Using Bacteriophage Enzymes to Stay One Step Ahead of M...
December 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Davidta Brown, Copy Editor [Content-Focused] – It’s difficult to have a discussion about antibiotics without mentioning the developing crisis of antibiotic-resistance. Pathogens like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) have become a part of the general public’s consciousness – a household name and a community-acquired “superbug.” With the last new class of antibiotics developed in the… |
|
Drug Shortages: Effects & Costs in the United Stat...
August 1, 2014 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
|
New Legislation Redefines Oversight for Compounding Pha...
April 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Davidta Brown, Senior Staff Editor – As the world of healthcare and its provision evolves, laws which organize and oversee the ways that patients receive health services must develop at the same pace. Last November, a new bill establishing clearer protocol for the compounding and tracking of medications became national law. The Drug Quality… |
|
The Status of Surveillance of Japanese Encephalitis in ...
March 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sabrina Ahmed, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – One recent stride towards combating worldwide infectious disease has been in the improved surveillance of Japanese encephalitis in Asia, predominantly in South and South-East Asia. This potentially deadly virus is transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. The Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of encephalitis… |
|
To Defend the People...
February 1, 2014 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Davidta Brown, Senior Staff Editor – As the world’s largest market for pharmaceuticals, the United States receives many medications manufactured abroad.1 Patients, physicians, and pharmacists defer the responsibility of ensuring the quality of these imported drugs to the FDA, but it only takes one report of deceit in the pharmaceutical industry for this trust… |
|
Low Literacy and Medication Management?...
February 1, 2014 - Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
|
Asperger Syndrome: Temple Grandin’s Insight and Contr...
January 1, 2014 - Events By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – During the Fall 2013 semester, activist and bestselling author Temple Grandin, Ph.D, came to St. John’s University to talk to students, faculty, and administrators about the need to embrace children and young adults who have autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). While many people may think of autism as a… |
|
Newly Approved: Macitentan (Opsumit®)...
December 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured 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… |
|
Possible Inhaled Option for Diabetics...
December 1, 2013 - In the News / Politics 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… |
|
Hospital Drug Shortages...
December 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
|
New Treatment for a Deficiency in Iron-Supplement Thera...
October 1, 2013 - Clinical By: Davidta Brown, Staff Editor – For the estimated 7.5 million individuals in the United States living with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), there is now a new alternative to iron supplements or time-consuming, repetitive infusions. On July 25, 2013, the FDA approved ferric carboxymaltose injection (Injectafer®) for the treatment of IDA, especially in patients who… |
|
Hope For Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia...
October 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – Emily Whitehead, a 7-year-old girl who fought off relapsing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), has captured the hearts and prayers of the masses. Her story is an inspiration to those battling any disease with a poor prognosis and particularly holds promise for the 15% of children with ALL resistant to… |
|
Children, Codeine, and Cytochrome P-450...
September 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By Davidta Brown, Staff Editor – For post-operative pain treatment, few drugs are as trustworthy, as tried-and-true, as codeine. Prescriptive confidence in the analgesic has promoted its use in children recovering from uncomplicated surgeries, but the spate of injuries and deaths of young children who had been given codeine after undergoing adenotonsillectomies has provoked a… |
|
Lower Vaccine Costs for Developing Nations...
July 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Steve Soman, PharmD – India has become a powerhouse in pharmaceutical manufacturing, often supplying generic alternatives at a fraction of the brand name cost to the developing world. Cheaper alternatives make costly drugs more affordable for poorer nations and NGOs.1 Indian manufacturer Biological E. Limited, a biotech firm based in Hyderabad India, signed a… |
|
Pilltalk: Innovation to Simplify Patient Counseling...
May 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Mitesh Patel, PharmD Candidate 2014 – $1.2 trillion- This is what the United States spends on healthcare. At 17% of GDP, this sector accounts for more spending in the U.S. than education, defense, welfare, and pension.1 By 2016, our expenditure on healthcare will rise to $1.6 trillion.1 As our health care spending increases, Americans… |
|
Tackling America’s Drug Shortage Crisis...
December 1, 2012 - Featured , In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: John S Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – America’s focus on healthcare, as well as its position as one of the wealthiest nations of the industrialized world, is incongruous with the consequences of drug shortages suffered by its population. Shortages in pharmaceutical supply compromise quality of life while increasing health care costs. The pharmaceutical… |
|
Breakthroughs in Gene Therapy: Pharmacogenetics and Vec...
