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	The Latest Health and Medical News from The Corner Pharmacist since 1994  Bone Marrow Registration Drive Rochester, MN Saturday November 7th 2009 9AM-3PM I want to ask everyone to support a new and important endeavor...bone marrow registry. Read more at www.bethematch.com or .org and enter search for event around Rochester, MN. The event is easy(just a cheek swab) and some paperwork but you could save a life! Location is St Francis Catholic Church 1114 3rd Street SE Rochester, MN The event is to create awareness and hopefully find a match for a local young man and neighbor, Will. Of special note is the need for minorities to be registered for potential bone marrow donations. People can also learn about donating cord blood to save a life via the website! Learn more and help make a difference in someone´s life...that´s what this website and my radio show has done for 16 years! www.thecornerpharmacist.com  I got my SEASONAL flu shot today...you should too! I had the opportunity to get my seasonal flu shot today at Mayo Clinic and you should too! Check with your healthcare provider or watch for a local clinic but be flexible like me. I was scheduled for Flumist as I am under 49 years old and wanted to allow shots to be available for those older but when I arrived I was asked if I would mind the shot as more supply had been received and so I agreed. Please keep in mind that we as healthcare providers, including myself who has been closely involved with public flu shot clinics since 1994 in Pine Island together with Goodhue County Public Health are doing the very best we can to vaccinate as many and as soon as possible the most members of the public but with H1N1 vaccine also needing to be produced this year it literally is a day to day situation as to what is available whether mist or shot in the seasonal flu vaccine. The important thought is to get your seasonal shot completed as soon as is feasible and as I have suggested for almost 4 years now maybe more...GET YOUR CHILDREN VACCINATED TOO!!! S. Peterson, Jr., RPH THE CORNER PHARMACIST  BREAKING NEWS>>>SENATE PANEL APPROVES BAUCUS HEALTHCARE BILL Just hours after Republican Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine announced she would support the Baucus health insurance reform bill in the Senate Finance committee the full committee agreed to the measure on a 14-9 vote to move the bill along in the process with the bill now moving to the Senate floor for what proves to be heated debate. Listeners to my show and readers of this website need to be aware of the many attempts by the health insurance industry to scare Americans into believing the bill is many things it is NOT. The most recent example is the comment today made by the research firm who over the weekend said the bill would raise premiums on Americans and businesses while failing to cover everyone that they did not evaluate the ENTIRE bill but just certain provisions of the bill at the request of AHIP(American Health Insurance P------). I guess the insurance industry believes most Americans are too stupid to figure what this admission means...basically the report is a lie and is unfortunately misleading and adds NOTHING to a constructive debate about healthcare reform. All of us should wake up and figure out that its the INSURANCE industry with their CEO´s garnering millions in salary and bonuses are responsible for premium increases NOT what they are paying pharmacists, doctors, hospitals for the care provided in fact in pharmacists case we continue to get paid LESS for our services(zero) and less and less for the actual drugs without even meeting our overhead to operate a pharmacy practice with all our safeguards, records and education provided to patients. The HMO´s and PBM´s have everything to lose if reform doesn´t happen...see they have been in charge of healthcare since the 1960´s not your doctor or pharmacist but they wouldn´t want to discuss that or what if any VALUE they add to the total healthcare equation...there are NO death panels, there are NO mandates for coverage of illegal aliens(hospitals provide care as a Hypocritic oath type compassionate care principle...something the CEO´s of the HMO´s and PBM´s should attempt sometime!) Hey HMO´s and PBM´s try sticking to the facts and read the 200 page bill and show me and the American people exactly what you claim is in the bill...just like I thought...you can´t. GOOD LUCK.  Study finds US businesses unprepared for flu... In a study for released Wednesday September 16th by the Harvard School of Public Health it showed nearly 2/3 of the 1000 businesses questioned nationwide said they could not maintain normal operations if half of their workers were out for 2 weeks due to H1N1 flu...  195 million doses of H1N1 vaccine expected in October 9.22.2009 The latest information obtained by The Corner Pharmacist indicates that Federal officials in The United States expects 195 million doses of H1N1 vaccine to be available by mid to late October with excellent immune response in those studied of 90 percent after 1 dose. Priorities for H1N1 vaccine will be as follows: Pregnant women(they make up only 1% of the general population BUT 6% of deaths so far), caregivers of children less than 6 months old, health providers, anyone age 6 months to 24 years old and people with underlying health conditions up to age 64. Those who contract H1N1 should recover without complications and need to STAY HOME, DO not go to the EMERGENCY ROOM or the Dr´s office(so as not to spread to others who are otherwise healthy). Call the Dr only if pregnant or if you have an underlying medical condition. Drink plenty of fluids and get rest. Those most likely to get H1N1 versus the regular seasonal flu are children and young adults. Visit www.thecornerpharmacist.com for the latest information from national experts.  The time is NOW for ALL to get seasonal flu vaccination...the shot or nasal mist!!! 09/20/2009 Many public clinics for the SEASONAL flu shot or nasal mist will begin in earnest tomorrow and as an advocate and leader in providing easy access to flu and numerous other vaccines since 1994 I urge EVERYONE to get their seasonal flu shot to protect themselves this season from the respiratory flu. I again urge parents to see to it that their children get the seasonal flu shot or nasal mist as soon as possible NOW so that later in October when the H1N1 vaccine is available they will be able to get that vaccine taken care of then(more on H1N1 in another article). NOW is not too early to get the seasonal flu vaccine as the latest studies from earlier this summer proved YEARLONG protection and not the previously thought only 6-9 month protection. Children getting the flu vaccine for the first time will need a second dose later to garner full protection...parents remember to schedule your young ones shots NOW or take advantage of the many opportunities your community PHARMACIST offers by providing flu shots to your family as they are licensed to administer flu vaccine in all 50 states! Visit my website for up to the minute tracking of the seasonal flu and take the poll about the flu shot at www.thecornerpharmacist.com 24/7/365 since 1998 on the web and since 1994 on the airwaves. Stay healthy and wash your hands and your childrens hands often and change the hand towels in your house daily to help diminish the spread of flu and colds. Also get your rest and eat well.  