An Efficient Prediction Model for OTC Medicine Effect with the Package Inserts Information

AbstractIn Japan, general public those who are not medical experts usually buy OTC medicine at a pharmacy, depending on their illness condition. In this case, it is difficult for them to consider how much the OTC medicine is effective for their symptom. The components of OTC medicine have been used as ethical medicines for a long period of time.This is because the efficacy and safety of ethical medicine have been confirmed before being employed as OTC medicine. The information of those confirmed medicines is described in package inserts, which is aimed for medical professionals. Therefore, it is difficult for general public to understand what the package insert describes in terms of medical effects.In this study, from the information which appears in the package inserts of prescription medicines, a method for estimating the effect of OTC medicine is investigated. Also, a method of estimating the effects of medicines without directly compared data is proposed, only by using the information of package inserts of ethical medicines

The pharmaceutical services to the elderly in the old aged homes in Hong Kong: a scope exercise

Various models of pharmaceutical services have been provided by pharmacists to old aged home residents, however, these models have never been summarised and compared. The aim of this scoping exercise is to identify different kinds of pharmaceutical services currently available to the old aged home residents, by means of systemic literature review, qualitative in-depth interviews with service providers in order to understand their models and qualitative semi-structured interviews with non-pharmaceutical service users in an attempt to investigate reasons why some homes do not subscribe to these services. The results showed that none of the pharmaceutical services currently available can uproot the causes of medication errors, and there is a need to elaborate the roles of pharmacists in a primary care setting.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Methods of feeding out white cottonseed to livestock

With the ever increasing demand of beef export from Australia, the importance of maintaining livestock health is becoming increasingly difficult with the current climate changes. Producers are forced to source new feed at lower cost to them but keeping the same nutritional value for their livestock. One of these 'super nutrient' feeds include White Cottonseed (WCS). WCS is the waste product of the cotton ginning process and is given the nickname of 'triple nutrient'. High in fat, protein and fibre of this product keeps the livestock fed for longer periods and is cheaper to source since it is a waste product. The main difficulty producers have with the supplement is the physical handling of it. It proves difficult to flow and binds together in a Velcro like nature. The need for a system that can overcome this difficulty will make the feeding of this product simpler and less demanding on the producer. This project aims to research into the current methods of feeding this product, looking into the current systems being used for this application and creating an improved or new system to be implemented. Since this project is aimed at drought effected producers, low cost is the biggest priority. Through an extensive literature review it was found that there is basically no system available worldwide that meets the demand of this project hence the creation of a new prototype is to be implemented. The limits created for this prototype were low cost, must fit in the confines of a utility tray, powered solely by the 12 Volt DC supply from the utility and should contain a modified floor system that will move the feed from a storage bin to a portion dispenser unit. After a critical analysis of the current methods it was discovered through a decision matrix, that a modified conveyor system would be most appropriate for this specific application. The conveyor is to have teeth on the belt that will pull at the product and deliver it to a trap door dispenser unit that will drop a portion every six to eight meters significant enough to feed six head of cattle. The timing will be operated by a gear and chain drive off the main axle. The whole system will be driven by a 12 Volt DC Electric Motor and the initial prototype size will hold approximately 750 kg of WCS. The whole design will come within the given budget at an estimated cost of $5400.00 AUD. This is relatively cheap in the feeder market and should prove to be easily marketable to producers in Australia. The added benefit of such a system include the huge reduction in time required to feed livestock. Also the physical demand will be greatly reduced as the system will be fully automated and push button activated. The system will also be able to be utilised while the producer is checking his cattle or other jobs throughout his property. Finally the system will not be limited to WCS but will be able to be used for many other feed products including grain, feed pellets etc. The prototype designed by this project will benefit producers throughout the agricultural field greatly and proves to have significant potential

Experiência Profissionalizante na vertente de Farmácia Comunitária, Hospitalar e Investigação