December 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Tamara Yunusova, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – Gene therapy? You scoff in disbelief as thoughts of designer babies, liberal eugenics, clones, and ruthless dystopian societies begin to reel in the back of your mind. Perhaps you may even stop to recall a scene or two from Jurassic Park or Star Trek. Undoubtedly, gene therapy… |
|
Mechanisms of NSAID Induced Functional Renal Toxicity...
November 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: James W. Schurr & Stephen Argiro, PharmD Candidates c/o 2014 – Patients frequently utilize non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for a wide variety of conditions, including but not limited to arthritis, headaches, and generalized pain. Despite an excellent safety profile, NSAIDs are associated with certain toxicities, including renal complications (particularly among at risk populations).1 Acute… |
|
Indications for Dialysis: A Mnemonic And Explanation...
August 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-in-Chief – Dialysis is the removal of substances from intravascular circulation by filtration.1 Typically, dialysis is ordered when kidney function declines to 10–15% of normal function.2 The National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) recommends that planning for dialysis begin when patients reach chronic kidney disease stage 4, which is… |
|
Impact of Gender and Race on the Efficacy on Opiods...
June 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Lunbao (Jerry) Huang, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Pain is a very difficult condition to manage, as clinicians have only subjective findings to work with. Opioid medications are currently the cornerstones for the management of moderate to severe pain; however, it is often problematic to determine a patient’s real ‘need’ for opioids. Physicians’ clinical… |
|
Transplantation in HIV +/- HBV/HCV Patients...
June 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Jayoung Park, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Traditionally, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients have generally been excluded from organ transplantation.1 One of the principal concerns was that immunosuppression would accelerate HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), resulting in increased mortality and a “waste” of organs.1 A study entitled, “Opportunistic Infections and Neoplasms Following Liver and… |
|
Interview with: Mr. Phil Hecken, Director of Communicat...
April 1, 2012 - Featured , In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – In previous issues, we discussed prescription drug abuse and several bills currently on the floor of the NYS Legislature, sponsored by Sen. Hannon which addressed the issue. On February 7th, I sat down with Sen. Hannon’s director of communications, Mr. Phil Hecken, and his legislative aide, Mr. Timothy Broschardt to… |
|
Hope on the Horizon: Chikungunya Vaccine Trial Begins!...
January 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured , In the News / Politics By: Ebey P. Soman – Since its discovery in Tanganyika (modern day Mozambique and Tanzania in Africa) in 1952, Chikungunya virus outbreaks have been documented in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Due to recent globalization and increased travel, infection has also spread outside of tropical regions and even into western nations (such as the… |
|
FDA Challenges Pharmacists’ Right to Compound...
January 1, 2012 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Ebey P. Soman – With clearly established roles for pharmacists, compounding is recognized and upheld as a core foundation of the pharmacy profession. It allows pharmacists to provide unique and tailored medication regimens for their patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) thought otherwise when the agency sued Franck’s Lab, Inc., a Florida-based… |
|
Partners in Health Comes to Columbia University...
January 1, 2012 - Events By: Bethsy Jacob, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2014 – On November 16, 2011, Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Medical Director of Partners in Healthcare (PIH), presented for GlobeMed at Columbia University. Manzi Anatole, a hired nurse in Rwanda, accompanied Dr. Mukherjee. Along with a handful of her students, Dr. Joanne Carroll arranged a trip to the open event. … |
|
Pharmacogenetic Applications in Clinical Practice...
November 1, 2011 - Clinical , Featured By: Neal Shah – The focus of pharmacy is rapidly shifting from simple filling and dispensing of prescriptions to preventative medicine and efficient clinical practice. The field of genetics has been incorporated in many defining therapies and will continue to shape how we treat our patients. Examples discussed here are the roles of human leukocyte… |
|
Letter to the Editor: An Answer to the Rising Drug Cost...
November 1, 2011 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Dr. Olga Hilas – Foreword: Dr. Olga Hilas is an Associate Clinical Professor at Saint John’s University and a Clinical Pharmacy Manager in internal medicine and geriatrics at Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Hilas agreed to provide feedback to in response to Ebey’s article entitled, “Big Pharma vs. Developing Countries: Debating Generic Drugs and… |
|
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… |