US Pharmacopeia Council of Experts 2005-2010: work plans, new revision approaches, and other enhancements. (9/34)

The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (the USP Convention), which meets at 5-year intervals, last convened in 2005. At that meeting, the Convention membership elected a new Council of Experts for the 2005-2010 cycle. In turn, the Council elected members of Expert Committees charged with updating and revising the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) and developing other authoritative standards and information. As one of their final activities, Expert Committees from the 2000-2005 cycle and USP staff carefully reviewed their work from the 2000-2005 cycle and reexamined the contents of USP-NF. From this comprehensive inventory emerged an updated and more focused new work plan directed toward acquiring missing monographs, updating monographs (typically because of advances in analytical technologies), and attending to General Chapter work (eg, dividing the General Chapter Chromatography <621> into smaller chapters) during the 2005-2010 cycle. Several elements of the work plan also speak to Resolutions adopted at the March 2005 Convention (available at www.usp.org/aboutUSP/resolutions.html) and prior ones as well. Because the work plan involves new approaches that affect both General Chapters (and thus the performance of tests and procedures) and monograph specifications--as well as the function of Pharmacopeial Forum and the introduction of new products--USP expects the plan to have a broad impact. This article briefly reviews some of these anticipated changes, informs constituents about how they can remain updated about progress and upcoming modifications to official texts, and invites participation in the standards-setting process.  (+info)

The development of drug metabolism research as expressed in the publications of ASPET: part 1, 1909-1958. (10/34)

This is the first of three articles covering the development of drug metabolism research in the United States during the first 100 years of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Before 1909, the majority of drug metabolism research was performed in Europe. The period from 1909 to 1958 saw extensive development of the methods required for modern metabolism studies. Examples of trends and specific discoveries are drawn from the archives of ASPET publications.  (+info)

Conformity of commercial oral single solid unit dose packages in hospital pharmacy practice. (11/34)

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Curriculum recommendations of the AACP-PSSC task force on caring for the underserved. (12/34)

A task force was convened by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and the Pharmaceutical Services Support Center (PSSC) and charged with the development of a curriculum framework to guide pharmacy programs in educating students on caring for the underserved. Utilizing a literature-based model, the task force constructed a framework that delineated evidence-based practice, clinical prevention and health promotion, health systems and policy, and community aspects of practice. Specific learning outcomes tailored to underserved populations were crafted and linked to resources readily available to the academy. The AACP-PSSC curriculum framework was shared with the academy in 2007. Schools and Colleges are urged to share experiences with implementation so that the impact of the tool can be evaluated. The task force recommends that the AACP Institutional Research Advisory Committee be involved in gathering assessment data. Implementation of the curriculum framework can help the academy fulfill the professional mandate to proactively provide the highest quality care to all, including underserved populations.  (+info)

What is causing the reduced drug-placebo difference in recent schizophrenia clinical trials and what can be done about it? (13/34)

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Antidrug antibody assay validation: industry survey results. (14/34)

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Relationship between student leadership activities and prepharmacy years in college. (15/34)

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a relationship exists between the number of years of college completed before entering pharmacy school and students' leadership involvement. METHODS: All pharmacy students from 2004-2007 were classified based upon their educational level at time of matriculation: Early Assurance Program (EA); 2 years of college, but not EA (2Y); 3 or more years of college but no degree (3Y+); and bachelor's degree or higher (BD). In terms of leadership positions, students were classified as holding any office, total number of offices, and Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) membership. RESULTS: Students who entered the pharmacy program as EA students held 27.1% or 71 offices compared to 31.9% or 45 for 2Y, 26.8% or 39 for 3Y+ and 30.2% or 80 for BD students. Students selected for PLS were 12.1% for EA, 15.3% for 2Y, 16.1% for 3Y+ and 13.5% for BD. There was no significant relationship between prepharmacy education and leadership measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Although no relationship was found between pharmacy students' involvement in leadership activities and number of prepharmacy years of education, the importance of predictive factors and approaches to evaluate students' leadership activities and involvement merits further research.  (+info)

Validation of a formula for assigning continuing education credit to printed home study courses. (16/34)

OBJECTIVES: To reevaluate and validate the use of a formula for calculating the amount of continuing education credit to be awarded for printed home study courses. METHODS: Ten home study courses were selected for inclusion in a study to validate the formula, which is based on the number of words, number of final examination questions, and estimated difficulty level of the course. The amount of estimated credit calculated using the a priori formula was compared to the average amount of time required to complete each article based on pharmacists' self-reporting. RESULTS: A strong positive relationship between the amount of time required to complete the home study courses based on the a priori calculation and the times reported by pharmacists completing the 10 courses was found (p < 0.001). The correlation accounted for 86.2% of the total variability in the average pharmacist reported completion times (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The formula offers an efficient and accurate means of determining the amount of continuing education credit that should be assigned to printed home study courses.  (+info)