Drug Topics fires Jim Plagakis

[BenJammin]

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http://www.jimplagakis.com/?p=7121

End of an era.

 

[mustang sally]

That's too bad.

Who fires someone via e-mail anyway?

 

[Sunshine98]

I always looked for his column first when I got my copy. He didn't write for the magazine. He writes for us!

 

[radio frequency]

That's messed up. His column was my favorite part!

 

[Sparda29]

I only read Drug Topics to read his column. Pretty sure I'm not the only one.

 

[BF7]

A classless way to let go of a Pharmacy columnist who was well received by thousands....

 

[BidingMyTime]

While JP's age did often show (I still cringe when I remember his column where he bragged about calling a doctor and having an antibiotic changed, because of course, one would never use Bactrim for a skin infection (sic)), his columns were always interesting, and even if he were dated, what is wrong with a little nostalgia? There usually isn't a lot in DT these days, but his column was one of the regular things to be counted on.

No excuse as to why the editor couldn't have called and fired him in person. I fear his firing will be just the start of negative changes. Unfortunately, its pretty common that pharmacists working for magazines or organizations seem to have completely forgotten (if they ever knew) what real life pharmacists want and need.

 

[PharmNerdMatt]

I liked reading Jim's columns. I didn't always agree with the things he wrote on his blog, or the way he said them. E-mail isn't the best way to communicate such an important decision, but I'm not sure that Jim's response on his blog was exactly classy either.

Not that any of these magazines for pharmacy are really that great to begin with.

 

[owlegrad]

...I still cringe when I remember his column where he bragged about calling a doctor and having an antibiotic changed, because of course, one would never use Bactrim for a skin infection (sic)...

The one that always bothered me is where he 'saved' himself from being on a PPI and plavix at the same time while in the hospital. The guy sees a DUR message and thinks he is god or something.


For the people saying email is not a good way to have handled his 'termination', I wonder how much of his correspondence with them was via email. If that was the primary/sole way they communicated then I am not so sure it was all that inappropriate.

 

[trailerpark]

I currently don't read any pharmacy publications. What's the best one?

 

[zelman]

I currently don't read any pharmacy publications. What's the best one?

Forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[PharmNerdMatt]

I currently don't read any pharmacy publications. What's the best one?

I think that most of them spend too much time on things that are page fillers. I find that the best way to keep up is by following a bunch of them on Twitter. That lets me skim the headliner/top articles of a bunch of publications at once without having to go to a bunch of different websites.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I only read Drug Topics to read his column. Pretty sure I'm not the only one.

same here - guy told it as it is - think this makes drug topics look bad - never fire a popular writer - he will make you look bad in the end

 

[Sparda29]

I currently don't read any pharmacy publications. What's the best one?

The Pharmacist's Letter I like for the CEs.

 

[Dred Pirate]

The Pharmacist's Letter I like for the CEs.

an easy way to get a bunch of CE's - quick and conscience (CE is the letter) and if it interests you, you can read more

 

[BidingMyTime]

The one that always bothered me is where he 'saved' himself from being on a PPI and plavix at the same time while in the hospital. The guy sees a DUR message and thinks he is god or something.
For the people saying email is not a good way to have handled his 'termination', I wonder how much of his correspondence with them was via email. If that was the primary/sole way they communicated then I am not so sure it was all that inappropriate.

Oh yes, the PPI/Plavix interaction....I had forgotten about that one. I would have thought he had enough real world experience to understand that 99% of DUR's are caution/warnings, not absolute contraindications.

And good point about the e-mail. If his primary communication with the editor had always been through e-mail, then it would make sense she would deliver the news that way.

It is still very sad. 🙁 I went to the DT website today, and they don't even have a heading for his articles anymore (although they are still on the site if you search by his name)

 

[vardenafil]

I only read Drug Topics to read his column. Pretty sure I'm not the only one.

Ditto! His column is the only articles I read in that rag.

 

[MatCauthon]

Didn't he write an article about a new grad complaining that an older pharmacist needed to retire so that she could have "her turn?"