Other Golf Articles

Last month the FDA approved forty new medications and six new medications obtained tentative approval.

With so many medications produced and approved it is mind boggling to fathom how doctors, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, can keep up with the data.

There is finally Auidiolearn.net is helping to bridge the gap. They provide audios with over five hundred commonly prescribed medications. Medical professionals and the public can also subscribe to the monthly updates at no charge. Audio learning? What a great idea. The audio includes mechanism of action, side effects, indications and interactions. When else will these busy professionals have a chance to keep abreast the newest medications?

It is not hard to know of a doctor who has not heard of an approved medication that may have fewer adverse side effects or treat an illness more efficiently. When was the last time a doctor prescribed an inferior drug than one that recently approved for distribution prescribe the most current medication? No one knows. It is going to take a concerted effort on everyone's part to keep abreast of the changes.

This is particularly challenging for older patients. Many of the elderly are not Internet literate. Many are 100% dependent on their doctor to give them advice based on current medications. The elderly population take many medications on a regular basis. They often visit more than one specialist and their doctors don't always communicate.

If a patient only visits the doctor annual at best, then this can be a year of consuming a drug, that is inferior to alternative on the market. Some patients suffer overwhelming side effects, such as, muscle aches, stomach pain, nausea, bloating, cramping and rapid heart beat or worse.

Manyhealth insurance companies will not pay for brand name medications, when there is a generic alternative. What happens if the drug store fills a prescription as prescribed and a generic available? A drug store that is keen to the generics available may cal the doctor to find out if they will the generic. A pharmacy technician may first become aware of this when they try to but the charge through the insurance company and it comes back. Often it does not come to anyone's attention until the order is filled and the patient goes to get their prescription.

They ask the pharmacy tech why the charge is so high and the pharmacist checks on it. This of course takes up the pharmacist's time. They come back and state that a generic is available and the health insurance will not pay for brand name medications! Some customers may requests that the pharmacist contact the doctor.

Alternatively, most consumers don't know better. They will not say anything and will either pay the more money or not purchase the medications even though it is needed. The retail price without insurance coverage is not affordable for many people.

This may seem outrageous, but there are millions of elderly people who have to select between prescriptions and eating. They don't have funds for both. Obviously, this is an unacceptable situation, but it takes time and energy to stay current.

Whether you are a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, pharmaceutical technician I implore you to take an active roll in giving your patients with the most up to date information.

pharmacist