Jane Fern's Pharmacists Guide
Friday, November 6, 2009
Are Home Diagnostic Kits Reliable As A Substitute For Professional Medical Opinions?
Let’s face it. A trip to the drugstore is a whole lot easier than a costly and time-consuming trip to the doctor’s office. No time wasted waiting for the physician; no embarrassing questions to answer; and no sticker shock when the bill comes. Just head for the section of your pharmacy with all of the gadgets and home test kits and you are ready to “play doctor.”
With skyrocketing medical costs and increased concerns about privacy, more and more Americans are taking advantage of products designed to help monitor existing conditions or to help diagnose new ones. Blood glucose monitors help diabetics manage their condition, blood pressure kits help monitor hypertension while those with cardiovascular concerns can track cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Of course, home pregnancy kits have been available for years. But now it is possible to go well beyond health management with these off-the-shelf products and individuals can now perform diagnostic tests in the comfort and “safety” of their homes.
But is this trend really safe?
Health care professionals have expressed concerns that the use of home test kits may cause users to delay or avoid proper medical care. Misinterpreting the results of self-administered tests can lead to decisions that are based on false assumptions. For example, there have been reports of people changing their medication dosage based on results of blood pressure readings at home. Decisions about any treatment based on self-administered tests should be deferred until a physician confirms them.
The list of conditions for which home diagnostic products are available is expanding rapidly. It is now possible to test for drug use, alcohol use, HIV, prostate cancer, hormone levels, diabetes, blood type, anemia, allergies, hepatitis, cholesterol levels, fertility and even certain strains of flu.
The opportunity is always present for a user to improperly administer a test or to misunderstand the results. Delaying treatment based on these results could have serious consequences. Now that the number of tests available is so large, and the conditions so potentially serious, it is absolutely critical that these test results be validated by a doctor.
Given this diverse menu of tests, users are sure to get results for which they may be unprepared. A positive reading for HIV could be devastating. Health care professionals are trained to address the concerns and possible psychological issues faced by a patient receiving bad news from a test. Individuals trying to cope with a similar result at home may find themselves alone and unable to cope.
Home health tests should be used with great care and should never be considered as a replacement for proper medical care. If you are seriously concerned about your health and well-being, it is fine to practice a bit of do-it-yourself medicine… as long as you get a second opinion.
With skyrocketing medical costs and increased concerns about privacy, more and more Americans are taking advantage of products designed to help monitor existing conditions or to help diagnose new ones. Blood glucose monitors help diabetics manage their condition, blood pressure kits help monitor hypertension while those with cardiovascular concerns can track cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Of course, home pregnancy kits have been available for years. But now it is possible to go well beyond health management with these off-the-shelf products and individuals can now perform diagnostic tests in the comfort and “safety” of their homes.
But is this trend really safe?
Health care professionals have expressed concerns that the use of home test kits may cause users to delay or avoid proper medical care. Misinterpreting the results of self-administered tests can lead to decisions that are based on false assumptions. For example, there have been reports of people changing their medication dosage based on results of blood pressure readings at home. Decisions about any treatment based on self-administered tests should be deferred until a physician confirms them.
The list of conditions for which home diagnostic products are available is expanding rapidly. It is now possible to test for drug use, alcohol use, HIV, prostate cancer, hormone levels, diabetes, blood type, anemia, allergies, hepatitis, cholesterol levels, fertility and even certain strains of flu.
The opportunity is always present for a user to improperly administer a test or to misunderstand the results. Delaying treatment based on these results could have serious consequences. Now that the number of tests available is so large, and the conditions so potentially serious, it is absolutely critical that these test results be validated by a doctor.
Given this diverse menu of tests, users are sure to get results for which they may be unprepared. A positive reading for HIV could be devastating. Health care professionals are trained to address the concerns and possible psychological issues faced by a patient receiving bad news from a test. Individuals trying to cope with a similar result at home may find themselves alone and unable to cope.
Home health tests should be used with great care and should never be considered as a replacement for proper medical care. If you are seriously concerned about your health and well-being, it is fine to practice a bit of do-it-yourself medicine… as long as you get a second opinion.
