Author: Leona Whitmore - Page 3
Risk Minimization Tools: Do REMS and Guides Actually Improve Patient Outcomes?
REMS programs are FDA-mandated safety plans for high-risk drugs. But do they actually improve patient outcomes-or just create delays? Explore the evidence, costs, and future of risk minimization tools.
Prescription Writing Errors and How to Catch Them as a Patient
Prescription errors cause over a million injuries yearly-but patients can catch most before they’re harmed. Learn the 7-point checklist, dangerous abbreviations to watch for, and how to ask the right questions to protect yourself.
Green Tea and Warfarin: What You Need to Know About Blood Clotting and INR
Green tea can affect warfarin's effectiveness by changing INR levels due to its vitamin K content. Learn how much is safe, why matcha is riskier, and what to do if you're on blood thinners.
How to Communicate Medication Goals and Expectations Clearly
Clear communication about medication goals cuts nonadherence, prevents errors, and saves lives. Learn how to use plain language, Teach-Back, and simple timelines to help patients truly understand their prescriptions.
Nitrofurantoin and Hemolytic Anemia: What You Need to Know About G6PD Deficiency Risk
Nitrofurantoin can trigger life-threatening hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency. Learn who’s at risk, what symptoms to watch for, and safer alternatives for UTIs.
How to Use Pharmacy Apps to Track Potential Drug Interactions
Learn how to use pharmacy apps to catch dangerous drug interactions before they happen. From free tools to professional-grade checkers, find out which apps work best and how to use them safely.
How to Read Drug Interaction Tables in FDA Labels
Learn how to read FDA drug interaction tables to prevent dangerous drug combinations. Understand Section 7, Section 12, and Section 2 to make safe prescribing decisions with real-world examples and updated 2025 guidelines.
Travel Letters for Controlled Medications: Essential Airport and Customs Tips
Learn how to legally travel with controlled medications using doctor's letters, country-specific rules, and smart packing tips to avoid confiscation, delays, or legal trouble at airports and customs.
Meningitis: Types, Symptoms, and How Vaccines Prevent It
Meningitis can strike fast and kill within hours. Learn the five types, key symptoms to watch for, and how vaccines have cut cases by up to 99%. Early action saves lives.
Pharmacy Margin Economics: How Generics Drive Profits in Today's Drug Market
Pharmacies make most of their profit from low-cost generics, not expensive brand drugs. But rising PBM fees, clawbacks, and single-source monopolies are squeezing margins-pushing independent pharmacies to the brink.
Antidepressant Overdose: Recognizing Serotonin Syndrome Warning Signs Early
Serotonin syndrome is a dangerous reaction to too much serotonin, often caused by antidepressant overdose or drug interactions. Know the warning signs - tremors, sweating, clonus, fever - and act fast. It can be fatal if ignored.
Specialty Prescribing: Why Specialists Stick to Brand-Name Drugs
Specialists often choose brand-name drugs over cheaper alternatives not out of preference, but because of clinical risks, administrative barriers, and hidden pricing practices. Here’s why specialty prescribing remains dominated by high-cost medications.