and the prevalence of various birth defects, including cardiac defects, anencephaly, and gastroschisis,… |
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AstraZeneca’s Farxiga is First Heart Failure Drug to ...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is a first-in-class, oral, once daily sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor indicated for improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2D), reducing the risk of cardiovascular (CV) death and hospitalization in heart failure (HF), and reducing the risk of sustained eGFR decline in chronic kidney… |
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Pediatric COVID-19 Immunization Schedules Updated with ...
December 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Helen Li, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 On June 18, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director, Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation to expand eligibility of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations to children 6 months through 5 years of age.1 On August 31, 2022,… |
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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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New FDA Approval of Bydureon for Treating Type 2 Diabet...
October 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Kelly Lavery, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Increasing rates of childhood obesity remain a major risk factor behind a recently increased prevalence of diabetes in the pediatric population. This subject is of particular relevance in light of the ongoing coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has limited children to isolation and online learning… |
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FDA Approves Tubeless Automated Insulin System for Kids...
October 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Geraldine Ciaccio, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are completely dependent on others for their care and management. It can be hard for parents, guardians, teachers, and healthcare providers to assess a child’s condition as they are too young to properly communicate their thoughts and emotions. Most children… |
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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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Standing Order for Naloxone in Pharmacies in New York S...
August 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Helen Li, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 On August 15, 2022, the New York State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Mary T. Bassett, implemented a statewide pharmacy standing order for naloxone.1 With this authorization, all pharmacists can assist in reducing mortality from opioid abuse, while optimizing the pharmacists’ continuous role in public health. In… |
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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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YouTube Bans Misinformation About Approved Vaccines ...
February 1, 2022 - In the News / Politics By: Natalia Jucha, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Zarin Chowdhury PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Effective September 29th of 2021, YouTube will be banning prominent anti-vaccine activists and blocking channels promoting anti-vaccine misinformation. The company recently announced its expansion of medical misinformation policies. This includes prohibiting the sharing of misinformation regarding currently administered vaccines that… |
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CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots ...
February 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Fatima Amjad, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Pharmacists have truly taken on the role of superhero during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As of April 6, 2022 more than 239.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered by community pharmacies across the United States.1 Community pharmacists have gone above and beyond immunizing eligible… |
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A Review of A Randomized Trial of a Transglutaminase-2 ...
February 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Natalia Jucha, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Helen Li, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Celiac disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder and occurs in individuals who cannot tolerate gluten. Dietary gluten induces an immune response and causes damage to the small intestine, particularly the duodenum and proximal jejunum. A small peptide called gliadin,… |
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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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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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Good News, Bad News about Novel Treatment Resistant Dep...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Daniel Levin, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Depression is a terrible beast of an illness to battle with, and there are nearly 14 million individuals at any given moment fighting it. Only around 50% of patients struggling with depression will get some form of treatment. Sixty to seventy percent of patients who do get… |
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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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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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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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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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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… |