Flu shots to be offered at the Minnesota State Fair for the first time ever August 24, 2009 My congratulations to the person(s) who finally had the forethought to utilize the great Minnesota get together to do a bit of healthcare prevention by offering flu shots there for the first time in the fairīs history. Great idea, now we need the public especially our school age children and their parents to take advantage of this opportunity...read my idea related to this from 3 plus years ago...scroll back in the news on this page! There´s no reason this couldn´t be done at Minnesota Twins games, Minnesota Vikings games, Minnesota Gophers games, Minnesota Wild games, hmmmm now there´s another great idea from the Corner Pharmacist! We´ll see who reads this idea and if credit is given to yours truly.  FDA and CDC find Gardasil both safe and effective as a vaccine against HPV after further and ongoing August 20, 2009 The FDA and CDC after further review of safety monitoring activities and findings with regards to the vaccine Gardasil in response to questions raised by consumers, parents, healthcare providers and others since its approval on June 8, 2006. The agencies both have concluded that the vaccine continues to be both SAFE and EFFECTIVE to protect females ages 9-26 years old against the human papillomavirus(HPV) which can cause cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers. Details of the report can be read at www.fda.gov and clicking on the recent news area article dealing with Gardisil.  FDA issues ongoing safety review of weight loss drug Orlistat(Xenical and Alli) August 24, 2009 Read more about the just announced review for the popular prescription and OTC preparation containing orlistat relating to possible liver failure at www.fda.gov and click on FDA News releases.  2 new generics available... Glad to report 2 more prescription drugs which now have FDA approved generic versions available from your favorite local independent pharmacy...Casodex and Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo! Have a healthy day!  LISTEN to "Woodstock 1969: The Story, The Music, The Vibe Wednesday, August, 12, 2009 3-10pm Ce This website is a proud sponsor of Woodstock 1969 as heard on www.kndsradio.com originating from the studios of college station KNDS 96.3 FM in Fargo, North Dakota, United States Wednesday, August 12, 2009 from 3-10pm Central Time and streamed worldwide at the previously mentioned website. Listen and enjoy a great 40th anniversary original show! Win prizes too for listening and call in at 701-231-6703. KNDS 96.3: "Radio for Everyone."  MORE BREAKING NEWS>>>Minneapolis 5 year old girl succumbs to H1N1 flu June 16, 2009 The MN dept of health has reported the first death in the state due to the H1N1 flu last week, a 5 year old girl born with a poor immune system. The girl was from Minneapolis and passed away 1 day after being hospitalized on June 11th the same day the WHO(World Health Organization) raised the world pandemic level to 6 out of 6. As of 9AM Tuesday June 16th 2009 MN has reported 276 total CONFIRMED cases of the H1N1 flu and resulting in 59 hospitalizations with most of them in the Twin Cities Metro with 188 cases followed by the SW part of the state with 17. The H1N1 flu has affected mainly the children and young adults. To date, there are more than 17,000 cases nationwide that have been confirmed(far more in actual numbers as not every case is sent to the lab for testing due to cost issues and the fact that in most cases the symptoms resolve over time and by staying at home and utilizing proper hygeine like washing hands often and covering your cough and sneeze.) There also have been 45 deaths nationwide. Strangely to me, the state of Wisconsin has the most cases confirmed in the US with 3000 cases followed by Texas ,Illinois, New York, California, Massachussetts, Utah, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Washington, Michigan, Florida.  BREAKING NEWS....ZICAM COLD REMEDY GEL AND SWABS REMOVED FROM SHELVES 11pm June 16, 2009 The FDA has ordered the popular Over The Counter(OTC) ZICAM Cold Remedy nasal gel and adult and kids swabs containing ZINC to be removed from store shelves due to the fact they can permanently damage the sense of smell which can be life threatening due to damage to the nerve cells in the nose. Those people may not be able to smell something burning in the house or detect a gas leak. The FDA reports about 130 people have reported loss of smell after using Zicam Zinc products since their start in 1999. Zicam Cold Remedy was never formally approved by FDA as they qualified under a narrow description of "homeopathic remedies" that in my professional opinion should be required to obtain FDA approval before gaining OTC status for sale to the general public. There are just too many examples of these preparations either not doing what they suggest they are for or in this case actually can do harm. The company who makes Zicam says they will carefully review FDAīs order and will consider withdrawing the products from the marketplace which account for about $111.6 million in sales last year(2008). Shares of their stock tanked, down $13.46, or about 70% to close at $5.78. The company who markets Zicam Cold remedy gel and swabs is Matrixx Initiatives Inc..  