By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common pediatric psychiatric disorder, and it affects the education, social interactions, and over-all wellbeing of both children and adolescents.1 Symptoms of ADHD can persist into adulthood, and those with this disorder are more likely to suffer from other mental health co-morbidities.2 According to guidelines…

By: Tasnima Nabi, Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – Social media is a powerful platform, allowing for the quick and easy exchange of ideas. Although the Internet has facilitated universal access, for many, it can be difficult to find reliable information. By combining the power of the Internet with his dedication to the pharmacy profession, Eric Christianson,…

By: Nancy Simon, PharmD c/o 2016 – Last November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) submitted a proposal for a Generic Drug Labeling Plan.  This new plan will allow generic drug companies to use the same process as the one used by brand drug companies to update their medication labels to reflect new safety information.1…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences — Psychotropic medications are typically used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat behavioral problems that affect children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Symptoms of ASD typically include a need for routines (change intolerance), difficulty with verbal and…

By: Melissa Roy Co-Copy Editor [Graphics focused] — Many people do not realize the opportunities that are available to pharmacists. Joanne Bollhofer-White has taken the path less traveled by entering into the Air Force. Her position in the military has allowed her to travel all over the country while serving her country. The Air Force…

By: Stephanie Chiu and Elissa Tam, PharmD Candidates c/o 2015 — According to the Dartmouth Atlas project, health care spending in the United States has risen dramatically and yet health outcomes are not improving; meanwhile, many other countries that spend far less per person than the United States have better health outcomes.1 Studies have since…

By: Elissa Tam, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their glucose levels simply by taking oral medications have to inject insulin daily. They also have to measure their glucose levels by using strips and lancets on a regular basis. For patients, especially elderly ones, the…

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…

By: Elissa Tam PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – HIV/AIDS continues to be a persistent problem in the United States and in various countries around the world. In 2010 alone, there were around 47,500 new HIV infections in the United States with about 1.1 million Americans living with HIV at the end of 2010.1 When left…

By: Anthony Botte and Tyler Valente, PharmD Candidates c/o 2016 – Diseases which are prevalent within the pediatric population require distinct protocols for treatment accompanied by the utmost care and precision. Pediatric hypertension (HTN) is one disease state in particular that has come to the forefront of medical practice in the United States over the…

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…

By: Sherin Pathickal, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – In 2006, the Institute of Medicine reported that over 1.5 million people in the US suffered from a medication error, errors that not only cost the economy billions of dollars, but endangered countless lives.1 Each year, approximately 7,000 deaths occur to due to preventable medication related errors.2…

By: Azia Tariq, Staff Editor – Truly personalized medication is the goal of researchers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries. For example, when a patient requires a precise dose that is not manufactured as a tablet, the tablet will be broken up in order to deliver the dose as close as possible. Not only is…

By Davidta Brown, Senior Staff Editor – The idea of granting pharmacists the right to prescribe, as well as to counsel and dispense, has long been a source of controversy among healthcare professionals. A study out of the University of Alberta in Canada, published online in mid-April, provided some much needed concrete data for an…

By: Kevin Lin, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – This April, the FDA approved three sublingual immunotherapies for pollen induced allergic rhinitis: Grastek® (Timothy Grass Pollen Allergen Extract), Oralair® (Grass Pollen Allergen Extract), and Ragwitek® (Short Ragweed Pollen Allergen Extract). Formulated by Merck, Grastek® is Timothy grass pollen allergen extract. It is approved for patients ages…

By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – The overuse of antipsychotics in the nursing home population for off-label indications continues to impact patient safety. In 2005, the FDA issued a black box warning that stated, “The treatment of behavioral disorders in elderly patients with dementia with atypical antipsychotic medications is associated with increased mortality.” The evidence…

By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is indicated for the treatment of intractable spasticity caused by spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal ischemia or tumor, transverse myelitis, cervical spondylosis, cerebral palsy, and degenerative myelopathy.1 Baclofen inhibits both monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes at the spinal cord level by decreasing excitatory neurotransmitter release from…

By: Melissa Roy, Co-Copy Editor [Graphics Focused] – During Pharmacy Lobby Day, pharmacists and students from all over New York gather at the capitol in Albany to meet with various members of Congress to discuss the state of pharmacy. This year, similar to previous years, a group of students and faculty from St. John’s University…