Labels: doctor, health, health care, medical, medicine
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Legitimate Internet Pharmacies Are Often Not So Legit
Recently, Legitscript.com and KnujOn.com released a report analyzing the Yahoo Search engine’s advertisements for online pharmacies. The results are quite disturbing and it’s a wonder law enforcement agencies have not yet cracked down.
Legitscript.com is the only Internet pharmacy verification organization in the United States identified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as adhering to its standards for certifying Internet pharmacies. KnujOn.com tracks Internet criminality and has succeeded in removing over 100,000 spam websites from the Internet.
The report, released by these companies on August 18, showed that around 80 percent of the search engine’s advertisements concerning online pharmacies reviewed by the researchers were not operating in compliance with United States federal laws. The report states the researchers were able to order and receive medication normally requiring a prescription without one — a clear violation of Drug Enforcement Administration regulation of potentially habit-forming medications. One site even imported the medications ordered from India, which is also in violation of United States Law.
The report also touches on Pharmacychecker.com, the pharmacy verification service used by Yahoo, Google and Microsoft to determine the legitimacy of pharmacies in ads they display. The researchers were able to obtain drugs without a prescription from an online pharmacy listed on and approved by Pharmacychecker.com. These drugs were also imported from India.
Yahoo’s current policy mandates that an online pharmacy advertised through the search engine be “based in” the United States or Canada; however, three sites in the study which were approved based on having Canadian pharmaceutical licenses actually shipped their medications from places like India, Singapore And Barbados. A fourth site, also approved in Canada, stated it could only fill prescriptions in Canada and to do so in other countries would be illegal.
It is important to note that these issues are far from isolated, as a previous report focused on Microsoft’s search engine Bing.com and the findings were similar. Also, the American Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and the National Association on Addiction and Substance Abuse have written Google, Microsoft and Yahoo informing them that they were profiting from online pharmacies acting unlawfully.
“We’re making this a public issue because it’s time for this to stop,” KnujOn President Garth Bruen said. “If the search engines continue to knowingly facilitate illegal prescription drug sales, then we’ll continue to issue these reports. Our reports stop when the problem is fixed.”
“Yahoo needs to require that its Internet pharmacy ads adhere to US laws and National Association of Boards of Pharmacy standards,” LegitScript President John Horton said. “These are the same safeguards that govern brick-and-mortar pharmacies used throughout the US everyday. Shouldn’t American Internet users be assured of the same safeguards online?”
If you are someone who gets his or her medications from an online pharmacy, you may be putting yourself and your family in danger. If this is the case, we suggest you look further into the companies from which you choose to procure your medications.
by: Ryan Cloutier
http://blastmagazine.com
Legitscript.com is the only Internet pharmacy verification organization in the United States identified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as adhering to its standards for certifying Internet pharmacies. KnujOn.com tracks Internet criminality and has succeeded in removing over 100,000 spam websites from the Internet.
The report, released by these companies on August 18, showed that around 80 percent of the search engine’s advertisements concerning online pharmacies reviewed by the researchers were not operating in compliance with United States federal laws. The report states the researchers were able to order and receive medication normally requiring a prescription without one — a clear violation of Drug Enforcement Administration regulation of potentially habit-forming medications. One site even imported the medications ordered from India, which is also in violation of United States Law.
The report also touches on Pharmacychecker.com, the pharmacy verification service used by Yahoo, Google and Microsoft to determine the legitimacy of pharmacies in ads they display. The researchers were able to obtain drugs without a prescription from an online pharmacy listed on and approved by Pharmacychecker.com. These drugs were also imported from India.
Yahoo’s current policy mandates that an online pharmacy advertised through the search engine be “based in” the United States or Canada; however, three sites in the study which were approved based on having Canadian pharmaceutical licenses actually shipped their medications from places like India, Singapore And Barbados. A fourth site, also approved in Canada, stated it could only fill prescriptions in Canada and to do so in other countries would be illegal.
It is important to note that these issues are far from isolated, as a previous report focused on Microsoft’s search engine Bing.com and the findings were similar. Also, the American Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and the National Association on Addiction and Substance Abuse have written Google, Microsoft and Yahoo informing them that they were profiting from online pharmacies acting unlawfully.
“We’re making this a public issue because it’s time for this to stop,” KnujOn President Garth Bruen said. “If the search engines continue to knowingly facilitate illegal prescription drug sales, then we’ll continue to issue these reports. Our reports stop when the problem is fixed.”