First death related to H1N1 flu in United States reported at 6AM CST April 29, 2009 6AM The CDC has just confirmed the first death related to the H1N1 flu virus(formerly known as swine flu) in the United States, a 23 month old from Texas. Germany has just reported its first case of someone with H1N1 flu overnight. For perspective, nearly 36,000 Americans die each year from the seasonal flu and flu related illnesses(like pneumonia) and we as a nation do not focus our attention as much as we are to H1N1....most likely because it is new and a vaccine would not be ready until September 2009 with our current technology. We must move quicker to "cell based" production of flu vaccine like I spoke about in early 2009 on the radio show. Remain calm, stay informed, stay healthy, wash your hands often and cover that cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow. S. Peterson, Jr., RPh www.thecornerpharmacist.com  FACTS you need to know about Swine Flu and updates as they occur April 28, 2009 As of 645AM Central United States time there have been 50 confirmed cases of the new "swine flu" and zero deaths here in the United States. In Mexico, currently according to Mexican government reports there have been 150 deaths. Here is an excellent link to a map that puts this all into calm perspective www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30435064 The swine flu strain seems to have first appeared this past weekend(at least the first reports) in Mexico near the very end of what is traditionally thought of as "flu season" here in the United States for 2008-2009. NO one knows whether this flu outbreak will reach the level of a "pandemic" which means a flu outbreak which affects large numbers of people in large geographic regions. While we can learn from history, like the Pandemic of 1918, I believe we are much better informed, educated and communicate worldwide so much quicker that a catastrophe of that magnitude where millions dieds would be hard to imagine but we cannot let our guard down. The new virus contains genetic pieces from Eurasian pigs, North American pigs, North American birds and humans and is one of the many type A influenza viruses. While it is unusual for humans to catch swine flu(usually in those who have close contact with infected pigs), it does happen as seems to be the case now. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu mutates or changes its DNA or basic makeup as it spreads giving the start of a number of subtypes and thus makes it difficult to prevent with a vaccine like we do each year in the United States with our traditional respiratory influenza. It is also worth noting that this combination of swine flu is so new that we as humans have not had time to build up any natural immunity or antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine or fight the disease if a severe case develops. W.H.O.(The World Health Organization) has raised its pandemic flu alert level to 4 on a scale of 6 so this also bears watching. The main concern for WHO is that the swine flu is spreading rapidly in the infected areas of Mexico and the infection progresses rapidly in those most severely affected resulting in potentially fatal breathing problems developing after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever. Mexico City, a city of 20 million, seems to be the hardest hit area grinding to a virtual standstill yesterday as most everyone stayed home. Here in the United States, I am urging a calm and educated but cautious response as we have seen so far. Those who have contracted swine flu in the US are those who recently visited Mexico and thus far has only resulted in fairly mild respiratory response. That´s good news, so far. Although it appears the first cases of H1N1 swine flu were first discovered in the United States the samples from Mexico are the same strain according to the University of Minnesota´s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Two antiviral prescription drugs are showing effectiveness if taken within the first 48 hours of symptoms (see www.tamiflu.com) or follow link from the front page of www.thecornerpharmacist.com and they are Tamiflu and Relenza which reduce the severity of symptoms. My best advice, stay calm and informed from reliable HEALTH based sources like myself. Don´t become overwhelmed with information, go about your daily activities but follow these additional guidelines: -Stay at home if you are sick . If you do have swine flu, you can spread it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about 7 days later. - Wash your hands often and very thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol based preps. Avoid shaking hands with those you meet or at your place of worship. Try to remind children to wash their hands often without alarming them. Swine flu viruses as well as other viruses can survive 2 hours or more on surfaces like doorknobs and countertops. -If you or a close contact or family member recently traveled to Mexico or the SW United States be extra cautious and aware of the development of flu symptoms especially if accompanied by a high fever and seek appropriate medical attention. -If you have a chronic condition such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes it might not be a bad idea to wear a mask like you see handed out(available at your finer community pharmacies like ones made by Nexcare or 3M such as Rochester´s Kmart Advanced Practice Pharmacy) when you are out in public if you are in affected areas. -Stay alert to developments from your local county health department and/or your health care provider about their response timeline if this becomes a more serious situation. -Avoid travel to affected areas as recommended by the United States government at this time, most airlines and travel agencies are taking the right steps and allowing travel plan changes without or little penalty...this is a WORLD situation we are dealing with. -Keep tabs on developments right here. Stay calm, healthy, alert and informed, S. Peterson, Jr. RPh www.thecornerpharmacist.com Host of "The Corner Pharmacist" LIVE radio show since 1994.  Time to restart your allergy meds.... 03242009 With the snow almost gone in the upper portions of the United States, it is time to make my yearly announcement for everyone to restart their springtime allergy medications and start them now. Pollens from the tree buds will soon be in the air and many Americans suffer from that tickle in their nose and the watery eyes this time of year due to allergies. Simple prescription or OTC allergy medications are appropriate to begin and continue to take throughout allergy season which usually is until the first hard freeze in the Fall. Best choices OTC for allergies: Claritin or Zyrtec, both once a day formulas, Claritin has the benefit of being non-drowsy with Zyrtec being borderline as being nondrowsy and drowsy. Both also have decongestant combinations available for purchase at the Pharmacy counter. Other older but less expensive and for many just as effective choices include: Actifed(Aprodrine is an excellent generic) it does require purchase and signature at the Pharmacy as it contains pseudoephedrine like its Zyrtec and Claritin counterparts), Benadryl(very drowsy as it contains the antihistamine diphenhydramine the same ingredient in most sleep aid products!), chlorpheniramine is an excellent old time