Returning extra medicine to the pharmacy for disposal might not be worth the extra time, money or greenhouse gas emissions, according to a University of Michigan study that is the first to look at the net effects of so-called take-back programs…
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Patients receiving telemonitoring along with high blood pressure management support from a pharmacist were more likely to lower their blood pressure than those not receiving extra support, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2012…
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Herbal, dietary, and energy or nutritional supplements may offer specific health benefits, but they can also have harmful and even life-threatening effects when combined with commonly used medications. Clinicians need to be aware of and educate their patients about the potential risks of mixing supplements and therapeutic agents, since their interaction can diminish or increase drug levels…
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The shortage of prescription generic drugs in Canada is not a recent event, dating back to the fall of 2010 or earlier, states a recent history of the shortage in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Hematologist and medical historian Dr. Jacalyn Duffin first noticed the shortage of an old, reliable drug in November 2010…
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Two-thirds of adults support single-dose packaging to avoid accidental poisoning, according to U-M’s National Poll on Children’s Health Unintentional poisonings from medicines cause more emergency room visits for young children each year than do car accidents…
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A report published Archives of Internal Medicine, as part of the Health Care Reform series, reveals that in Canada, prescribing off-label medications in a primary care network appears to be common practice, even though it varies depending on the medication, physician and patient characteristics…
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With infant formula scandals, mine collapses and pollution and contamination problems, China is not well regarded for its industrial safety record, and today the story continues with 13 different drugs produced in China being pulled from the market by the Government regulator…
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A UK review in the April Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) says there is scant evidence that over-the-counter remedies for simple insect bites work, suggesting that in most cases, no treatment at all is enough. The DTB concludes: “There is little evidence for the efficacy of treatments for simple insect bites…
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A study by Regenstrief Institute and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs investigators provides the first in-depth look at how health care providers react to medication alerts generated by electronic medical record systems…
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The majority of Medicare beneficiaries with kidney failure participate in Medicare’s Part D prescription drug coverage program, and most of these receive a low-income subsidy from the program, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN)…
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