By: Sang Hyub Kim, DPM Candidate c/o 2018, New York College of Podiatric Medicine – I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2009. For the past five years, I have literally taken tons of immunosuppressant medications, ranging from corticosteroids (prednisone), to chemotherapeutics (6-Mercaptopurine) in an effort to suppress the inflammation in my colon. Currently, I…

By: Diana Gritsenko, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Drug overdose is a serious problem in the United States.  In 2010, drug overdose caused more deaths among adults within the ages of 25 and 64 years than motor vehicle accidents. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), ran an analysis that showed drug overdose death rates have…

By: Erica Dimitropoulos Co-Copy Editor [Content- Focused]  – On February 14, 2014, elosulfase alfa (Vimizim™) became an FDA-approved enzyme replacement therapy for Morquio A Syndrome, a type of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS IVA).1 Elosulfase alfa was granted priority review and was also the first drug to receive the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher that motivates the development…

By: Fatema Elias, Senior Staff Editor – Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells form in the tissues of the prostate gland. It often develops in men over the age of 50, and the numbers of estimated new cases and of deaths from prostate cancer in the United States in 2013 are 238,590 and 29,720, respectively.1…

By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Pressure ulcers can be a painful condition decreasing the quality of life of patients and prolonging hospital stays.1 About 10% of hospital inpatients and 26% of hospice admissions have pressure sores.2 Pressure ulcers are injuries that occur when pressure is applied for prolonged periods of time over bony prominences.1 There…

By: Hayeon Na, Co-Copy Editor (Content Focused) – On February 26th, 2014, pharmacists, clinical faculty, and pharmacy students from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences gathered at the Freeport Memorial Library for a “Brown Bag,” one of the yearly calendar events at the public library. This event was conducted through the joint…

By: Daniel Mathan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016, Anita Kachappilly, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016, & Amrita Singh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs in the body and can potentially become life threatening.1 The incidence of SLE is about 50 cases for every 100,000 people; it…

By: Hayeon Na, Co-Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – On October 8th of 2013, Bayer’s new drug riociguat (Adempas®) was approved for the treatment of patients whose pulmonary hypertension (PH) belongs in WHO groups 1 and 4.1 Riociguat (Adempas®) is a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator, and currently the only one of its kind on the market.…

By: Fatema Elias, Staff Writer – With the New Year and everyone committing to their New Year resolutions, more and more patients are coming into the pharmacy asking for recommendations, particularly for weight loss dietary supplements. I hesitate to recommend an over-the-counter dietary supplement for weight loss. However, we as pharmacists and pharmacy students have…

By: James Schurr, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 and Jennifer Miao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 With very special thanks to Jessica Melore and Jennifer McDermott, PharmD, BCPS of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital – Jessica Melore was 16 years old, a senior in high school, and co-captain of the tennis team when her life took a drastic turn. While…

By: Davidta Brown, Senior Staff Editor – In August 2013, the results of a yearlong safety study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry.1 The study, which followed the health status of about 43,000 youths aged 6 to 24, confirmed and built upon a previously noted trend in adults: that the…

By: Jenny Park, Pharm. D. Candidate c/o 2015 – As the Affordable Care Act brings health care to many people who are currently uninsured, healthcare providers should expect an increase in the number of patients who don’t understand their plan, disease states, and medications. Health literacy is defined as “the degree to which individuals have…

By: Jenny Park, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Medication adherence is a big part of a patient’s success in managing their health conditions. The Annals of Internal Medicine estimated that the cost of medication non-adherence may reach up to $289 billion each year.1 It is crucial for organ transplant patients to take powerful immunosuppressants to…

By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – For the brand new year, we present an interview with Sherif Guorgui, the current Vice-President of Pharmacy at the Ontario Pharmacists Association and the former 2011-2012 President of the Ontario College of Pharmacists in Canada. Mr. Guorgui graduated in 1998 from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University…

      The St. John’s University Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP) is an organization for anyone interested in pursuing clinical pharmacy after graduation. Clinical pharmacists work directly with physicians and other healthcare professionals in order to properly assess the use of medication and ensure the best possible patient care.  SJU-SCCP is nationally recognized…