antihistamine. It is Ok to add a daily nose spray for prevention of allergic rhinitis...my favorite and the only choice OTC for DAILY use is Nasalcrom(cromolyn sodium) which used to be by prescription only. Nasalcrom unlike the decongestant sprays stabilizes the mast cells in the nasal tissue from responding to allergens in the air, again very safe and effective to use daily during the season The nose sprays which contain decongestants like Afrin and Neo-Synephrine are only to be used for 3 days per month and if exceeded will cause rebound congestion due to the nasal tissue being decongested for too long and rebounding when the afrin or neo-synephrine is stopped which requires intervention by a doctor. For the eyes, it is OK to add a decongestant/antihistamine combo OTC like Naphcon A or Opcon A both which should have generic equivalents available. For further assistance, email me or visit with your local expert, the pharmacist. Good Luck battling springtime allergies, start your meds now if on prescription or OTC ones before the pollens and mold from under the snow really get going and you´ll have a more enjoyable time outdoors!!  Best of Luck to the North Dakota State University Bison Men´s Basketball Team in the Big Dance 03202009: I want to add my best wishes for great success during the NCAA Men´s Basketball Tournament as my alma mater, the NDSU Bison, from Fargo(not Grand Forks), as champions of the Summit Conference received their bid to the big dance last Sunday, their FIRST year eligible for post season play at the D-I level! Last time a school did that was in the early 70´s with Louisiana Lafayette. They have a tough first round opponent, defending national champions, Kansas. (You might as well get the toughest team out of the way first!) Good Luck to the Bison today and enjoy the experience and tournament at the MetroDome and hopefully ending in Detroit! The Corner Pharmacist...NDSU Class of 1987 www.thecornerpharmacist.com  Lipitor patent extended to June 2011! February 2, 2009: The FDA announced today that a court case brought since 2003 has been settled over the #1 prescribed drug in the world, Lipitor. Its patent will be extended 6 more months to June 2011 now which means there will not be a more cost effective FDA approved generic version of the drug until July 2011.  ACAI order now through this website at Puritanīs Pride www.thecornerpharmacist.com January 2009: I am pleased to announce the availability of one of the best supplements for total health and well being I have seen in a few years...ACAI. (I have taken it myself for 2 weeks). This is the same product touted by Dr. Oz! Again, great minds in healthcare, at least, think alike! ACAI, is a dark purple berry indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, is a nutritious and powerful fruit, valued for its rich nutrients. With a high ORAC(oxygen-radical absorbance capacity) value-twice that of blueberries-acai could be considered the berry of choice for good health.* *Of course, these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. I am proud to report that Puritanīs Pride(see weblink on the frontpage halfway down) offers Natrolīs Acai 1000mg vegetarian capsules in their order book. Order some today through the direct link or call them and tell them you read about it on "The Corner Pharmacistīs" website link to them and saw the link there on my page. The nice things about Natrol is there is NO yeast, wheat, milk, egg, soy, glutens, artificial colors or flavors, added sugar or preservatives in this product!  COLDWAR now available without a prescription. February 2009: An exciting new cold fighting OTC option is now available to consumers...COLDWAR(great name I think!) which was developed by a Pharmacist, offers extended release dosing(you take it less often), is a COMPLETE formula which offers Zinc, Echinacea, Vitamin C and Glyconutrients AND NO mixing! Hopefully, soon you may be able to order through this website!  2 new generics drugs approved by FDA January 2009: Depakote ER tablets and Keppra liquid are both now available as FDA approved generic equivalent options for patients from their Pharmacist.  Respiratory influenza strain resistant to Tamiflu. January 2009: The CDC reports that one of this year´s strains of influenza in the United States is showing great resistance to the antiviral drug Tamiflu. This is not to be mistaken for the flu shot which was a great almost perfect match to the strains but is due to some possible mutation of this years H1N1 type A strain. Two solutions exist if you are diagnosed with the flu: your doctor can prescribe Tamiflu together with another antiviral tablet called rimantadine or may just prescribe an oral antiviral inhaler by itself called Relenza. The drawbacks apparently to Relenza is that it is a powder based inhaler, can be cumbersome to use(?), is not apppropriate for young children or patients with asthma or COPD. February is not too late to get the flu shot if you can still find it. Check with your doctor´s office or if your state allows(a vast majority do) your local Pharmacist who may provide flu shots as part of their public health services. Flu season typically lasts until April. Keep checking back to my website for the latest in local flu tracking activity on the front page!  HEALTHY SNACKS from Sherwood Peterson, Jr., RPh...The Corner Pharmacist Here are a few practical and easy affordable snacks(instead of chips and pop) for 2009 for all ages, go slow and substitute an apple a day instead of that bag of chips then increase to 2 apples a day instead of that 2nd bag of chips at your desk!!!: Healthy Snacks around 100 calories or less: a medium sized apple (72 calories) a medium sized banana (105 calories) 1 cup green beans (44 calories) 1 cup blueberries (83 calories) 1 cup grapes (100 calories) 1 cup carrots (45 calories) 1 cup broccoli (30 calories) 1 cup bell peppers (30 calories) 2 tablespoons hummus (46 calories) One snack size bag of corn chips(1 ounce) has the same amount of calories as a small apple, plus the apple or any fruit or vegetable is better for your teeth, breathe AND the vitamins you obtain are super. Plan to plant some of these healthy snacks in your own garden and reap the benefits of getting outdoors, exercise, fresh air, sunshine(vitamin D) and ENJOY!!!  COLD or FLU???? Along with the new year came word that Mayo Clinic had its first confimed clinical case reported of influenza so its time to review the basics and how to tell the difference from the cold. It is also a great time to remind everyone 6 months and above if they have not done so already to contact your Doctorīs office and schedule your yearly flu shot NOW! Get the breakdown chart at: www.fluFACTS.com or go to the frontpage of this site and track the flu at Flustar.com every week. FYI***More flu shots have been provided at The Corner Pharmacistīs pharmacy practices the past 13 years than any other! Starting in 1994!