Naloxone: Pharmacists aid in the fight

Almost 70% of all drug and poison related deaths were attributable to opioids from 2007 to 2013, according to the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Heroin related deaths have been on the rise: in the first half of 2015 alone, there were over 100 overdose-related deaths in the state of Virginia. In the face of involvement by law...

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Stepping Up Patient Assessment: Part III

This is the final post in a series of three meant to highlight the increasing importance of patient assessment for pharmacists.  Each post was written to illuminate how pharmacists can help address a number of public health issues.  Specifically, Part I was devoted to pharmacists taking on a greater role to help with medication...

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Daraprim: Impact of Drug Price Hike

Pyrimethamine is recommended in combination with other therapies as first-line treatment for toxoplasmosis in HIV-infected patients.  The CDC has labeled toxoplasmosis as a "neglected" parasitic infection and elevated its priority as a public health issue. If left untreated, toxoplasmosis in patients with weakened immune systems can...

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Stepping Up Patient Assessment: Part II

There are so many facets to consider when thinking about what constitutes good health.  As much as the perceptions of good health can vary among our patients,  it is also important to remember that patients do not always readily volunteer information.  In other words, if we do not check for, ask about or assess, then the...

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Stepping Up Patient Assessment: Part I

   The past month has kept me busy with administrative duties, teaching and writing a grant proposal.  After taking a bit of time to decompress from the intense hustle and bustle of meeting the grant submission deadline, I started to reflect on a common theme that appeared to be threaded across most of my work of late,...

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