| Editorial: New Technology and Quality Control: Something New is Coming to Town
I love working with the latest technology. Properly used, technology can make our lives easier and more efficient. However, there are prices to pay. One of those prices is that it takes time to learn how to use it. We may spend hours trying to get something to work and then we get frustrated and, finally, we read the instructions. After a relatively few minutes or so, the piece of equipment is working flawlessly. I guess it's our nature to try and figure things out for ourselves.
When we look at what we can use in our compounding practices, we are familiar with the old and the new technology within pharmacy. However, we also must keep up to date on computers and their applications and be cognizant of what is going on in other fields that can help us do our jobs better. Something has been introduced this year that can do just that!
As many of you know, I taught not only Pharmaceutics but also Pharmaceutical Analysis for almost 30 years at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy. I remember using some of the first spectrophotometers, gas chromatographs, high-pressure chromatographs, etc. that appeared on the market. This equipment was rather large and bulky and not really appropriate for use in a pharmacy. However, there have been advances, and smaller and more powerful instruments are now on the market. Many of these have direct applications in compounding pharmacy laboratories.
At the first "Quality Assurance in the Compounding Pharmacy" seminar to be held April 1-2, 2006, a new piece of equipment will be introduced along with its applications in compounding pharmacy. This item uses a sample size of only 1 �L (yes, one microliter) and provides a readout in 10 seconds. It will be applicable to sterile and nonsterile compounding. It can be used for potency testing of many drugs, including controlled substances, such as morphine sulfate intrathecals, oral inhalation solutions, etc. It measures less than 8 � 6 � 5 inches, so it can be placed almost anywhere. This technology was developed for high-tech research laboratories but has great potential application in a compounding pharmacy. Fortunately, this technology is quite simple to learn and can be hooked directly in to your computer for readouts, printouts for hard copies, etc. We look forward to introducing the new instrument to compounding pharmacy at this seminar.
More compounding and quality control applications will become available over time, and we will try to incorporate them into our programs, journal, CompoundingToday.com, etc.
Loyd V. Allen, Jr., Ph.D., R.Ph
Editor-in-Chief |
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Since February 16, 2006, here is what pharmacists have accessed and downloaded on CompoundingToday.com:
- 3940 Formula Downloads
- 1968 Standard Operating Procedures
- 369 Abstracts and Citations
- 224 Patient Advisory Leaflets
- 211 Veterinary Transdermal Tool
- 106 Base-Salt-Ester Weight Conversion Tool
- 105 Chemotherapy Vial Reconstitution and Stability Tool
- 102 Filter Tool - Membrane Compatibility
- 89 Preservative and Antioxidant Tool
- 83 Flavoring Tool - Veterinary Recommendations
- 76 Compliance Articles (DEA, FDA, NIOSH, and USP)
- 76 NaCl Equivalent Value
- 75 Oral Vehicle Tool
- 68 Disinfectant Tool - Agent Information
- 61 Disinfectant Tool - Product Information
- 60 pH Adjustment Tool
- 44 Flavoring Tool - Sweetening Agents
- 43 Flavoring Tool - General Recommendations by Drug Class
- 38 Bacterial Endotoxin in Sterile Preparations Tool
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Approximately 32 citations and abstracts related to DHEA were added to the literature search database this week. Here are samples of the added articles:
- Olech E, Merrill JT. DHEA supplementation: the claims in perspective. Cleve Clin J Med 2005; 72(11): 965-966,968,970-971.
- Parsons TD, Kratz KM, Thompson E et al. DHEA supplementation and cognition in postmenopausal women. Int J Neurosci 2006; 116(2): 141-155.
- Perrini S, Laviola L, Natalicchio A et al. Associated hormonal declines in aging: DHEAS. J Endocrinol Invest 2005; 28(3 Suppl): 85-93.
- Salek FS, Bigos KL, Kroboth PD. The influence of hormones and pharmaceutical agents on DHEA and DHEA-S concentrations: A review of clinical studies. J Clin Pharmacol 2002; 42(3): 247-266.
- Sulcova J, Hill M, Masek Z et al. Effects of transdermal application of 7-oxo-DHEA on the levels of steroid hormones, gonadotropins and lipids in healthy men. Physiol Res 2001; 50(1): 9-18.
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Autodrop and Autosqueeze Ophthalmic Instillation Aids
EPS is pleased to release our Autodrop and Autosqueeze instillation aids for patients who require ophthalmic preparations but have difficulty taking them.
The EPS Autodrop device clips onto the majority of eyedrop bottles and holds the bottle at the correct angle over the eye. A small lip holds the lower eyelid open to prevent blinking while a unique pinhole directs the eyesight upward, away from descending drops. Medication goes in the eye, not down the cheek.
Our EPS Autosqueeze device helps patients with weak or arthritic fingers easily grasp and dispense ophthalmic medication. Simply clip the dropping bottle into the device and squeeze to administer the drops.
Both Autodrop and Autosqueeze can be used together in order to further ease medication dispensing. And both can be used throughout the entire course of therapy.
To order or to request samples, please contact us at: www.medidose.com. E-Mail: info@medi-dose.com
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