***** QUALITY HEALTHCARE from a Pharmacist!  Health is RELATIVE...a tool to help from The Corner Pharmacist and the US Surgeon General Many health conditions are genetic...a tool that has been around for a few years allows you to gather the information from relatives and securely document it in one place for other family members or your doctor or pharmacist. The website to read more(I mentioned this a few years ago) but its worth reminding: https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/ The service is FREE and is a great tool to help families start talking and recording your family HEALTH history and is good for everyone. "Knowing your family history can save your life. The earlier you know which health conditions run in your family, the easier it is to develop prevention plans with your doctor." Rear Admiral Steven Galson, MD Acting U.S. Surgeon General  Happy and Healthy 2009 to everyone! This year of 2009 promises to be one of major changes affecting healthcare. My hope is that we will finally cover ALL children in the United States under 18 with good, solid, QUALITY healthcare insurance! If one analyzes the thought, children are relatively healthy compared to say our population over 50 years old. Most of the healthcare can and should focus on prevention, necessary childhood immunizations, YEARLY flu shots or flumist to prevent the flu, yearly physicals to catch and monitor at an EARLY stage conditions that without proper medical intervention get worse and end up COSTING more to treat and manage at a later age! The studies are out there and just ask a Doctor, Pharmacist or Nurse how many children lack basic healthcare insurance which CAN and SHOULD be provided on a Federal level with ONE single plan to eliminate confusion, allows for ONE set of benefits(services covered), eliminates the added expense of multiple plans and having them carve out what gets covered, what doesn´t get covered, controls premiums, eliminates excess administrative costs that could better be utilized to pay for services of a healthcare provider. This national plan must also cover Prescription and some OTC(over the counter) medications again under a SINGLE Federal plan. There is NO competition in the current Medicare Part D prescription drug plan ran by the PBM´s(prescription benefit managers) yes you may have the "choice" of 40 plans in say Minnesota but they all cost about the same(all have INCREASED their premiums since the Part D began...not to offer better coverage for seniors but to garner more profit AND fewer drugs are covered or more paperwork called PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS which need to be filled out by your Pharmacist, then Nurse and then Doctor and sent to the PBM for review...more on this in a different article). Have the single plan designed by the Best, Brightest and Experts from Medicine and Pharmacy...Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, UCLA, etc. and myself! Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR 2009 from The Corner Pharmacist! BE POSITIVE AND THINK HEALTHY. BETTER DAYS ARE ON THE WAY, SEEK HELP IF NEEDED, DON´T BE AFRAID TO ASK...  MERRY CHRISTMAS to one and all! I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and everyone out there! Take time to relax and enjoy time off from work with family, friends, neighbors or just by yourself. Do a good deed for someone else, maybe even a stranger! Thanks for listening to the show and thanks for visiting the website on a regular basis!  15th season underway for "The Corner Pharmacist" Radio Show 2nd Tuesday WORLDWIDE LIVE Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 "The Corner Pharmacist" kicked off its 15th season bright and early at 8am with episode #169. The show began in November 1994 and is heard LIVE each second Tuesday form 8-9am with timely health topics, calls from listeners, lively discussion of various health topics and in between shows numerous stories right here on the website! Make sure to visit early and often, visit my new links with Puritanīs Pride vitamins...Americaīs #1 home delivered nutrition company...proudly made in the USA! I am really impressed with their vast array of vitamins and other healthy supplements right here in the United States to keep jobs here! Email the show with your health reform ideas, I will share them with the administration and President elect Obama as he has requested Americans host healthcare forums and I will be glad to hear from each and every one of my listeners anonymously of course, no idea is too simple. Letīs hear from all of you! Thanks again for the previous 14 years of listening faithfully, help spread the word and remember you can listen to previous shows for free.  Numerous generic drugs now available (unless your PBM won´t let you have it!) I am proud to announce the availability of several FDA approved generic equivalent prescription medications that are a more cost effective version of the brand name drug: Cosopt eye drops, Trusopt eye drops, Imitrex Injection and Tablets for migraines, Keppra tablets, Depakote tablets which are available to be substituted by your Pharmacist under Minnesota law and in most states without the Doctor´s order. The only one who stands in the way of cost savings on your copay is if your PBM has a deal with the brand name drug company for them to receive a "rebate/kickback" to utilize their brand name drug which should be against the law! Tell Congress to make this fundamental change to law in all 50 states for the benefit of savings to you the patient. If PBM´s shared their rebates with you and with the Pharmacists who now have the added expense of having both brand and generic versions available then maybe it would not be so morally wrong. If your PBM claims they share the wealth with you by lower premiums ask them to prove it otherwise make that call to Washington DC!  VOTE VOTE VOTE! The Corner Pharmacist strongly encourages EVERYONE to take the time today and exercise your RIGHT to VOTE in today´s historical election. It is so important that everyone makes the effort to vote in their local, state and federal elections and have your say in the leaders WE elect as a NATION of Americans. If you do not vote then you rightfully do not have a right to complain for the next 2 to 4 years when our leaders make decisions! This is such a great right that we have in this country that we all need to do our share and vote today and remain active to hold our elected officials to their words and actions. Thank you and have a healthy day and remember to VOTE today!  