“Yahoo needs to require that its Internet pharmacy ads adhere to US laws and National Association of Boards of Pharmacy standards,” LegitScript President John Horton said. “These are the same safeguards that govern brick-and-mortar pharmacies used throughout the US everyday. Shouldn’t American Internet users be assured of the same safeguards online?”
If you are someone who gets his or her medications from an online pharmacy, you may be putting yourself and your family in danger. If this is the case, we suggest you look further into the companies from which you choose to procure your medications.
by: Ryan Cloutier
http://blastmagazine.com
Labels: advertising, health, internet pharmacies, medication, yahoo
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Integrative Medicine and the Future of Pharmacy
The current model of pharmacy practice, and of Western medicine as a whole, is based upon managing symptoms. In some cases, this may be necessary, at least for a limited amount of time. The problem is that care for the patient often stops with a prescription being handed over. A competent pharmacist will provide medication counseling with the goal of ensuring optimal drug therapy. Ultimately, however, the underlying cause of the symptoms is not being addressed. At this point, dispensing drugs to patients without providing further wellness education only compounds the problem. It is like giving them a crutch to rely on; patients receive false reassurance that their problem is "taken care of." And considering that most people only think about their health status when something is obviously wrong, a great opportunity for intervention and assistance with therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLCs) is missed. Thus, the patient is left with degrading health, a lack of awareness, and masked symptoms. Furthermore, drugs may produce side effects, many times resulting in additional prescriptions. Under such conditions, it isn't hard to see how a downward spiral in the patient's health might be established.
Where are we now?
Just take a quick glance at our current healthcare system. Spending is on the rise, while the country's health deteriorates. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer are epidemic. The scope of allopathic medicine is too narrow to reverse this trend on its own. It certainly has its place in the healthcare arena, most notably for acute care, as in cases of trauma. And an incredible amount of information has been discovered under its umbrella. Still, what good is the most thorough understanding of biochemistry, pharmacology, or surgical technique if millions continue to suffer from debilitating chronic disease?
You see, the strength of the allopathic model can also be its weakness, depending upon the situation to which it is applied. When used to temporarily stabilize the body, system by system, there is no better approach. It fails miserably, however, for keeping individuals disease-free over the long run. The innate healing ability of the body is too complex, and the factors that contribute to chronic disease too numerous to lend themselves to a quick fix solution.
Likewise, judging the effectiveness of natural medicine, using allopathic standards, fails to acknowledge its aggregate and superior healing ability. It's like comparing apples with oranges. These two medical philosophies are founded on distinct principles and treatment practices.
Without a more integrative model, health care will continue down a doomed path. We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
Where should we go from here?
Thoreau is known to have said that "there are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one striking at the root." Look around, and you can see those devoted to working on the root causes of chronic disease, focusing on prevention and overall wellness. Naturopathic physicians, nutritionists, educators, herbalists, and even some medical doctors and pharmacists, to name a few, represent this group of healers who hint at the possible paradigm shift in medicine.
Pharmacists, in particular, hold an excellent position for implementing positive changes. They are the first point of access to health care for the majority of Americans, owing to the accessibility and convenience of pharmacies.
The profession of pharmacy is already following a trend away from the dispensing role toward one of patient-centered care. This is partly because most aspects of dispensing can now be accomplished by automated equipment or technicians. Why would a company want to dish out high salaries for a job that can be done by a robot, especially when robots don't make mistakes?
Compensation no longer depends entirely upon filling as many prescriptions as possible. It also comes from functioning as a consultant, as an information expert, and as an educator. So, why not take one more step forward and continue this trend? Pharmacy services could promote wellness and optimal outcomes, not just optimal medication usage. Pharmacists have an opportunity to push the envelope, serving as genuine patient advocates, while securing their future as indispensable healthcare providers.
Integrative pharmacies offer a glimpse of hope for the future of health care. These are centers of wellness, rather than centers of disease. Here, conventional and complementary medicine go hand in hand. Typical employees include naturopaths, nutritionists, nurses, massage therapists and aestheticians, as well as pharmacists. Education is highly emphasized, with classroom lectures and workshops being a normal part of services. Many topics are covered including smoking cessation, weight reduction, yoga instruction, and management of various disease states. Nutritional supplements and herbal products are as commonplace as prescription drugs.
