Globalisation can facilitate improvements in health through the speed and ease of shared information, advances in health care delivery and health policy, and the enhanced pace of discovery through international research collaborations. However, there are associated potential risks to health such as the spread of communicable diseases and…

Human beings vary in their responses to the drugs prescribed to them. These variations can be due to differences in their age, gender, weight, health status, diet, concurrent therapy and genetic make-up. Recently, it has been estimated that 85% of a patient's response to drugs is due to the genetic make-up of the individual (Snedden, 1999).…

A lecture given in courses in applied pharmacokinetics at Wayne State University, Michigan, is presented. The definition of bioavailability is reviewed along with methods of calculation, bioequivalence, criteria for establishing bioequivalence of a new product, essentials of a bioequivalence study, and the relationship between bioequivalence and…

Pharmaceutical analysis is incorporated into the pharmaceutics component of the undergraduate curriculum at the University of Wisconsin. Many collaborative demonstrations, lectures, and laboratory experiments can illustrate the close relationship between analysis and modern pharmacy practice. (Author/LBH)

The experiment described was developed for the third-year course in inorganic and analytical pharmaceutical chemistry to provide students with "hands-on" experience with high pressure liquid chromatography. Assay procedures are given along with experimental parameters and student results. (LBH)

The author compares the merits and weaknesses of prepaid college pharmacy programs and prescription drug insurance plans. (MJB)

The treatment of urinary tract infections is discussed. Specific issues considered include the definition of asymptomatic bacteriuria, the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, the controversies of who should be treated, and antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. (MLW)

A simulation experiment for the dissolution kinetics of steroids is described whose goals are to demonstrate the characteristics of the physical-chemical model for dissolution and to relate the physical-chemical model to the potential therapeutic availability of the drug. Computational details are given. (LBH)

Recent advances in the development of radionuclide labeled monoclonal antibodies as radiopharmaceuticals should result in commercially available products in the near future. This presentation describes mechanisms by which radiation can destroy cells, factors influencing the potential for successful treatment, concepts to understanding the use of…

A study made on drug presentations to groups of doctors in Helsinki is described. Analysis of the content of the presentations revealed that side effects were often neglected, the drug presented was always recommended as the drug of choice, and other forms of treatment were seldom mentioned. Implications for continuing professional education are…

A computerized patient profile system is used in a practice laboratory taught in a pharmacy student's fourth year. Exposure to both a manual family card system and the computerized individual profile system allows the student to achieve a level of competence and confidence with more than one system in monitoring and evaluating the ambulatory…

Within a simulated Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee format, role play is used at Purdue University to illustrate to students the concepts of drug product evaluation and selection as these apply to a hospital formulary system. (Author/LBH)

Arguments about the role of basic science courses in a pharmacy curriculum moving toward additional clinical instruction center around semantics, value judgments, and philosophy. Drug analysis can, however, provide a valuable service in the areas of drug detection and monitoring. (Author/LBH)

Since the inception of the PharmD program at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1967, curriculum changes have been made. A new addition in 1975 was a course in the assessment of physical parameters for monitoring patient care. Course characteristics, outline, and lecture outline are provided. (LBH)

An opinion is offered of the Millis Commission report on pharmacy. Two major areas are considered: levels of pharmacy practice and roles for clinical pharmacy practice. It is concluded that the report failed to explore the issues facing pharmacy in the depth necessary to initiate meaningful change. (LBH)