Significant changes for children´s cough and cold preps ASK YOUR PHARMACIST... New voluntary guidelines were announced yesterday by Mcneil(makes Pediacare, Tylenol, benadryl) Children´s Pharmaceutical company. The brief, new guidelines are that the combination cough and cold products now are to be only used by children 4 years old and up. SINGLE ingredient products containing Tylenol by itself(acetaminophen or APAP as it is sometimes abbreviated) and MOTRIN and ZYRTEC are NOT affected and can still be used for children under age 4 as doses based by Doctor or Pharmacist. Read the complete press release at: http://www.mcneil.com  13th year of comprehensive flu shot clinics underway for ages 4 and up I am proud to offer to the general public the most accessible, comprehensive, professional, organized flu, pneumonia, and tetanus shot clinics in a community pharmacy setting. I have 12 convenient dates available including late afternoons and a Saturday. I am also pleased to offer to the public flu shots without your specific Doctorīs permission(our public clinics are conducted under what is called a "blanket order" from a Physician licensed in Minnesota as required by law) to anyone 4 years of age and older! We are the PIONEERS in this important age group, which now this year the CDC(Centers for Disease Control) fianlly is recommending that parents get children age 2 and up a yearly flu shot. We do require that anyone under 18 be accompanied by a parent or guardian be present. See our complete schedule on my front page and email me and let me know where you are reading this from! GET YOR YEARLY FLU SHOT NOW AND SPREAD THE WORD NOT THE FLU! Bring a friend, neighbor, loved one who needs a shot. We also offer pneumonia and tetanus booster shot for those who need those updated at all of our clinics. I am proud to have provided over 16,000 shots to the general public over the previous 12 years...every person who gets a yearly flu shot equates to a savings of over $3000 in related health and work related savings vs. sick days, lost productivity, etc. A small investment in this pioneering Pharmacistīs mind for just $25! Now get you shot and make sure your children and grandchildren get theirs, an idea that I first wrote about in February 2007 and spoke about on the air on my show in January 2007!!! See what ideas I have next coming soon.  PATIENTS and Pharmacists Score Victories in Congress August 4, 2008 Washington, DC The House (383-41) and the Senate(70-26) both voted overwhelmingly last month to override President Bushīs veto of the comprehensive Medicare "fix-it" legislation. Amongst the crucial items included in the bill were: A delay until September 2009 cuts scheduled for Pharmacists in Medicaid reimbursement which would have forced numerous Pharmacistīs to give up their practice(go out of business) or stop accepting Medicaid patients as reimbursement for their drugs would fall below COST(Pharmacists would LOSE money) let alone not be reimbursed for their specialized services they spend 6 years in Pharmacy school for(not just to fill prescriptions FAST) Quality healthcare is not Quick! If these cuts would not have been stopped, 11,000 pharmacies would have closed, 300, 000 jobs lost and $31 billion in lost economic activity nationwide. The bill also delayed severe cuts to Doctors and hospitals for the same Medicaid patients also meaning the same results for them as for the Pharmacist(lose money or stop seeing those patients and provide them care). The bill also requires for the first time, PBMīs(the so-called) Prescription Benefit Managers(middle men) to pay Pharmacists for their claims within 14 days instead of the open ended time of up to 60 plus days shown in a recent University of Texas study...you see the PBMīs get paid the first of each month for enrollees under Medicare Part D but used that money for almost 3 monthīs and drew interest instead of paying the Pharmacist for their drugs they provided...again NO payment for their services but finally forcing the PBMīs to pay their bills ON TIME like all the rest of us do. 1000īs of Pharmacies across the USA have gone out of business in the short 3 years since Medicare Part D was launched due to these PBM abuses....we have to pay the drug companies for the drugīs they send us for our patients....they donīt wait for their money! It was truly BIPARTISAN as more than 150 Republican House members and 21 Republican Senators supported the veto override. Disappointing to read that GOP Presidential nominee, Senator John McCain, was absent for the vote but was AGAINST the veto override and supported these dramatic cuts! Patients should be thankful for the courage of all who voted to preserve some integrity in the healthcare payment system to Pharmacists, Doctors and Hospitals so we can all continue to continue to care for our patients! The bill was wisely paid for by cutting incentives(payments) made by the Federal government to "healthplans" for providing Medicare Part D options in various "underserved" areas of the country even though that was not the case. Minnesota, for example, has 40 "choices" of Part D plans which essentially differ in little so not really "competition" or "choice" for the patient. Plans charge about the same and cover about the same drugs...mainly because they (the healthplans) can share their information under a Federal antitrust exclusion which also needs to be eliminated ASAP.  Read it here FIRST then listen to the show... Regular readers to the news portion of this website are amongst the FIRST to learn about major health breakthroughs and releases of new drugs both Brand and Generic to improve the quality of life here in the United States and around the world. Keep checking back here for more postings and see it here FIRST in between radio shows and TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS about this site!  Lamictal is now FDA generically available! FDA will release generic versions of the popular antiseizure drug Lamictal on July 22, 2008. The generic name is lamotrigine and is available in all strengths. PBM´s will or should soon recognize the generic versions in their copay systems in the next few weeks. Patients can expect the same results from lamotrigine as they did Lamictal as both are FDA apprved.  Depakote DR version has FDA approved generic now! Patients who have been on the antiseizure drug Depakote(the original delayed release versions) are now able to utilize the first FDA approved generic versions of all 3 strengths beginning August 1st, 2008. The strengths are 125mg, 250mg and the 500mg. The generic name is Divalproex Sodium DR and is made by the well known Upsher Smith company. New generics have 180 days of market exclusivity from the FDA after which any other company who gets their generic version apporoved by the FDA also can bring theirs to market. Patients should expect the same effectiveness and results from the generic as with the brand name drug but with less copay expense.  