By: Frances Trosa PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – After much anticipation, the report from the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) has arrived! Panel members appointed to the committee have created evidence – based recommendations to assist physicians in managing hypertensive patients. A major difference between the JNC 7 report and the JNC 8 report…

By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Marijuana, also known as “grass,” “pot,” “joint,” “weed,” “reefer,” “hashish,” and “Mary Jane,” is a very popular illicit drug.1 According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “In 2012, 5.4 million persons aged 12 or older used marijuana on a daily or almost daily basis in the past 12…

The mission of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) is to be the collective voice of student pharmacists, to provide opportunities for professional growth, to improve patient care, and to envision and advance the future of pharmacy. Our main purpose as a student chapter is to provide means for student pharmacists to…

By: Rebecca Gilene, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014, St. Louis College of Pharmacy – The FDA approved macitentan (Opsumit®) on October 18, 2013 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.1 Pulmonary arterial hypertension, often referred to as PAH, is a disease characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries between the heart and lungs. An increase…

By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – Near the end of December, the pharmaceutical company, MannKind Corp, will submit their clinical data to the U.S Food and Drug Administration for the approval of an inhaled dosage form of insulin, Afrezza®.1 Administered with the Dreamboat inhaler, this inhaled dosage form delivers insulin packaged into single dose…

By: Sherine Jaison, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 –  The leukemia chemotherapy drug ponatinib (Iclusig) has just been taken off the market. The drug was under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following several reports of serious and life threatening blood clots and narrowing of the blood vessels.1 Ponatinib is a BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase…

By: Hamid Razaki, PharmD – Drug shortages seen across pharmacies in the United States continue to be an issue in patient care. A drug product shortage is defined as a supply issue that affects how the pharmacy prepares or dispenses a drug product, or that influences patient care when prescribers must use an alternative agent.1…

By: Ramya Mathew, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Vertex Pharmaceuticals, an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been researching a new “nuke” for the treatment of Hepatitis C called VX-135. This nucleotide polymerase inhibitor is currently undergoing clinical trials, but the FDA has put the research on a partial hold due to findings…

By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – Pharmacy, like much of medicine, is constantly changing, and the new changes in pharmacy practice are even happening to technicians. While there were originally no national standards for pharmacy-technician education and training, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) have…

By: Samantha Schmidt, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014, Palm Beach Atlantic University – The role of pharmacists in healthcare has grown exponentially over the years. Pharmacists now provide advanced patient-centered care services including coordination of medications during transitions of care, comprehensive medication reviews with medication monitoring, chronic disease management, disease education, prevention and wellness services, and…

By: Arya Mathew, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 –  About twelve percent of the U.S. population suffers from migraines, affecting adult women three times more than adult men.  Migraines are returning attacks of moderate to severe, throbbing or pulsing pain, usually on one side of the head.  Along with the severe pain, migraine sufferers also experience…

By: Hayeon Na, Co-Copy Editor and Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – In Volume 1 Issue1 of the Rho Chi Post, we were honored to have an interview with Sandra Leal, PharmD, MPH, FAPhA, CDE, and Director of Clinical Pharmacy at El Rio Health Center in Tucson, Arizona. She had started a petition to support…

By: Joshua Bliss, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Doctor – a word often utilized by both professionals and the general public alike to describe a physician. “Doctor” finds its origins in the Latin word for “teacher.” The word “physician,” however, carries a more complicated origin. It is derived from Latin’s “physicum,” meaning remedy.1 In Luke…

By: Samad Tirmizi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 – Hemolytic anemia (HA) is a type of anemia that occurs due to the breakdown of red blood cells. It is classified as intrinsic and extrinsic according to causative factors. Medication induced hemolytic anemia is an example of extrinsic, while genetic predisposition is an intrinsic factor. Drug induced…

By: Hayeon Na, Co-Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 26th that oral dosage forms of ketoconazole (Nizoral®) should no longer be prescribed as first-line therapy for any fungal infections.1 The label and indication for oral ketoconazole were updated, and a new medication guide was added. Other dosage forms…

By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – On March 29th 2013, the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved canagliflozin (Invokana®), a new form of a diabetic drug for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.1 Canagliflozin is in a new class of medications called sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and is the only oral, once-daily…

By: Andy Zhang, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – On August 1st, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new warning of serious acetaminophen associated skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP).1 Acetaminophen is one of the most widely used over-the-counter (OTC) medication, and…