Located just about two blocks from Harvard Medical School and in the midst of an academic and health sciences Mecca in Boston, lies one of the three campuses of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy (MCP). Last week, I had the opportunity of visiting the campus, speaking to two large classes, and meeting with the Dean and other administrators and faculty.

The College has 3,298 students this academic year; 2,668 in Boston, 477 in Worcester, and 153 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The College lists 172 faculty (168 full time and 4 part time). The College offers the PharmD degree and a BS in pharmacy degree.

I was very, very impressed with the facilities that have undergone renovation, with plans for more renovation in the very near future; funded partly from a $30 million Comprehensive Campaign. Dormitories are located in the multi-building pharmacy college facility in Boston. Impressive to me was the design with students in mind. Throughout the college computer terminals are available-hundreds of them. Study tables, lounge chairs, and other furniture are available throughout the building for students to use (and they were definitely utilized).

The library is mostly electronic, with limited copies of paper volumes, but the students have access to journals, etc. via electronic means. The laboratories have either been renovated or are undergoing renovation.

Why is all this so exciting? It's exciting because the Dean and the college are increasing the science component of the curriculum, as well as compounding pharmacy coverage. They share the vision of individualized patient care that encompasses individualized prescriptions for individual patients.

This editorial could go on for some time, but let me just say that I was extremely impressed by the college, including the administration, faculty, facilities, and especially the interest level of the students during the compounding lectures. I would like to express my appreciation to Cutis Pharma who funded the visit and made arrangements for the lectures at the College. To me, no longer is MCP just the name of a college of pharmacy, it is an experience I will remember for a long time, and we wish them well as they move the College forward to prepare pharmacy students for the profession!


Loyd V. Allen, Jr., Ph.D., R.Ph
Editor-in-Chief

The cover artwork of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding's premiere issue is an electronically generated representation of the evolution of compounding pharmacy and the history of individualized patient care.

You can purchase an un-framed copy of this poster where the best of both worlds of pharmacy's past & future are together at www.ijpc.com/Products/ProductDescription.cfm?PID=11

Review by Dana Reed-Kane, PharmD, FIACP, FACA, FCP, NRPPhC
Tucson, Arizona

The RxFiles Academic Detailing Program. 5th ed. Canada: Saskatoon Health Region; 2005. $45.00, www.rxfiles.ca

This reference has a little bit of everything and will become one of your favorites once you discover what's inside.

This resource is an excellent reference for any practicing pharmacist. Even though it is a Canadian reference, the generic drug names are the same and the reference is an excellent tool for pharmacists of both countries. It is in flip chart format and is available in a standard letter size or pocket-sized editions. Each flip chart page contains a drug category, the products available, their dosage forms, strengths, trade names, dose range/day, usual dose, Canadian price, and comments relevant to efficacy, pharmacotherapy, advantages, and disadvantages. It is indexed, very concise, and easy to use if you are trying to make pharmacotherapeutic choices.

Read the complete review for this and other books on CompoundingToday.com's free book review section at http://compoundingtoday.com/Books/ReviewList.cfm

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is the most commonly recognized form of pulmonary hypertension in canines. Persistent pulmonary hypertension is a life-threatening condition in neonatal foals. IJPC's November/December 2006 issue features an article titled, "Application of Sildenafil for Pulmonary Hypertension in Canines and Foals." Veterinary compounding plays a vital role in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Because of the importance and necessity of veterinary compounding, IJPC dedicates one of our bimonthly issues to the care of animals. If you are not a subscriber you can purchase and download a specific article at www.ijpc.com/editorial/SearchByIssue.cfm?PID=2488

Sign up today at www.IJPC.com and start your journal print and electronic subscriptions. You can download what you are currently subscribed to and purchase electronic access to our complete set of back issues.

Need Essential Oils?
To extract essential oils from wood, bark, herbs, etc., put a quantity of the herb or other article into a bottle or jar and pour in a small quantity of ether. Keep in a cool place several hours, and then fill the bottle with cold water. The essential oil will rise to the surface, and may be easily separated. (Source: Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians; 1902).