Rated Rx

AI in healthcare is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s already answering the phones at your local CVS. We’re pulling back the curtain on how AI is currently being used in pharmacy practice, from encrypted "VA GPT" systems for note-writing to controversial new phone bots that some patients claim are a "stain on society". We dive into the big news of the CVS and Google Cloud partnership to launch...

Global supply chain disruptions thousands of miles away can be the reason your local hospital runs out of anesthesia or why your life-saving prescriptions suddenly triple in price. We’re pulling back the curtain on the "invisible" connection between international conflict and the pill bottle in your medicine cabinet, showing how tensions in the Middle East ripple through everything from drug manuf...

Soda boosting testosterone sounds like the perfect "have your cake and eat it too" health hack, but is there any actual science behind the viral headlines? We’re breaking down the mouse study that set the internet on fire and comparing it to massive human data that tells a completely different, and much darker, story for your hormones. A 2022 study found that mice drinking 100% Coke or Pepsi actua...

Big Pharma isn’t just making medicine; they’re building legal fortresses to keep prices high while patients are forced to choose between life-saving drugs and their rent. We’re pulling back the curtain on the "legal heist" of American healthcare, from the 1,200% price hike on 100-year-old insulin to the "patent thickets" that block cheaper generics for decades.   We break down the devastating real...

Fish oil is in nearly every medicine cabinet in America, but for most people, that daily capsule isn't doing what the marketing promised. We’re breaking down why your standard supplement might be a waste of money and when Omega-3s actually become life-saving medicine. For years, we’ve been told that a simple fish oil pill prevents heart attacks and strokes, but massive clinical trials like the VIT...

Pet medication safety starts with one simple question: what does the veterinary prescription label actually mean? This episode breaks down the SID vs BID mix up, one of the easiest ways for a once daily dose to accidentally become twice daily dosing. That kind of dosing error can seriously harm a dog or cat, especially when the medication has a narrow safety margin. You’ll hear why abbreviations o...

TrumpRx, TrumpRx.gov, and prescription drug prices are all over the news and group chats right now and for good reason. In this episode, Robbie and Sam (both pharmacists) test the hype around TrumpRx.gov after its February 5, 2026 launch and explain what it actually is: a coupon style discount card, not a pharmacy, and not insurance.   Robbie and Sam break down who benefits most from TrumpRx (unin...

Retatrutide is one of the most promising weight loss drugs in development, and it is already being used by people outside of clinical trials. In this episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists break down why educated patients are intentionally using an investigational drug that is not FDA approved, does not have a verified supply chain, and is labeled for research use only. You will learn how re...

ADHD does not look the same in boys and girls, and that difference causes many girls to be missed, misdiagnosed, or diagnosed years later 🧠⚠️. In this episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists break down how ADHD presents differently by gender, why disruptive behavior gets attention faster than quiet struggles, and how masking, anxiety, and perfectionism can hide ADHD symptoms in girls. You’ll...

What happens when your doctor prescribes a medication that does not exist? Not backordered. Not insurance denied. It simply is not made anywhere. In this episode of Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists break down compounding pharmacy, why it exists, and why some patients would not survive without it. This is one of the most misunderstood areas of healthcare, and it answers a question people search online...

Do you really need to take your medications forever, or are some meant to be stopped? In this episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists break down one of the most commonly searched health questions online: how long should you actually be on a medication 💊👀. This episode is part of Rated Rx’s Trending Health Questions Breakdown, where we take real questions people are Googling every day and ex...

You take your medications every day trusting they keep you healthy, but where you store your pills can quietly make them less effective or even dangerous 💊⚠️. In this episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists kick off Rated Rx’s Trending Health Questions Breakdown, where the show focuses on answering the most common health and medication questions people are actively searching for online. One...

In this episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, pharmacists break down the biggest healthcare news of 2025 and what it actually means for patients and clinicians 👀💊. You hear real pharmacist perspectives on artificial intelligence in healthcare, new federal plans to regulate AI, and why clinical judgment, patient trust, and human decision making still matter more than algorithms 🤖➡️🧠.   The conversat...

