Editorial: Believe it or not!

While growing up it was common to take people at their word and believe that they were telling you the truth. We trusted each other, and our word meant we would stand behind the commitment and do what we said.

In fact, when I purchased my first car at age 16, I just called up my bank (I had been working since I was 12 years old in a grocery store as a meat cutter, receiving 75� per hour.) and told Mr. Rogers I needed a car loan. He said, "Sure, come in next week when you have time and you can sign the papers." That was all there was to it! There was a high level of trust and respect for each other. We would not even think of not carrying out our responsibilities to each other!

When I compare the trust (or lack thereof) we have today to the trust we had back then, the changes are evident. For example, can you trust�

�what you read on the Internet?
�the unsolicited emails you receive?
�the advertisements you see on television and hear on radio?
�the news you see on television and hear on radio?
�the high-paid corporate executives that are ripping their companies off?
�the politicians you hear speak?
�the books you read?
�the textbooks our children and grandchildren use in school?
�the "documentaries" you see on television?
�your financial advisor(s)?
�your congressman/congresswomen?
�the governmental agencies that supposedly are here to serve us?
�the news magazines you read?

One of the hardest things to do these days is to determine whether or not what you hear and see is the truth and if you can trust it.

When did things change? I can't say for sure, but I do know that without trust there is a void that is filled with "mistrust" and mistrust leads to all types of wasted activities-mentally and physically. Maybe one of the reasons life use to be simpler was that we didn't fill our minds with wondering who to trust and what to believe?


Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief

Pharmacists Can Now Immunize in All States
Now that Maine has become the 50th state allowing pharmacists to administer immunizations, pharmacists can now do so in all states. Pharmacists must undergo specialized training, and there is a patient age limit of at least 9 years old.

FDA Can't Determine Its Funding Needs, States the GAO
The FDA cannot reliably determine how much money it needs to regulate medical products because its staff can't track all the adverse-event reports it handles, among other things; at least according to the Government Accountability Office.

The government watchdog noted that while FDA's funding has increased since 2004, so has the agency's responsibilities. The GAO first raised concerns about the FDA's inability to determine how much money it really needs to do its job 20 years ago. The GAO looked at agency funding and workload from fiscal years 2004 to 2008 in the agency's drug, devices and vaccines, and biologics division.

GAO said while the number of adverse-event reports increased during that time, FDA officials couldn't provide data about how many reports it reviewed. "Without such information, FDA cannot develop complete and reliable estimates of its resources needs," GAO said.

The FDA received 522,871 drug-related adverse-event reports in 2008 compared with 426,016 in 2004. Device reports and biologics reports also showed large gains. The FDA told GAO while they place a priority on reviewing serious adverse-event reports, they receive "substantially" more adverse-event reports than staff can review.

Of the approximately $2.2 billion FDA annual budget, about $1.7 billion comes from Congress while the rest is collected from drug and medical device makers through user fees. GAO said the bulk of FDA's funding increase from 2004 to 2008 came from user fees rather than Congress.

A $100 million funding increase for the FDA in 2009 has been approved by Congress, and the Obama administration has asked for a $240 million increase for the upcoming 2010 fiscal year.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124812668070866483.html

The United States Pharmacopeial Convention is seeking comments on the proposed revisions to USP General Chapter <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding-Nonsterile Preparations. Go to: www.usp.org (under Compendial updates)

MCQs in Pharmaceutical Calculations
Donnelly RF, Barry J
London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press; 2009

A new entry into the large number of books offered by the Pharmaceutical Press, this 6-chapter, 209-page book provides hundreds of practice questions in the areas of formula manipulations, dilutions, dosing, pharmacokinetics, formulation and dispensing, pharmaceutical chemistry, and many practice tests. MCQs stands for Multiple Choice Questions.

This book resulted from concern that many students in colleges of pharmacy are increasingly less capable in their mathematical skills and some lecturers must postpone starting undergraduate courses until slow students are brought up to speed. Actually, the same thing occurs here in the U.S. as well. Also, many courses in Pharmacy Calculations are now either self-taught, go-at-your-own-pace, or just go over the material and take an exam when you think you are ready. Some still teach calculations in a classroom setting with individual responsibility, but calculations still remains a very critical area of pharmacy education.

Included in the book is an additional 100 calculation-based multiple choice questions arranged into five 1-hour tests. Not only is this book a good review for pharmacy students AND pharmacists, but it can also serve to provide training to pharmacy technicians.

Our servicemen and servicewomen put their entire trust and lives in each others hands daily! They can't even think twice about it.

Trustworthy Education
Educate your children and grandchildren about trustworthy sources for information as well as those sources to stay away from! It will pay off and save them a lot of heartache!