Pharmacy News and Research

RSS

Community pharmacy, also known as retail pharmacy, is the most common type of pharmacy that allows the public access to their medications and advice about their health. Traditionally known as a chemist, it is the healthcare facility that is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical service to a specific community group or region.

Lafora disease can be caused by mutations in a gene that regulates the concentration of the protein laforin

Researchers at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have found that Lafora disease, an inherited form of epilepsy that results in death by the age of 30, can be caused by mutations in a gene that regulates the concentration of the protein laforin. These findings are reported in the current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

1 Jun 2005

Nearly one out of two visits to a doctor's office for help with a sleep disorder result in the prescription of potentially addictive medications

The drugs, called benzodiazepines, are often a cheaper alternative to some newer types of medicines that don't have the same potentially addictive side effects, said Rajesh Balkrishnan, the study's lead author and the Merrell Dow professor of pharmacy at Ohio State University.

1 Jun 2005

Research will benefit inhaler-users

Patients suffering from conditions as diverse as asthma and diabetes could benefit from research at Cardiff University to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken through spray inhalers.

30 May 2005

Fewer adults smoke in the U.S. and the number is dropping

Using data from the 2003 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the study found that approximately 21.6 percent of U.S. adults, over 45 million people, are current smokers.

29 May 2005

Researchers discover way to reduce plaque deposits on the brain that could slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Their findings, which will be highlighted at the upcoming 2005 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' (AAPS) National Biotechnology Conference in San Francisco, brings renewed hope to the 4.5 million Americans who have Alzheimer's disease.

26 May 2005

WIN compound - a prototype drug for curing colds - is showing so much promise

An antiviral compound that wiggles its way into the common cold virus may provide one piece of the solution to halting the infection, say Purdue University scientists.

25 May 2005

Medicaid paying for Viagra for sex offenders in New York

According to an audit by the state's comptroller, a large number of convicted rapists and other high-risk sex offenders in New York have been getting Viagra on Medicaid for the last five years.

23 May 2005

Australian partnership to rebuild Banda Aceh Hospital

The Australian Government, in partnership with Indonesia and Germany, will further progress the reconstruction of the Zainoel Abidin hospital in Banda Aceh, severely damaged in the Boxing Day tsunami, the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Bruce Billson, announced Friday (20th May 2005).

23 May 2005

Grapes may protect against the loss of bladder function associated with an enlarged prostate

A new study that appears in the current issue of the scientific journal Phytotherapy Research shows that grapes may protect against the loss of bladder function associated with an enlarged prostate. The antioxidant properties of grapes appear to be responsible for this protective effect.

18 May 2005

More research needed into access to emergency contraception

Experts at The University of Nottingham have called for more research into whether systems for accessing emergency contraception are meeting the needs of younger women and those from poorer backgrounds.

17 May 2005

Distributing medications in specially designed blister packages rather than in bottles may increase the likelihood that medications will be taken properly

The study found that patients taking lisinopril – a medication used to treat chronic high blood pressure – were more likely to have their prescriptions refilled on time if the medication came in a blister package rather than as loose tablets in a bottle. In this case, the blister package clearly started the day on which to take each pill.

16 May 2005

Canada may ban bulk exports of drugs to the United States

In a move to forestall a potential drug shortage in Canada, Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, is contemplating imposing a ban on bulk exports of drugs to the United States.

10 May 2005

Pharmacies in supermarkets: Where's the public benefit?

Protecting public health is more important than Woolworths' profits and should be the primary consideration in any government decision over whether to allow pharmacies in supermarkets, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Vice-President Frank Payne said yesterday.

10 May 2005

Metabolic syndrome costing four times that for all other patients

It is well known that hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are each taking a toll on Americans' health, but according to a new analysis, metabolic syndrome, a condition characterized by a combination of these and/or other risk factors, is fast becoming one of the nation's costliest health concerns.

9 May 2005

Experts warn that osteoporosis is not a healthcare priority for patients or physicians

A panel of medical experts, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Congresswoman Sue Myrick (R-NC) gathered today on Capitol Hill to examine the barriers that currently exist to proper prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, a disease that affects up to 44 million Americans.

5 May 2005

Asthma and diabetes sufferers could benefit nano-particle research

Patients suffering from conditions as diverse as asthma and diabetes could benefit from research at Cardiff University to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken through spray inhalers.

1 May 2005

$577 million provided for new Alberta health and learning centre

Alberta has committed $577 million to build a world-class health and learning facility that will change the way patients are diagnosed and treated and how medical students are trained.

28 Apr 2005

America's largest retail pharmacy is moving all over the counter single ingredient pseudoephedrine products behind the counter

Pseudoephedrine is the key precursor ingredient that can be converted into the illegal drug methamphetamine. After careful review of numerous state legislative proposals and law enforcement bulletins, CVS made the decision to move these products behind the counter in all of its 5,400 stores across 36 states over the next sixty days.

27 Apr 2005

International internet drug ring shattered

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Karen P. Tandy has announced the results of Operation “Cyber Chase”, a year-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that targeted international Internet pharmaceutical traffickers operating in the United States, India, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. These e-traffickers distributed drugs world-wide using “rogue” Internet pharmacies.

23 Apr 2005

Genes influence how heart failure patients respond to drugs

Genes dictate the color of our hair and eyes. They factor into whether we get cancer or heart disease. And, scientists increasingly recognize, they also ensure some patients will benefit from a prescription drug, while others develop adverse reactions or simply fail to respond at all.

21 Apr 2005