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Community pharmacy, also known as retail pharmacy, is the most common type of pharmacy that allows the public access to their medications and advice about their health. Traditionally known as a chemist, it is the healthcare facility that is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical service to a specific community group or region.

McMaster’s is helping raise awareness of the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring.

A recently launched "Community Hypertension Awareness Program" (CHAP) is 'closing the loop' between health promotion activities in the community, and clinical care by family doctors.

28 Apr 2004

Estimates vary, but as much as 20% of new prescriptions never get filled and 85% of refills never leave the pharmacy

Furthermore, a study conducted by the University of Arizona's School of Pharmacy finds that 40% of patients who receive outpatient drug therapy will experience a treatment failure or new medical problem as a result of improper use.

28 Apr 2004

FDA mandates approval for all pancreatic enzyme replacements

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has announced its support of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) requirement that manufacturers of pancreatic enzyme replacements obtain FDA approval for their products within the next four years.

27 Apr 2004

Anti-counterfeiting coalition supports Giuliani to protect public from fake drugs

The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a nonprofit coalition of more than 40 healthcare and anti-counterfeiting groups, today expressed support for Mayor Giuliani and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to educate Americans about the dangers of buying medicines from unknown, foreign sources and to tighten the rules for the distribution and sale of prescription drugs in the United States.

26 Apr 2004

Elderly patient dies from the wrong drug

An 86-year-old Australian woman died after a senior nurse at her aged care centre administered the wrong drug, a Victorian coroner found today.

24 Apr 2004

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit lowest heart attack rates in the state of Texas

That’s because the CICU he runs has the lowest myocardial infarction (heart attack) mortality in the entire South Texas region. It has one of the lowest rates in the state of Texas.

23 Apr 2004

7,000 U.S. hospital patients die each year and more than 750,000 are injured as a result of avoidable medication mistakes

Some 7,000 U.S. hospital patients die each year and more than 750,000 are injured as a result of medication mistakes. These errors have many causes, and many potential solutions, according to a Rutgers-Camden nursing scholar who has studied the topic extensively.

23 Apr 2004

New steps to prevent drug card fraud

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. today announced efforts that CMS is undertaking to strengthen oversight of the Medicare-approved Discount Drug Card Program.

23 Apr 2004

HHS approves first-ever multi-state purchasing pools for Medicaid drug programs

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved plans by five states to pool their collective purchasing power to gain deeper discounts on prescription medicines for their state programs.

22 Apr 2004

Medicare makes drug card enrollment easier

Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, today announced two new steps to help Medicare beneficiaries enroll in the Medicare drug card program.

19 Apr 2004

'Medicare-Approved' cards available soon

Beginning in June 2004, the Medicare discount card program will provide America's seniors and disabled Medicare beneficiaries with much-needed discounts and information on their prescription drugs. The purchasing power behind the Medicare population is expected to save beneficiaries an average of 10 to 25 percent off the retail price of most drugs.

14 Apr 2004

FUZEON (enfuvirtide) to be widely available through pharmacies in the U.S.

Roche and Trimeris today announced that FUZEON(R) (enfuvirtide), the first and only fusion inhibitor available for the treatment of HIV, will now be available through retail and specialty pharmacies across the U.S. beginning on April 26.

13 Apr 2004

Foreign drug repackager complies with FDA order

The Food and Drug Administration today announced the settlement of a court case against an Illinois firm involved last year in FDA's seizure of thousands of imported unapproved drugs, including those that were labeled in foreign languages and/or labeled as repacked.

13 Apr 2004

FDA makes moves to block foreign drug imports

The Food and Drug Administration today announced a new partnership with the Virginia Pharmacists Association to distribute consumer educational materials outlining the risks of purchasing medicines outside of FDA’s regulatory scope. Over the past month, FDA has co-sponsored agreements with state pharmacists associations in Illinois, California, Texas, Maryland, New York, and Nebraska, and the Agency anticipates that additional agreements will be signed in the weeks ahead.

13 Apr 2004

Vitamin C can reduce levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and chronic disease

Vitamin C supplements can reduce levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and chronic disease risk in humans, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

12 Apr 2004

Sponsors of Medicare-approved discount cards will begin marketing their cards

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) announced last week that 28 private sponsors will offer 49 different Medicare-sponsored drug discount cards, beginning June 1. Additionally, 43 private health plans have received CMS approval to offer Medicare drug discount cards to their members only.

11 Apr 2004

University of Kansas officials have reported to the FBI a computer hack into electronic pharmacy records

University of Kansas officials have reported to the FBI a computer hacking on Friday, April 2, into electronic pharmacy records in the Student Health Services at Watkins Memorial Health Center. Marilu Goodyear, KU vice provost for information services, said surveillance software alerted KU officials to the intrusion, and technicians immediately disabled the affected computer server.

6 Apr 2004

New study could lead to new drugs to prevent premature birth

Dr Raheela Khan, of the University’s Academic Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology based at the newly-opened University of Nottingham Medical School at Derby, is working with colleagues Dr Balwir Matharoo-Ball and Dr Dave Barratt in the University’s School of Pharmacy on the research looking at what makes some women go into labour before their baby is due.

6 Apr 2004

Online, web-based system for ordering total parenteral nutrition (TPN)

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center have designed an online, Web-based system for ordering total parenteral nutrition (TPN) that identifies and pre-emptively eliminates potentially serious calculation errors.

5 Apr 2004

Lack of iodine prompts new Australian study

A fear that Australians could be suffering serious ill effects from lack of iodine in their diets has prompted a new study of New South Wales, Riverina residents by Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences.

30 Mar 2004