Impressive business models for such an operation already exist. For example, Elephant is a pharmacy that originated in Berkeley, California and continues to grow in the San Francisco area. Pharmaca is another integrative pharmacy that has locations throughout the Western United States.
References:
Isaacs, Nora. "The New Pharmacy." Natural Health, April 2004.
(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/...)
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
(http://www.pharmaca.com/)
Elephant Pharmacy
(http://www.elephantpharm.com/)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by: Jeremiah Smith, citizen journalist
See all articles by this author
Email this author
About the author:
Jeremiah Smith is a pharmacy student with a strong interest in naturopathic medicine and a passion for helping people achieve optimal health.
Where are we now?
Just take a quick glance at our current healthcare system. Spending is on the rise, while the country's health deteriorates. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer are epidemic. The scope of allopathic medicine is too narrow to reverse this trend on its own. It certainly has its place in the healthcare arena, most notably for acute care, as in cases of trauma. And an incredible amount of information has been discovered under its umbrella. Still, what good is the most thorough understanding of biochemistry, pharmacology, or surgical technique if millions continue to suffer from debilitating chronic disease?
You see, the strength of the allopathic model can also be its weakness, depending upon the situation to which it is applied. When used to temporarily stabilize the body, system by system, there is no better approach. It fails miserably, however, for keeping individuals disease-free over the long run. The innate healing ability of the body is too complex, and the factors that contribute to chronic disease too numerous to lend themselves to a quick fix solution.
Likewise, judging the effectiveness of natural medicine, using allopathic standards, fails to acknowledge its aggregate and superior healing ability. It's like comparing apples with oranges. These two medical philosophies are founded on distinct principles and treatment practices.
Without a more integrative model, health care will continue down a doomed path. We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
Where should we go from here?
Thoreau is known to have said that "there are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one striking at the root." Look around, and you can see those devoted to working on the root causes of chronic disease, focusing on prevention and overall wellness. Naturopathic physicians, nutritionists, educators, herbalists, and even some medical doctors and pharmacists, to name a few, represent this group of healers who hint at the possible paradigm shift in medicine.
Pharmacists, in particular, hold an excellent position for implementing positive changes. They are the first point of access to health care for the majority of Americans, owing to the accessibility and convenience of pharmacies.
The profession of pharmacy is already following a trend away from the dispensing role toward one of patient-centered care. This is partly because most aspects of dispensing can now be accomplished by automated equipment or technicians. Why would a company want to dish out high salaries for a job that can be done by a robot, especially when robots don't make mistakes?
Compensation no longer depends entirely upon filling as many prescriptions as possible. It also comes from functioning as a consultant, as an information expert, and as an educator. So, why not take one more step forward and continue this trend? Pharmacy services could promote wellness and optimal outcomes, not just optimal medication usage. Pharmacists have an opportunity to push the envelope, serving as genuine patient advocates, while securing their future as indispensable healthcare providers.
Integrative pharmacies offer a glimpse of hope for the future of health care. These are centers of wellness, rather than centers of disease. Here, conventional and complementary medicine go hand in hand. Typical employees include naturopaths, nutritionists, nurses, massage therapists and aestheticians, as well as pharmacists. Education is highly emphasized, with classroom lectures and workshops being a normal part of services. Many topics are covered including smoking cessation, weight reduction, yoga instruction, and management of various disease states. Nutritional supplements and herbal products are as commonplace as prescription drugs.
Impressive business models for such an operation already exist. For example, Elephant is a pharmacy that originated in Berkeley, California and continues to grow in the San Francisco area. Pharmaca is another integrative pharmacy that has locations throughout the Western United States.
References:
Isaacs, Nora. "The New Pharmacy." Natural Health, April 2004.
(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/...)
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
(http://www.pharmaca.com/)
Elephant Pharmacy
(http://www.elephantpharm.com/)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by: Jeremiah Smith, citizen journalist
See all articles by this author
Email this author
About the author:
Jeremiah Smith is a pharmacy student with a strong interest in naturopathic medicine and a passion for helping people achieve optimal health.
