Pharmacy Focus

The Alzheimer disease treatment landscape is rapidly changing, with several new FDA-approved antibody therapies that target amyloid plaque and aim to slow disease progression. While the controversial approval of aducanumab faced challenges, newer drugs like lecanemab and donanemab have shown more promising results in clinical trials, demonstrating cognitive benefits. Additionally, the pipeline inc...

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews the co-CEOs of Healthcare Advocate Summit Melissa Paige, BPHM, CPhT, MTM, president of National Association of Medication Access & Patient Advocacy (NAMAPA), and Elizabeth Johnson, CEO of MedicoCX, and president and co-founder of NAMAPA on Healthcare Advocate Summit and its mission. They describe how collaboration, education, and advocacy...

Olivia Kinney, PharmD, a national pharmacy practice manager at Kroger, emphasized the importance of pharmacists addressing the growing issue of vaccine hesitancy. She noted that common reasons for hesitancy include concerns about adverse effects, misinformation, access barriers, and social/political influences. Kinney advised that pharmacists can build trust by actively listening to patients' conc...

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Dr. Frank North, president of the National Pharmaceutical Association and assistant professor at the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy. They discuss North's leadership journey and advocacy efforts to increase representation and support for minority pharmacists, while emphasizing the importance of mentorship, networking, and collaboration w...

Jennifer Dunphy, DrPH, MBA, MPH and Nelly Awkar-Lazo, MD, discuss the rise in young-onset cancer, the gut-colon cancer link, and the importance of healthy lifestyle choices for cancer prevention.

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Aleata Postell, group director of pharmacy business development, Walmart, to discuss the significance of specialty pharmacy services—particularly related to HIV care—in public health. Postell highlights how Walmart has initiatives that support HIV care and testing. Key Takeaways: Community Pharmacy's Role in Public Health: The episode highligh...

Jeffrey Goad, PharmD, MPH, professor and associate dean of Academic Affairs at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, shares crucial advice for summer travelers and what to know about their medication. He emphasizes the importance of proper medication management, including packing enough for the trip plus extra, keeping medications in carry-on luggage, and being aware of country-specific restricti...

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Dr. Bolu Oladini, PharmD, author, global medical affairs, generative AI medical content lead, Pfizer, to discuss the intersections of pharmacy, medical affairs, and AI. Dr. Oladini describes the importance of following one’s interest, and using those passions to one’s advantage when building on a career. Both Dr. Madison and Dr. Oladini also s...

This month, we spoke with Natasha B. Leighl, BSc, MMSc, MD, Medical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. Leighl discussed the PALOMA-3 trial results, shared at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2024 Conference.

On this episode of Pharmacy Focus, experts discuss World Psychedelics Day, which is June 20. Experts will also discuss goals of World Psychedelics Day in increasing awareness and appreciation of psychedelics' therapeutic potential while honoring traditional knowledge. Experts cover the history of psychedelics, current research on psychedelic therapies for conditions like PTSD and depression, and f...

This episode of Pharmacy Focus discusses the important role pharmacists can play in promoting mental health care for patients. Molly McGraw, PharmD, BCPS, coordinator of Pharmacy Quality UPMC Health Plan and Kim Castelnovo, RPh, Pharmacy Manager at Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, talk about the importance of mental health care for patients, how pharmacists can educate patients on th...

In this special Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention month episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Emma White, the founder and president of the nonprofit organization Life Is Worth It, who shares her struggles with mental health as a teenager, and how she used her experience to educate others and give back to her community. White is also the Statewide Youth Suicide Prevention Coor...

Pharmacists from Mayo Clinic recap some of the latest treatment opportunities to advance patient care in the oncology space. 

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Kate Gainer, PharmD, CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) to discuss the significance of state pharmacy associations in advocating for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, advancing public health initiatives, as well as shaping legislative priorities. Dr. Gainer also walks through her journey into pharmacy advocacy, emphasizes the impor...

On this episode, Amie Stephens, PharmD, director of adherence improvement and client services at Rite Aid, Emilee Kennelly, PharmD, manager of adherence improvement and clinical initiatives at Rite Aid, and Max Baire, PharmD, manager of clinical health plan solutions at Rite Aid, discuss social determinants of health (SDOH) and how they can impact patient outcomes and medication adherence. The gue...

On this month's episode Laura Gillespie, PharmD, regional antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist in the Mishawaka and Plymouth Medical Centers at the Saint Joseph Health System, discussed her paper “Impact of Pharmacist-Led Initiatives on Health Care–Associated Clostridioides difficile Rates” published in the March issue of Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Health Systems. Gillespie discusses why the impa...

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Pauline K. Long, PharmD, DCES, pharmacist and co-owner of MedsPLUS Consulting in Birmingham, Alabama. They discuss Dr. Pauline's journey into entrepreneurship, her motivations for opening her own pharmacy, the impact of her consulting business on patient outcomes, and innovative approaches to community health and wellness services, including v...

This episode of Pharmacy Focus: Policy Edition focuses on the DRUG Act and PBM reform efforts with Greg Baker, RPh, CEO of AffirmedRx. The DRUG Act aims to address unfair PBM practices like revenue-based compensation models that incentivize higher drug prices. Baker provides an overview of the key provisions in the legislation and their significance, and the implications of D-linking PBM compensat...

This episode of Pharmacy Focus features an interview with Cristin Hackel, MSN, medical director at Nurx Women's Health by Thirty Madison, about OTC contraception and the pharmacist's role in reproductive health. The discussion covers currently available OTC options, like condoms and emergency contraceptive pills, as well as recent developments like the approval of the Opill. She explains the diffe...

Ron Lanton, esq, partner at Lanton Law, discusses California's Stop Dangerous Pharmacies Act (AB 1286), which was signed into law in late 2023. He provides an overview of the key provisions of the new law, including authorizing pharmacists to make staffing decisions to ensure safety, requiring reporting of medication errors and unsafe conditions, and implementing enforcement measures if chains do...

The podcast discusses how City of Hope Chicago fully integrates oncology pharmacists into care teams by positioning them in clinics, improving communication and collaboration to minimize delays for patients and enhance care delivery.

In this special episode of Public Health Matters, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Mamie Shepherd, a program manager and advocate with the Ryan Seacrest Studios at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, to discuss the foundation's work in establishing Seacrest Studios in children's hospitals across the country and the impact of these studios on the well-being of young patients. Mamie Sh...

This episode highlights using celebrities and local advocates to promote public health initiatives and raise awareness of health topics. Experts shared examples of how Oprah Winfrey and the Ice Bucket Challenge raised awareness of issues like racial health disparities and ALS, respectively. Ensuring authentic connections between celebrities and health issues as well as coordination among stakehold...

Editor’s Note: This was recorded prior to Wegovy being approved for cardiovascular disease. View the story here . This podcast episode discussed the impact of celebrity endorsements on trends in weight loss drugs like Ozempic, body image issues, and the role of pharmacists in educating patients on appropriate use of GLP-1 medications for weight management and chronic diseases. Experts Include:  Pa...

On this episode, experts discuss the role of celebrity endorsements and trusted local figures in addressing vaccine hesitancy. Experts commented on studies examining how peer influencers and endorsements from figures like Dr. Fauci can increase vaccine acceptance by making the issues more relatable. However, they also noted the need to understand different factors contributing to hesitancy as well...