The present thesis was elaborated aiming to obtain the master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences. In here, it is described all the scientific investigation work done to reach the proposed objective, as well as all tasks and learnings that I have taken along my community and hospital pharmacy internships. Chapter 1 is related with my scientific investigation work entitled “Bioanalytical method validation of Venlafaxine and Desvenlafaxine in mouse plasma, brain and liver using a MEPS/HPLC assay: a path to study these drugs’ intranasal administration”. Since major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases, its therapeutic successful rate must be increased. Nowadays, the majority of all antidepressants used are given orally, being this route a source of therapeutic problems, mainly in what concerns with the time and dosage required to accomplish the desired effects. So, in order to improve it, intranasal administration route has been investigated, once parts of the nasal cavity directly contacts with brain tissue. Over time, and after some research, it was also understood that Venlafaxine is one of the most successful antidepressants until now, having the advantage of being metabolized to an active metabolite called Desvenlafaxine. So, in order to perform some future studies using intranasally administration of both these drugs and understand what advantages it brings, a reliable bioanalytical quantification method for venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine in mouse plasma, brain and liver matrices must be validated, in this case, using a MEPS/HPLC method. Chapter 2 is related with community pharmacy internship, describing all the performed activities during the 3 month that I have stayed in Pharmacy Alameda. The focus in this chapter is to understand how community pharmacies in general work, taking into account not only drugs dispense and pharmaceutical services but also the best way to manage them. Chapter 3 is about my 2 month of internship in hospital pharmacy services, describing all the duties and tasks performed in each pharmacy section. In here it is also explicit pharmacists’ importance in patients’ pharmaceutical therapies management as well as in controlling all the economic costs related with it.A tese aqui exposta foi elaborada com o intuito de obter o grau de Mestre em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Seguidamente é descrito todo o trabalho efetuado no âmbito da investigação científica, de modo a que o objectivo proposto fosse alcançado. Estão também descritas as tarefas elaboradas e aprendizagens obtidas ao longo dos meus estágios em farmácia comunitária e em farmácia hospitalar. No Capítulo 1 é descrito todo o meu trabalho no âmbito da área de investigação, sendo este intitulado “Validação de um método bioanalítico de Venlafaxina e Desvenlafaxina em plasma, cérebro e fígado de murganho usando MEPS/HPLC: um caminho para o estudo da administração intranasal destes fármacos”. Uma vez que a depressão major é uma das doenças psiquiátricas mais prevalente, a taxa de sucesso do seu tratamento terá obrigatoriamente de ser aumentada. Actualmente, a maioria dos antidepressivos são administrados por via oral, o que é uma fonte de problemas a nível terapêutico, considerando principalmente o tempo e as elevadas doses necessárias para o tratamento da doença. Assim, de modo a melhorar este aspecto, a via intranasal tem vindo a ser estudada, uma vez que existem locais na cavidade nasal que contactam directamente com o tecido cerebral. Ao longo do tempo também se tem percebido que a Venlafaxina é um dos antidepressivos mais eficazes, tendo também a vantagem de ser metabolizada num metabolito activo chamado Desvenlafaxina. Assim, de modo a perceber quais as vantagens da administração por via intranasal da Venlafaxina e da Desvenlafaxina, deve ser antes validado um método bioanalítico usando MEPS/HPLC de modo a que ambos se consigam quantificar em plasma, cérebro e fígado de murganho. O Capítulo 2 está relacionado com o estágio em farmácia comunitária, no qual são descritas todas as actividades realizadas ao longo dos 3 meses que passei na Farmácia da Alameda. Neste capítulo é focado todo o funcionamento em geral de uma farmácia comunitária, tendo sempre em conta não apenas a dispensa de medicamentos e os serviços farmacêuticos, mas também as melhores formas de gestão efetuadas neste âmbito. O Capítulo 3 refere-se aos 2 meses de estágio em farmácia hospitalar, descrevendo-se aqui todas as tarefas e responsabilidades de cada secção da farmácia. Aqui é também focada a importância do farmacêutico hospitalar na gestão das terapêuticas dos doentes e dos custos associados a estas