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Editorial: A Profession or a Job
Is pharmacy a "profession" or a "job" to you? It seems we have a lot of individuals practicing pharmacy that use it as a "job" for a nice income, but don't want to put in the time or the effort to practice it as a "profession" and be truly involved. They come to work, put in their time, and pick up their paycheck but don't even think about serious involvement in their profession; they don't participate in local, state, or national pharmacy organizations to help promote and improve the profession. They are quick to yell and scream when they lose their reimbursement and blame everyone else when they have done very little, or nothing, to maintain and improve the practice.
There is no doubt that the income received today as a pharmacist has been attracting many into the profession that did not really take their education seriously, and this attitude has continued into their practice. When we see examples of pharmacists that don't know how to do basic calculations or patient counseling, make dispensing errors, etc., you have to wonder how they ever made it this far!
You also have to wonder about the education being offered, as many colleges of pharmacy are inadequately staffed with faculty and new colleges continue to come on the scene. Where are the faculties coming from to teach in the future? Many aspects of the "profession" are engrained in pharmacists during their academic training. While many faculty are doing a great job, some faculty of colleges of pharmacy are not even pharmacists, and some are so involved in their research that teaching is a "necessary evil" to maintain their academic appointment. While it is true that many nonpharmacists do a great job of teaching, it is also true that many do not, they don't have the same "feeling for the profession" that they should have, and, therefore, that "feeling" can't be communicated to the students.
Maybe, just maybe, preceptors can step in and fill any existing voids and influence students in the issues of the profession and express to the students why it is so important to be active. This is especially important today as so many decisions are being made nationally that can adversely impact us. We must be heard in large numbers. We must be involved or we will be left out of decisions that impact our practice. If pharmacy is just a job to you, please consider making it your profession and actively working to make it better.
Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief
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New Jersey Governor-elect Christie Names Pfizer Executive as Chief of Staff
New Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie has named four of his top advisers, including Richard Bagger, 49, a Pfizer executive and former state legislator, who was chosen as chief of staff. This is considered the most powerful position in the governor's inner office. Bagger, a senior vice president for worldwide public affairs at Pfizer, previously served in the State Senate from 2002 to 2003 as well as in the Assembly from 1993 to 2002.
"Rich Bagger brings a wealth of outside experience, knowledge, respect from both sides of the aisle, and a shared belief that we must run Trenton differently if we're going to get results," Christie said in a statement. Before Pfizer, Bagger was an in-house attorney for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey and has also worked at the law firm of McCarter and English.
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=671216&categoryid=9&newsletter=1
Drug Makers' Support for Health Overhaul Tested
The pharmaceutical industry may have to cough up more than the $80 billion it agreed to contribute to President Barack Obama's health overhaul effort, reflecting pressure from Democrats and their supporters for more money to cover older and low-income people.
President Obama and the congressional Democrats want the drug industry to remain a partner in the healthcare fight because of its deep pockets and influence in states where it is a large employer. So far, the drug industry remains an active backer of the Democrats' efforts to expand a supportive TV ad campaign on which it has already spent tens of millions of dollars.
The bill the House approved last month depends upon about $140 billion from drug companies to defray additional healthcare costs over the next decade. Industry officials say the version the Senate is debating is close to $100 billion from drug makers; with expected amendments boosting that by billions more.
According to IMS Health Inc., about $320 billion in pharmaceuticals will be sold in the U.S. next year. Senators want to require bigger drug discounts for many low-income seniors, to allow importation of lower-priced drugs, and to shorten the period of patent protection for brand-name biological drugs opening the way for less expensive generic competitors.
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=671458&categoryid=9&newsletter=1
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Planting an Idea
Since we hear so much about carbon dioxide emissions, etc., why not just plant a lot of vegetation, since plants remove carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis, combine it with water, and produce carbohydrates and oxygen?
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