Monday, February 4, 2013

FDA Highlights Pharmacists' Work in Answering Drug Use Questions By Edward Lamb, About.



Like most federal offices, the name of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Division of Drug Information is a bit of a mouthful.

The value of the work done by DDI staff seems above critique, however.

A profile of the division published on FDA's Consumer Updates page on Jan. 23, 2012, focuses in particular on the role pharmacists -- many of whom are officers in the U.S. Public Health Service -- play in answering phone calls, emails and letters about safe drug use. Many of the concerns the thousands of patients, parents, health care providers and regulators bring to DDI staff's attention relate toside effects and adverse events. Frequent questions also concern regulatory compliance and the relative benefits of different medications.

Other programs DDI pharmacists and colleagues operate or take part in are MedWatch, a regulatory internships for student pharmacists and a webinar series. The division even maintains a (dry but informative) Twitter feed.

You can read the full article here. You may also want to share it with anyone who ever questions what pharmacists really "do" besides fill and dispense prescriptions.

If you ever have your own drug information questions a pharmacist could answer best, call DDI 

Source found here

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