This week on the Rated Rx Podcast, Robbie, Sam, and Xavier break down the 8 most-asked pharmacy interview questions and show you how to answer them without freezing on the spot 😅. You’ll hear how to nail “Tell me about yourself,” explain why you chose pharmacy, handle tough patient situations, and talk through medication errors without wrecking your chances 💊🔥. The crew reacts to the popular in...

In this special Rated Rx interview, Robbie sits down with Dr. Zack Meade, an anesthesiologist and major social media presence known for breaking down medical misinformation and educating patients online. They talk about why he started posting, how his content evolved from awkward early videos to confident patient-focused education, and why online medicine feels completely different from practicing...

In this Adverse Reactions episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, Xavier Hill, Sam Llona, and Robbie Abasi react to a viral interview fail where the candidate didn’t even know which company they were interviewing with. The crew breaks down what actually matters in a pharmacy interview, how to recover when you blank, and the questions you should never ask unless you want an immediate rejection. They talk...

In this Weekly Weigh-In from the Rated Rx Podcast, Sam Llona, Robbie Abasi, and Xavier Hill answer a listener question about how to crush your pharmacy interview without letting nerves take over. The crew shares stories from their own OSCEs, job interviews, and residency days, including a few disasters, and gives real advice on staying calm, showing people skills, and turning anxiety into confiden...

In this Under the Cap episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, Robbie Abasi, Sam Llona, and Xavier Hill dive into a Reddit thread that asks pharmacy technicians, “What’s one thing you wish patients knew?” The crew ranks the most-liked responses and shares their own stories from inpatient and compounding settings. From constant phone calls seconds after an order drops to the “fill them all” requests, they...

In this Adverse Reactions episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, Xavier Hill, Sam Llona, and Robbie Abasi react to viral headlines about recent drug recalls and how misinformation spreads online. The crew breaks down how the recall process actually works, why clickbait articles cause panic, and what patients should really do if they think their medication is affected. They share real-world experiences f...

In this Weekly Weigh In, Sam Llona, Robbie Abasi, and Xavier Hill answer a listener question about why pharmacists ask for your date of birth every time. They show how look alike names, same birthdays, and rushed handoffs lead to wrong patient errors, including a real mix up with a long acting injectable that forced a hospital policy change. You hear how teams prevent errors with multiple identifi...

In this Plan B Blind Draft from the Rated Rx Podcast, Sam Llona, Robbie Abasi, and Xavier Hill rank the classes and skills they wish pharmacy school actually taught. From “how to say we’re short-staffed in 14 professional tones” to “defensive counseling when every patient is a lawyer,” the crew mixes humor and truth to spotlight the skills every pharmacist learns the hard way. Between talk of refu...

In this Under the Cap episode of the Rated Rx Podcast, Robbie Abasi, Sam Llona, and Xavier Hill kick things off with a hilarious work rant about privacy, cameras, and the unexpected realities of hospital pharmacy life. Once the laughter settles, the team dives into this week’s theme—“Things I Wish I Knew in Pharmacy School.” They unpack a Pharmacy Times article called “The Three Skills You’ll Need...

In this Adverse Reactions segment of the Rated Rx Podcast, Xavier Hill, Sam Llona, and Robbie Abasi react to a TikTok from Retail with Reece about the most important lessons learned in pharmacy school. The crew takes the viral video’s message about grades and networking and turns it into an open, honest conversation about what really matters after graduation. They talk about the value of communica...

In this Weekly Weigh-In from the Rated Rx Podcast, Sam Llona, Robbie Abasi, and Xavier Hill reflect on what pharmacy school actually prepares you for—and what it doesn’t. The crew debates whether the curriculum focuses too much on memorization and not enough on communication, empathy, and real-world problem-solving. Sam kicks things off with a story from his sterile compounding lab, where a testos...

This special crossover episode was originally featured on This Week in Pharmacy (TWiRx) from the Pharmacy Podcast Network on October 17, 2025. The Rated Rx Podcast crew—Robbie Abasi, Sam Llona, and Xavier Hill—join host Todd Eury for a candid takeover that blends humor, honesty, and hard truths about the profession. They talk about what pharmacy school doesn’t teach, how grades and residencies sha...