FDA approves generic version of Yaz! The FDA approved the first prescription generic equivalent to the popular Oral Contraceptive known as Yaz. Women will see the name Ocella as the generic equivalent for Yaz and again if their PBM recognizes the generic, patients should enjoy lower copays for the most part with equal effectiveness of the medication.  FDA approves generic Prilosec 40mg capsules! FDA approves the first generic equivalent for the popular prescription drug Prilosec this time in the 40mg dose. Beginning Friday August 1st patients at Rochester, MN Kmart Advanced Practice Pharmacy will have access to this cost saving generic equivalent version of the drug for GERD and excessive acid in the 40mg strength. (As long as the patient´s PBM allows it unless they have a rebate deal with the manufacturer which should be illegal as the PBM is the only one to benefit...the Pharmacist, patient, employer see NONE of that rebate money and PBM´s don´t necessarily have to report it...one should wonder why???) Don´t think too long...Congress needs to move in and make sweeping controls over the abusive PBM´s who continue to practice medicine without a license by deciding what drugs are covered and which ones are not for your Doctor to prescribe or obtain prior authorization...again road blocks to quality, time effective, efficient patient care!  Protect yourself with sunscreen and the UV index Readers and listeners to the show worldwide know how I preach about preventative medicine, this time of year the proper use of sunscreen(especially on children and babies) and learn and follow the UV (ultraviolet) index issued by the National Weather Service for your zip code. By returning to the front page I have created a free link directly to the NWS UV index forecast for convenience. The worst part of the day is between 10am and 4pm when the sun´s UV rays are strongest. Use a broad spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen of at least SPF 15(and I suggest SPF 35) to all exposed skin, remember the tops of the ears, nose and cheek areas especially. Wear a "safari" hat that covers your ears, nose and forehead better than the traditional baseball cap...even an old straw hat provides wider protection. Use extra caution near water, lakes, pools, rivers, snow and sand as they reflect the sun´s damaging rays. Wear a long sleeve shirt, sunglasses(again those which offer UVA and UVB protection...especially for CHILDREN and BABIES..."toy" sunglasses actually are dangerous if they do not offer the UVA/UVB protection. Reapply sunscreen often at least every 2 hours and after exercise, sweating alot or after swimming even on cloudy days! Drink lots of WATER! Avoid tanning beds which are no safer for the skin than being in the sun itself. Use a sunscreen like the ones from VANICREAM featuring the highly ranked SPF 35, SPF 30 and SPF60. Visit the link on my front page or call my friends at Pharmaceutical Specialties and order some sunscreen today!  FDA approves new Prescription MIGRAINE drug Treximet (a combination of Imitrex and Naprosyn) is now available for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura in adults. The benefits versus taking the 2 drugs separately are a quicker time to tmax(time it takes for drug to reach peak level in the body) of about 20 minutes and a longer duration of action. Tablets should be taken with or without food and no more than 2 tablets per 24 hours with at least 2 hours between initial dose and second dose if no relief. The drug is made by GlaxoSmithKline(GSK) read more at www.treximet.com  New Generic Arrivals June 2008 since last posting New FDA approved generic equivalents now available by prescription include: Requip for restless legs syndrome and Sonata for sleep are the 2 major recent additions patients can look for from their Pharmacist.  Generic Trileptal now available 3/1/2008 Another generic drug has been approved by the FDA and that is the anti-seizure medication Trileptal otherwise known generically or by the chemical name, Oxcarbazepine. The generic will produce the same results as the brand name but at a lower fee for patients. Visit the excellent website www.trileptal.com to learn more about seizures and their proper control with medication.  What could we do better with a Billion dollars? 3/1/2008 With the Presidential elections in the United States well underway it is estimated that the campaigns will spend together almost $1,000,000,000! Several sources have calculated what else we could have done with that same BILLION dollars...food for thought, I believe. #1. Basic health insurance for 250,000 Americans. #2. Nearly 6,700 new, fully armored Hummers for our troops. #3. Needy children in the United States could have nearly 415 million school lunches.(WOW)! #4. Treatment AND prevention for over 150 million malaria cases in Africa.(WOW)  Is it FLU or is it a COLD??? 3/1/2008 With the increased spike in flu activity nationwide, its important to know the difference between the flu and a cold. Key differences are in the symptoms and their severity: Tiredness and weakness is very mild in a cold but can last 2-3 weeks with the flu. Fever is rare with a cold but with the flu it is characteristic and usually over 101 degrees F for 3-4 days. Chest discomfort is mild to moderate in a cold but common in the FLU. Headache is rare during a cold but prominent in the flu. Aches and pains are slight with the cold but often severe with the flu. Extreme exhaustion is "never" reported with a cold but is early and prominent with the flu. A sore throat is common with the cold but only sometimes if you have the flu. A cough during the cold is "hacking" and can become severe whereas a cough with the flu is described as "non-productive" meaning nothing shakes lose and comes up. Stuffy nose is common with a cold but only sometimes present with the flu. The KEY description of a COLD is a viral infection of the nose and throat with main symptoms of coughing and sore throat. With the FLU it is a more severe viral infection described with symptoms of SUDDEN onset of fever, cough, chills, aches and pains. The early treatment (within the first 48 hours) of onset of symptoms by a Doctor is key in diminishing the severity and length of the flu with an antiviral drug such as TAMIFLU which is still a prescription drug. Most other antivirals are not used anymore due to the prevalence of resistant strains. The BEST protection is to first get your flu shot every Fall, if your clinic or pharmacy still has flu shots for this season you could still get one. It takes about 2 weeks to take effect and flu season for most of the United States runs into late April. You can still get the flu if you got the flu shot but you can´t get the flu FROM the shot. Seek treatment early for young and old as the flu can be FATAL to about 36,000 Americans each year. