Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · Jan 2021
Managing medication supply chains: Lessons learned from Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic and preparedness planning for the future.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed unprecedented challenges for nations worldwide, among which medication shortages can cause a devastatingly negative impact on global health. Using Taiwan as an example, this report describes the sources of potential medication shortages, discusses the preparedness and contingency strategies to address medication shortages, and outlines the evidence-based recommendations on ensuring a stable medication supply and improving the quality and security of medicines. Many drug shortages have focused on shortfalls of overseas manufacturing, but the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on misallocation of medications within the nation's internal supply chains is also a great concern. ⋯ Strategies have been documented and recommended in Taiwan and the United States to mitigate drug shortages and ensure the long-term quality and security of medicines. Barriers to accessing medicines are nothing new, but the COVID-19 pandemic poses urgent and even novel challenges to the stability and integrity of medication supply, which urges for a need to reconsider and reinforce effective management strategies for pharmaceuticals. Active management, transparent information, and timely communications are essential to ensure a stable supply of key therapeutic medications, especially during a pandemic.
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · Nov 2020
Adolescents' awareness about prescription opioid misuse and preferences for educational interventions.
This study explored adolescents' awareness about prescription opioid misuse, sources of medication information, and educational preferences. ⋯ Adolescents have some opioid safety knowledge, but there is a clear opportunity to increase knowledge and understanding of risks. Adolescents could benefit from opioid safety education, particularly on safe storage and disposal, harms of misuse, and strategies for discouraging peer opioid misuse.
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · Nov 2020
Pharmacist-led motivational interviewing for diabetes medication adherence in a worksite wellness program.
The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-delivered motivational interviewing (MI) intervention for diabetes medication adherence; the secondary objectives were to assess the changes in clinical outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). ⋯ The findings from this pilot study support the effectiveness of a pharmacist-delivered, semistructured MI-based intervention for medication adherence in persons with diabetes in a hospital-based WWP. Pharmacists can support patients' behavior change using MI communication skills to explore salient barriers to medication adherence and to facilitate goal setting to overcome these in encounters aimed at shared clinical and behavioral decision-making.
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J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) · Nov 2020
Observational StudyAntibiotic prescribing in the emergency department versus primary care: Implications for stewardship.
This study sought to compare the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing by drug, dose, duration, and indication between the emergency department (ED) and primary care (PC) within the Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System (VAWNYHCS) to aid in focusing antimicrobial stewardship efforts. ⋯ Stewardship is needed in both the ED and PC settings. However, initial efforts should be focused on PC because this setting had a statistically significant amount of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Pharmacist-led education and interventions should focus on the determination of drug, duration, and indication for the use of antibiotics.
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Systemic racism is a public health emergency and disproportionately impacts communities of color, specifically black Americans. Pharmacists took an oath to protect the welfare of humanity and protect our patients. As such, to practice truly patient-centered care, pharmacists must recognize racism as a root cause of social determinants of health and use their privilege to educate themselves and their colleagues around dismantling structural racism.