Marvin Pankaskie

Evaluation of Consumer Drug Information Databases

OBJECTIVES To evaluate prescription drug information contained in six consumer drug information databases available on CD-ROM, and to make health care professionals aware of the information provided, so that they may appropriately recommend these databases for use by their patients. DESIGN Observational study of six consumer drug information databases: The Corner Drug Store, Home Medical Advisor, Mayo Clinic Family Pharmacist, Medical Drug Reference, Mosbys Medical Encyclopedia, and PharmAssist. SETTING Not applicable. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Not applicable. INTERVENTIONS Information on 20 frequently prescribed drugs was evaluated in each database. The databases were ranked using a point-scale system based on primary and secondary assessment criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES For the primary assessment, 20 categories of information based on those included in the 1998 edition of the USP DI Volume II, Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language were evaluated for each of the 20 drugs, and each database could earn up to 400 points (for example, 1 point was awarded if the database mentioned a drugs mechanism of action). For the secondary assessment, the inclusion of 8 additional features that could enhance the utility of the databases was evaluated (for example, 1 point was awarded if the database contained a picture of the drug), and each database could earn up to 8 points. RESULTS The results of the primary and secondary assessments, listed in order of highest to lowest number of points earned, are as follows: Primary assessment--Mayo Clinic Family Pharmacist (379), Medical Drug Reference (251), PharmAssist (176), Home Medical Advisor (113.5), The Corner Drug Store (98), and Mosbys Medical Encyclopedia (18.5); secondary assessment--The Mayo Clinic Family Pharmacist (8), The Corner Drug Store (5), Mosbys Medical Encyclopedia (5), Home Medical Advisor (4), Medical Drug Reference (4), and PharmAssist (3). CONCLUSION The Mayo Clinic Family Pharmacist was the most accurate and complete source of prescription drug information based on the USP DI Volume II and would be an appropriate database for health care professionals to recommend to patients.

White coat ceremonies in US schools of pharmacy.

Background Pharmacy and medical schools share similar concerns regarding the need to place greater emphasis on professional socialization. Many academic institutions of both professions have elected to establish a white coat ceremony to initiate the process of inculcating professional values. However, a recent literature search revealed little published information on pharmacy white coat ceremonies. Objective To determine the prevalence of white coat ceremonies in US schools of pharmacy and identify commonalities between ceremonies conducted at different schools. Methods In April 2002, a 25-question survey was sent via E-mail to the deans of the 83 accredited schools of pharmacy in the US. The survey solicited details about the nature of each schools white coat ceremony or reasons why the school does not conduct a ceremony. Results The first ceremony in pharmacy was held at the University of Kentucky in 1995. As of May 2002, 51 of the 83 schools had already conducted a white coat ceremony and another 10 indicated plans to initiate a ceremony by the end of the year. Telephone follow-up confirmed that, as of May 2003, the number had risen to 61 schools. Most schools conduct the ceremony during the first professional year. Common features include presentation of the coat, recitation of an oath, a speech by an honored guest, a class photograph, and a reception. Conclusions The white coat ceremony is a growing phenomenon in pharmacy education that could play a pivotal role in the quest to better achieve professional socialization among students.

Online Resources for Assessing the Quality and Safety of Dietary Supplements

Vol. 43, No. 4 July/August 2003 Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (www.japha.org) 543 ent labeling, and proper manufacturing practices. Products that pass will be awarded the program’s certification mark. Along with USP, other nonprofit groups, such as Consumer Labs (CL), the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), and NSF International, have established certification programs. A recent review of these initiatives is available at www.supplementquality.com/ testing/Quality_ seals.html. CL (www.consumerlabs. com) provides independent testing of health, wellness, and nutrition products and publishes the results online. To bear the CL Seal of Approval, a product must pass a voluntary certification program. While manufacturers must pay a fee to become certified, test samples are purchased independently from retailers, and blinded tests are conducted at academic or commercial laboratories selected for their analytic expertise. Both NNFA (www.nnfa. org/services/science/gmp.htm) and NSF International (www. nsf.org/dietary) have established GMP guidelines and standards for quality control and assurance, cleanliness, checking the identity and potency of ingredients, and testing of final products for potency, purity, and bioavailability. NNFA’s TrueLabel program is a dietary supplement label registration program required for all NNFA supplier members. Products must be registered in order to be displayed at the annual NNFA Marketplace trade show. Products are subject to random testing by independent laboratories, and companies whose products fail to comply with the association’s standards are excluded from membership. NNFA plans to publish lists of products that fail in its newsletters. Although NNFA’s GMP Certification Program is open only to NNFA members, any company can apply to have their products certified by NSF International. Both groups have similar standards, developed in collaboration with several other industry trade organizations. Lists of certified manufacturers, distributors, and products are available online at the organizations’ respective Web sites. The adoption and implementation of all these initiatives and programs would help ensure documented safety and efficacy, uniform testing standards, GMPs, and professional oversight for dietary supplements and herbal resources.