Recombinant Factor IX (Alprolix) Brings Hope for Hemoph...
December 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Benedette Cuffari, BS Toxicology Candidate c/o 2015 – Hemophilia B is an inherited bleeding disorder that is caused by a substantially reduced or complete lack of blood clotting factor IX. Therefore, people suffering from hemophilia B experience bleeding episodes that cause pain, irreversible joint damage, and life threatening hemorrhages. Approximately 28,000 people are currently… |
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Accountable Care Organizations...
November 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Ebola Outbreak in West Africa...
September 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Azia Tariq, Staff Editor – The first recorded outbreak of the Ebola Zaire (ZEBOV), a strain of the ebola virus, occurred in 1976. Since then, three additional types of the deadly virus have been discovered: Sudan Ebola virus (SEBOV), Reston Ebola virus (REBOV), and Côte d’Ivoire Ebola virus (CIEBOV).1 The initial outbreak had, until… |
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Tailored Tablets...
August 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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FDA Approves Drug Elosulfase Alfa (Vimizim™) for Muco...
May 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Possible New Prostate Cancer Screening...
May 1, 2014 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Dengue Fever: Where Do We Go From Here?...
February 1, 2014 - In the News / Politics By: Sherin Pathickal, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – Dengue Fever, widely known as “break-bone fever,” is an illness that causes pain in the joints and muscles, and is often described by those infected as comparable to the feeling of breaking a bone.1 It is spread by mosquitoes and has a painful array of symptomology such… |
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New Alternative First Line Therapy for EGFR NSCLC...
January 1, 2014 - In the News / Politics By: Jenny Park, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – On July 12, 2013, the FDA approved afatinib (GilotrifTM) as a new first-line treatment for patients with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a type of carcinoma where specific types of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations are expressed.1 The drug afatinib irreversibly blocks EGFR, also… |
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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… |
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Moving Towards Provider Status: An Interview with Sandr...
November 1, 2013 - Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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New Drug to Treat HIV-1 Hits the Market...
October 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – On August 12,2013, a new weapon against HIV-1 infection was added to the existing armada. Dolutegravir, the third integrase strand transfer inhibitor to attain FDA approval, targets a protein essential to HIV replication. HIV-1 is the predominant type of HIV virus, the other being HIV-2, which is endogenous to… |
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Ketoconazole No More...
October 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Meet the Dean: Interview with Dean DiGate...
October 1, 2013 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief and Erica Dimitropoulos, Senior Staff Editor – Just last month, St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences kindly welcomed a new Dean into our family, Dean Russell J. DiGate. Dean DiGate is a highly experienced educator and academic leader. He attended the University of Rochester, where… |
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iPod, iPad, iPhone… iLimb...
August 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – There is a new invention called “i-limb ultra revolution,” which allows amputees to control their prosthetic hands with an Apple® app called “Bioism.” Designed by Touch Bionics in the United Kingdom, the new prosthetic hand has five individually powered fingers, including a powered rotating thumb and an auto-grasp… |
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DIA 2013 Annual Meeting: Boston, Massachusetts...
August 1, 2013 - Events By: Kristin M. Cheng, PharmD candidate c/o 2014 – The Drug Information Association (DIA) 2013 Annual Meeting took place from June 23rd to June 27th at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Twenty-one students from the St. John’s University DIA student chapter attended this year. The purpose of the meeting was… |
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Superbug Makes Super Waves in Hospitals Across America...
July 1, 2013 - In the News / Politics By: Beatrisa Popovitz, Staff Editor – For the past decade, antibiotic resistant bacteria have been a growing concern in healthcare. Over the last few months, there has been a great deal of media attention surrounding strains of drug resistant bacteria in hospitals across the United States. Most recently, there has been an increased effort to… |
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Compounding at a Crossroads: New Boundaries in the Afte...
July 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics Davidta Brown, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – The debate on the nature of compounding practice and the extent to which it ought to be regulated has come to the forefront of public attention. Those who regularly follow American news and politics are familiar with the series of events that have led to the present… |
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Interview with Dr. Omudhome Ogbru, Founder of RxEconsul...
June 1, 2013 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Steve Soman, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – Q: I see that you got your PharmD at the University of the Pacific. Looking back, what made you choose pharmacy and how has this changed over the years of your practice (if it has)? A: I became a pharmacist because I like to care for others… |
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Noninvasive Cancer Screening—Will We Ever Get It Righ...
June 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Frances Sousonis, Candidate c/o 2017 – Unfortunately, cancer is a disease about which many are able to share stories. All too often, beloved persons are diagnosed with cancer, or, more regrettably, loses their battle with the beast. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and around 150,000 people each… |
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Documentation of Drug Allergies in Hospitalized Older A...
April 1, 2013 - Clinical , Featured By: Nandini Puranprashad, PharmD Candidate; Sibyl Cherian, PharmD Candidate; Tracey Cannova, PharmD Candidate; and Olga HilasPharmD, MPH, BCPS, CGP – Adverse drug reactions are estimated to occur in 10-20% of hospitalized patients and in 7% of the general population.1 One-third of these reactions are of an allergic or pseudo-allergic nature. The consequences of these hypersensitivity… |
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A Look at Primary Medication NonAdherence and How it ca...
