Current Pharmacy Issues

[Asnchic]

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I know...this is a ridiculous thread but I'm a newcomer to thinking "outside" of my bio/chem books and just now realized the weight of what I've got to do from now till when I apply for Pharm school.

What are some good links to current issues in healthcare and specifically, in the pharmaceutical world that some of you subscribe to? I've done searches on Google, but the websites I found (U.S. Pharmacist etc) don't really address those of us who are just beginning to get our start and what they cover aren't the big controversial issues. Aside from the recent debacle (according to some) over the issues in Medicaid/Medicare, what else is there?

I guess what I'm asking for is...are there any websites about pharmacy news specifically for those of us who are beginners to the whole realm of Pharmacy? And...if you've got a few minutes to spare, could you name any issues so I could specifically search for them on Google? Much appreciated if you do!

 

[DocRx]

I would start with hot issues like drug importation, medicare drug coverage, and other headlines at pharmacist.com . Be sure and look at ethical situations as that is now becoming a topic that catches a lot of pharmacsits in the middle. Search for the website Drug Topics (i believe it is a magazine/journal) and then search for ethics inside Drug Topics. That magazine also should have topics that deal with issues out there right now. This should get you started, let me know if you need some more.

 

[Asnchic]

Thank you so much!

How's your first year going?

 

[DocRx]

Going good they keep us very busy. We have a test or 2 every week from now until Winter Break. I am having a blast and I wouldn't change a thing.

Jason

 

[pinkyrx]

You might try looking into the topic of pharmacists choosing not to fill certain prescriptions due to moral conflicts. (like Plan B etc) I just started my first year and this topic seems to be one that they talk about quite a bit in our Ethics class.

 

[Asnchic]

Yeah, I've read a few issues over Drug Topics and man some of them seriously make you wonder what you would really do in situations like that. I absolutely hate having to turn people down and what will I do when I become a Pharmacist?

I mean, honestly, WHAT would you do if the patients' drug insurance runs out? There's no right or wrong answer but I know it feels completely different when you're face to face with that patient.

Link

One time, I was volunteering in the ER and this woman was carted in for a drug overdose and then a half hour later, I'm guessing her husband and son walked in looking around desperately for her. Seeing that I was one of the people doing the least important tasks in there (changing sheets...the life of a volunteer), he beelined towards me to ask where so and so was. I definitely felt his frustration when I ended up having to refer him to one of the nurses who ended up having to refer him to someone else. I hate how that works...

People in traumatic situations don't understand protocol and I don't blame them.

Does the this board have any forums for ethics discussions? That would be a pretty interesting thing to see how different individuals would approach these issues.

 

[DocRx]

Start a post up about ethics i am sure many people would like to discuss these types of situations. Search first to make sure there is not another post out there though. I would be more than happy to contribute what I know and if I don't know I will ask the faculty about it.

My opinion about the ins. cut off is just try and help the patient find things like the pfizer share card or a lot of churches are starting to help people out, sometimes like a one time thing till the pt. can get other help. It is a very tough decision, but we still have to function as a business or else we lose all of our pt's. I know we all want to help people and that is the most important reason I got into pharmacy, but sometimes the government does not understand what happens when you take someone off prozac or stop their lipitor. Gotta study BioChem now. Jason

 

[bananaface]

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