News & Features

March, 2008

March edition of M.D. Pharmacy's monthly newsletter. Articles regarding your medications, their safety, and the politics behind the price you pay for them. Please share this with your neighbors.

Four Ways to Avoid Dangerous Drug Errors

There were more than 1400 common medications used erroneously between 2003 and 2006, sometimes causing patient harm or death- because the drug name either looked or sounded like that of another drug. Sometimes, a busy pharmacist misreads a prescription, or a nurse just hears the doctor wrong. The United States Pharmacopeia- a private nonprofit organization that promotes safe use of medications has released the following tips on how you can keep yourself from ending up a victim.

When you get a new prescription, make time to talk with your pharmacist and find out the proper pronunciation of the medication and its correct spelling, but try to avoid reordering the prescription by name. Instead, try to use the prescription number on the label.
Ask your doctor to write the correct indication for use (that is, the medical problem for which youâ€™re taking the medicine) on the prescription itself. A simple "for sinus" or "for backache" helps the pharmacist ensure than no mix-ups occur. That same information on the prescription label may help prevent you from confusing it with other medications on your shelf at home, as well.
Check the label when you pick up your prescription or when itâ€™s delivered to you. Is it the same medication and dosage your doctor prescribed? Are the directions for taking the medication clear? If not, consult your pharmacist for clarification or re-wording.
Consult a drug information guide, preferably with color photos for comparison with your own medications. Such information is readily available through the pharmacistâ€™s computer program.

Patients see "red" when paying for new "green" asthma inhalers

The old devices-called CFC inhalers-will be banned for use in the U.S.A. on December 31st, but are already becoming extremely difficult to find, as manufacturers began phasing them out a year or two ago, in favor of new inhalers using HFA, a more ozone friendly propellant. There is no difference in effectiveness, but they are far more expensive, and require some getting used to. Overall, prices of the new HFA inhalers are higher because there are no generic versions, which means higher co-payments for the brand-name drugs. The new inhalers typically cost from $45 to $65. There is hope however, that these prices will drop in the future.

Ending the Tobacco Problem

Nearly half a million deaths are caused each year in the United States by tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Meanwhile, 1 of 5 adults continues to smoke, and if they continue, nearly half will die prematurely. We spend about $89 billion per year on healthcare for smoking-related conditions. The Institute of Medicine recommends that Congress should give the Food and Drug Administration, or similar regulatory agency, authority over the manufacture, distribution, marketing, and use of tobacco products. The federal government should also reduce the level of nicotine in tobacco products, which could reduce dependency, and make it easier to quit. Tobacco cessation programs should be covered in all healthcare plans.

Activity and Moderate Drinking is Key to a Long Life

Both physical activity and a moderate alcohol intake are important to lower the risk of fatal heart disease and all-cause mortality, a new study shows. People who neither drink alcohol nor exercise have a 30% to 49% higher risk of heart disease than those who either drink, exercise, or do both. In a non-related study, research indicates that physical activity reduces the risk of colon cancer. While just an hour of walking a week seemed to protect against the disease, the more strenuously the women exercised, the lower their risk.

New Flu Vaccine May Not Need Needles

The International Vaccine Institute reported that two doses of influenza vaccine under the tongue of mice primed the animalsâ€™ immune system to fight off what would otherwise have been a deadly dose of flu. A couple of drops of liquid under the tongue gets the vaccine directly to mucus membranes and prompts a response both in mucus tissues throughout the body as well as in the immune system itself, the researchers said. "If these findings are replicated in humans, they could pave the way for a new generation of vaccines that could be used for mass vaccinations against respiratory infections, including the pandemic avian-human influenza viruses.

The pharmacists and staff at M.D. Pharmacy, your neighborhood pharmacy.

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