Pharmacist News and Research

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There are many tasks that a pharmacist is responsible for each day. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible members of the healthcare team, as individuals can seek their advice quickly and easily, even without an appointment.

Pharmacists respond to unprecedented demand for the flu vaccine in the wake of the current shortage

Pharmacists are responding to unprecedented demand for the flu vaccine in the wake of the current shortage. The pharmacist is on the front line in addressing consumers’ questions and concerns about the availability of the vaccine and in helping Americans understand the CDC’s priorities for administration of the immunization.

10 Oct 2004

UK's Department of Health flu immunisation campaign launches

Manchester United's Paul Scholes is backing the UK's Department of Health flu immunisation campaign, which launched today.

4 Oct 2004

High blood pressure can effect many life activities, including sex

Despite its seeming invisibility, high blood pressure is dangerous, even deadly. Its effects can linger throughout many life activities, including sex.

29 Sep 2004

Half of Britons at risk from heart disease

More than half the people tested in a national pharmacy initiative to identify the threat of high blood pressure were found to be at risk according to new research launched today at the British Pharmaceutical Conference.

27 Sep 2004

People should be aware of the risks of herbal remedies interacting with conventional medicines

A high percentage of the population could be endangering their health by taking herbal medicines without checking with a health professional first according to Peter Houghton, Professor in Pharmacognosy, King’s College London.

7 Sep 2004

Public call for legal age of smoking to be raised helps underline dire health-care consequences of long-term smoking

A new British report commissioned as part of BBC News' Healthy Britons poll has found that 80% of people want the legal age of smoking raised from 16 to 18. This follows a recent report in the journal Education and Health on the health-care consequences of long-term smoking.

6 Sep 2004

Regulatory agency alerts consumers about poor quality of some traditional chinese medicines

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued advice to consumers and the herbal sector about the poor quality of some traditional chinese medicines (TCMs) on the UK market.

5 Sep 2004

Consumer education campaign warning Connecticut residents of the dangers of illegal drug importation

Connecticut became the sixteenth state to join forces with the FDA to launch the "Looks Can Be Deceiving" educational campaign. During a press conference in Hartford, officials from CPA unveiled examples of the more than 40,000 flyers and prescription bag inserts that have been sent to 166 pharmacies across Connecticut.

18 Aug 2004

Drug interactions between prescription medication and herbal supplements can be extremely dangerous

Herbal supplements may be natural, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are safe.

11 Aug 2004

Injuries kill more Washingtonians under the age of 45 than all diseases combined

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for younger people in Washington and are largely preventable. During the summer months, there are more deaths and hospitalizations due to injury.

2 Aug 2004

Medicare prescription drug plan for seniors and the disabled is providing substantial discounts on drugs

A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the Medicare prescription drug plan for seniors and the disabled is providing substantial discounts on drugs. In its report, the organization finds that prices have not been fluctuating as much as had been feared.

29 Jul 2004

Call for measures to counter under-diagnosis of angina

There is a glaring need for better objective guidance for GPs in the diagnosis and management of chest pain, according to a multi-disciplinary working group of the Angina Forum. The group agreed that a worrying over-dependence on subjective judgment by GPs in identifying suspected angina patients means that many cases may go undiagnosed.

22 Jul 2004

New book focuses on pharmaceutical care

Established pharmacists as well as those studying to gain their qualifications will benefit from a new book which focuses on pharmaceutical care in New Zealand.

19 Jul 2004

International pharmaceutical industries and governments are failing to develop and produce AIDS medicines

International pharmaceutical industries and governments are failing to develop and produce AIDS medicines and diagnostic tools suited to children, claimed Médecins Sans Frontières at the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok.

15 Jul 2004

Health Canada warning on Trazodone interaction with certain medications

Health Canada, in association with Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada, is advising Canadians to consult with their health care professionals if they are currently being treated with the antidepressant trazodone in combination with any of the following medications: ketoconazole (an antifungal agent), ritonavir and indinavir (protease inhibitors used in the treatment of HIV), or carbamazepine (an anti-epileptic therapy).

9 Jul 2004

Possible association between the cholesterol lowering drug Crestor, and a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis

Health Canada is advising Canadians about a possible association between the cholesterol lowering drug Crestor®, and a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis.

23 Jun 2004

Nevada Attorney General warns against drug card scams

Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval has reminded consumers to be alert with regard to scams related to the new Medicare prescription discount drug cards made available to consumers under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act.

22 Jun 2004

Health Canada serious warning against use of Thermonex capsules

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Thermonex capsules, which are being advertised for weight loss, water loss and to help boost thyroid output. This product could cause serious adverse effects, including death.

1 Jun 2004

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) - an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Throughout the course of a woman's life she may experience many hormone related symptoms or problems, including premenstrual syndrome, hot flashes, unexplained mood swings, osteoporosis, weight gain and low libido. Many of these symptoms are caused by hormonal imbalances, often from menopause.

25 May 2004

Medicare Drug Discount Card pricing is lower than internet and mail-order pharmacy prices

A new study by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) found that prices available from Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards are lower than current Internet and mail-order pharmacy prices.

24 May 2004