US Pharm. 2008;33(4):8.
New York, NY -- An investigation by The Associated Press found an assortment of pharmaceutical drugs in the drinking water in 24 of the 62 metropolitan water systems included in its research. That translates to 41 million Americans who could be affected by the drug pollution. Some of the drugs found in the water systems include antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones. The Record , a newspaper that serves Northern New Jersey, reported that 850,000 people in North Jersey alone might be affected. And test samples from the water that flows from Lake Meade--which is located about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas and supplies the drinking water for Nevada, Arizona, and California--found trace levels of birth control, steroids, narcotics, and other drugs. While the particles are small, some scientists fear that over time the trace amount of drugs in the water could have a negative effect on humans and aquatic species.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada --
The Edmonton Journal reports that some pharmacists in the Canadian
province of Alberta have been authorized to write prescriptions for their
patients. While narcotics, anabolic steroids, and barbiturates are excluded
from the new regulation, pharmacists are allowed to write various
prescriptions including those to treat the side effects from drugs prescribed
for HIV-positive patients. One pharmacist whose specialty area is helping
menopausal women is now able to adjust estrogen doses or add antidepressants
to drug therapies without direct authorization from the physician.
Alexandria, VA -- The
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is recognizing four
student-led community engaged service projects that provide care to the
underserved with the inaugural AACP Student Awards for Community Engaged
Service. The annual program, sponsored by Teva Pharmaceuticals, is designed to
recognize a community-engaged service program developed and delivered by
doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students enrolled at AACP member colleges and
schools of pharmacy. It is intended to encourage pharmacy students and faculty
to design and build programs of community-engaged service learning, delivering
consumer education about medication use, expanding access to affordable
medications, and improving the public's health.
Hoffman Estates, IL -- Kmart Pharmacy
is launching a program that offers its pharmacy customers a choice of 10
over-the-counter medications from Kmart's proprietary American Fare brand for
only $1 each with every prescription. The new program will complement its
90-Day Generics Program, which offers customers a three-month supply of many
common generic maintenance medications for $15.
Washington, DC -- U.S.
Representatives Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH) and Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) are
introducing sweeping federal legislation that will mandate training,
education, registration, and certification requirements for pharmacy
technicians nationwide. The Pharmacy Technician Training and Registration Act
of 2008, or Emily's Act, is named after two-year-old Emily Jerry of Concord
Township, Ohio, who died last month after a pharmacy technician incorrectly
prepared her chemotherapy drug treatment. The proposed legislation will set a
floor for states to meet, but not weaken, any existing state laws. States are
currently in charge of overseeing pharmacists and technicians, but regulations
regarding training, certification, and continuing education vary from state to
state.
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