February 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Erica Dimitropoulos, Assistant Student Editor – Although clinical trials can affirm the efficacy and advantages of all marketed medications, it is obvious that patients cannot benefit from a drug that they choose not to take. Therefore, promoting medication adherence is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to improve treatment outcomes. In order… |
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Make A Resolution to Get Involved in 2013!...
February 1, 2013 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Jena Marion, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – It was a few weeks into the spring semester of my freshman year at St. John’s University when I earned my wings. I was on a plane trip, flying cross-country to San Diego with friends that I had only known for a few months, on my way… |
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New Healthcare Law Concerning Birth Control Causes Deba...
January 1, 2013 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Katie Cimmino, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2015 – With the start of the New Year the French government is enacting a new law concerning contraceptives. Now girls between the ages of 15 to 18 will be able to obtain free birth control. Not only will they have access to it, but the French government… |
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Antiplatelet Use Following Acute Coronary Syndromes...
September 1, 2012 - Clinical , Featured By: Addolorata Ciccone, Co-Copy Editor – Acute Coronary Syndromes Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a myocardial ischemia caused by obstruction of coronary arteries. ACS is stratified into three types, based on electrocardiogram (EKG) changes and the presence of cardiac biomarkers (e.g. troponin, creatinine phosphokinase, and myoglobin). To guide treatment plans, it is important to identify… |
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Matching Challenge: Over-the-Counter Products...
July 1, 2012 - Puzzles By Mohamed Dungersi, Associate Student Editor – Match the following herbal products with their natural source and reason for use: A. This product is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). It is used to lower triglyceride levels, to lower high blood pressure, and for a variety of… |
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Dr. Oz and Raspberry Ketones...
June 1, 2012 - Clinical , In the News / Politics , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Lila Ahmed, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Whether you wish to admit it or not, all of us have watched or at least heard of the Dr. Oz Show. I am sure that many of us encounter patients in the pharmacy who say, “I saw this on Dr. Oz; where could I find it?”… |
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Rotation Experience: Ambulatory Care at North Shore LIJ...
May 1, 2012 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Yufan (Frank) Liu, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – “This is the worst day of my life!” These words kept echoing in my head as I approached my rotation at the North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center clinic one hour late. Getting lost was not how I envisioned starting my first day and that… |
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My APhA 2012 Experience...
April 1, 2012 - Events , Professional Advice / Opinions By Mohamed Dungersi – Last month, I had the immense opportunity to travel to New Orleans to be a part of the biggest pharmacy gathering of the year – APhA 2012. The spirit, enthusiasm, and positivity for the profession of pharmacy at the meeting were truly inspiring. Since this was my first ever APhA meeting,… |
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Express Scripts and Medco Merger...
February 1, 2012 - In the News / Politics By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – Express Scripts Inc., one of the nation’s top pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), has announced a $29 billion deal to take over one of its top competitors, Medco Health Solutions Inc. Medco shareholders re-approved the merger on December 21. For finalization, it needs the approval of Express Scripts’ shareholders and the… |
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Adapting to the Changing Roles in Pharmacy...
February 1, 2012 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Kate Croegaert, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Kate Croegaert is a PharmD Candidate (Class of 2013) and the current President of the Rho Chi Delta Chapter at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She believes in the importance of advancing the profession of pharmacy and promoting innovative practices… |
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My Residency, My Experience, A Foundation for My Career...
February 1, 2012 - Professional Advice / Opinions By: Sum Lam, PharmD, CGP, BCPS, FASCP – Sum Lam, Pharm.D., CGP, BCPS, FASCP is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. In conjunction with her full time appointment at St. John’s University, she is a clinical faculty at Geriatric… |
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Federal Government to Attempt Limiting Drug Shortages...
December 1, 2011 - In the News / Politics By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi, with special thanks to Dr. Tomasz Jodlowski – Drug shortages have plagued health care institutions in recent years; they present a serious problem to health care delivery on a national scale. In 2004, there were 58 drug shortages; now, in 2011, this number has increased to 198. Due to limited access… |
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Fluzone High-Dose Influenza Vaccine...
November 1, 2011 - Clinical By; Nikunj Vyas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2012 – Seasonal flu vaccines protect us against the three influenza viruses that researchers predict will be the most common viral strains during the flu season. The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists‘ estimations about the types and strains of viruses that… |
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SpongeBob SquarePants… Harmful?...
November 1, 2011 - Clinical , Featured By: Ebey P. Soman – Current research demonstrates a strong correlation between the length of time a child watches television and decreased long-term attention deficiency disorders. A new study by Lillard and Peterson at the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia suggests that the popular children‘s television show, SpongeBob SquarePants, might be harmful.… |
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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Parnali Chatterjee...
October 1, 2011 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |