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Archived Comments for: Substance abuse and pharmacy practice: what the community pharmacist needs to know about drug abuse and dependence

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  1. Substance Abuse and Pharmacy Practice

    George Kenna, Brown University

    5 June 2004

    I wish to applaud Dr. Tommasello’s effort to bring the practice of pharmacy into the 21rst century and acknowledging our responsibility to all patients including those with substance abuse and dependence problems. As genetic and neurobiologic research progresses pharmaceutical companies are more likely to accept the challenge of finding medications to help treat this population. As medications for treating substance abuse become integrated into pharmacy practice these interactions will become more commonplace. I would like to comment on one particular recommendation which is in reference to Dr. Tommasello’s suggestion of asking patients “Do you take any other kinds of drugs. ” I work in alcoholism pharmacotherapy research and we commonly screen alcohol dependent patients for their drug use. Even though they acknowledge they are alcohol dependent and have used drugs in the past it is surprising how many people will not admit their recent drug use. Only through urinalysis do we determine the veracity of their information. The point is that as Dr. Tommasello then notes, but I would like to strongly highlight here, it may be less threatening and more beneficial for both the patient and pharmacist to simply caution the patient regarding such use as he goes on to suggest, rather than perhaps fruitlessly try to distinguish if and which drugs they are taking. I believe this approach in the end may move toward a more effective patient-pharmacist relationship.

    Competing interests

    none

  2. Substance abuse and pharmacy practice

    Bob Sam, HOB

    20 September 2008

    This site gives us the information about the Substance abuse and pharmacy practice.

    University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, which was founded in 1841, is the 4th oldest pharmacy school and the only pharmacy school in Maryland state.

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    Bob

    Alcohol Addiction Treatment

    Competing interests

    None declared

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