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing or cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow and wash your hands OFTEN. Track the flu for your particular state LIVE and FREE everyday at www.thecornerpharmacist.com Email with any questions or comments.  Zyrtec and Zyrtec D now OTC 2/29/2008 Another popular prescription allergy drug has made the transition to OTC or Over the Counter status earlier this month. Zyrtec joins Claritin as the newest members of the allergy relief team over the counter(meaning you no longer need to see a Doctor to prescribe it). Zyrtec liquid is also available OTC now too. All 3 versions will have generic versions available too very soon if not already available to offer even more savings to Americans. One thing to note, however, is that Zyrtec D (containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine) will be kept behind the counter at the Pharmacy requiring people to show a valid drivers license and sign a logbook for purchase according to the Patriot Act of 2007. All 3 versions of Zyrtec come over the counter in the EXACT same strength as they were when they were prescription only so patients can now just pick it off the shelf when they need it. Please remember that Zyrtec can cause drowsiness as it is right on the border between drowsy and non-drowsy for a side effect.  AVASTIN approved for breast cancer by FDA. 2/22/2008 The FDA has granted accelerated approval for the drug known as AVASTIN in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy for metastatic HER-2 negative breast cancer in those who have not received chemotherapy. The drug is made by California based Genentech. The drugs approval is based on a Phase III study that showed AVASTIN in combo with the chemo mentioned earlier resulted in a 52% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to treatment with paclitaxel alone. It also resulted in a doubling in progression-free survival. The accelerated FDA approval program allows them to approve drugs for cancer or other life-threatening diseases based on initial positive clinical data and is good news for Americans.  Governors oppose Medicaid changes. 2/29/2008 Governors, both Republican and Democrat, went on record this past week and asked Congress to block new Medicaid regulations due to take effect over the next few months made by the Bush administration. The Governors fear the changes will threaten healthcare services for the poor. Governor Jim Douglas, a Republican from Vermont, says the Governors "strongly oppose" the changes which could not come at a worse time with the national downturn in the economy. Under the new rules, Medicaid funds could NOT be used for medical training even though most interns and residents provide most of the available healthcare for the poor in the United States. The President also wants to limit Medicaid funds going to hospitals and nursing homes operated by government agencies at all levels and spending for rehabilitation. I agree strongly with the Governors. I see every day people and families who cannot afford their prescription medications(the cure) so they get sicker and sicker until they end up in the Emergency Room and hospital and cannot be turned away but at a much higher cost. We do all we can do in partnership with several Pharmaceutical companies to obtain the medications these patients need for early and effective treatment. Looks like the current administration needs a "check-up" and dose of reality when it comes to effective and early prevention and treatment for many diseases. These changes will only continue to escalate the cost of healthcare for all Americans. Cutting funds to interns and residents is penny wise but pound foolish.  Generic Fosamax now available! 2/29/2008 Great news for millions of women taking the osteoporosis preventing prescription drug Fosamax, Alendronate(which is the chemical or generic name for Fosamax) is now available generically in the United States for the first time ever! FDA approved, the alendronate will produce the same effects as the brand name, Fosamax. All strengths 5, 10, 35 and 70mg are now available by prescription. Remember to take the tablet first thing in the morning with at least 8 ounces of plain water and remain upright for 30-45 minutes consuming nothing else until after that timespan. This prevents or lessens the chance of esophageal(food tube) irritation.  Merry Christmas to one and all!!! 12/25/2007 The Corner Pharmacist wishes everyone a blessed Christmas today or happy holidays and hopes you can spend the time today with friends, family or neighbors reflecting on the true meaning of today. Take time and enjoy the moment, may 2008 be full of good will, peace and prosperity and good health for you and your families. Thanks for visiting the website and thanks for listening now for 14 years!  Protonix goes GENERIC! Merry Christmas! 12/24/2007: The very popular prescription drug Protonix is available as of today in an FDA approved generic version known as Pantoprazole in both 20mg and 40mg strength. Protonix is one of the top 10 prescribed drugs in the United States for GERD in the class of drugs known as PPI´s or Proton Pump Inhibitors which decreases the production and release of stomach acid. I would say an early Christmas present as in the next week or so it (the generic version) should be payable by all PBM´s(prescription "benefit" managers) but is available now for cash patients at a bit of a savings. It is the second PPI to have its patent expire on the brand name and joins Omeprazole (Prilosec) as the other generic prescription PPI for patients.  Minnesota to be first state to ban mercury in certain cosmetics! A new law, set to take effect January 1st, 2008, will make Minnesota the first state to ban intentionally added mercury in cosmetics such as eye liner, mascara and skin lightening creams. Minnesota´s laws will make their´s a tougher standard than the Federal governments´ from FDA(Food and Drug Administration) who is supposed to regulate cosmetics. Retailers who knowingly sell mercury containing cosmetics as well as manufacturers who fail to disclose mercury on their labels face fines from $700 up to $10,000. Most cosmetic manufacturers have stopped using mercury but a few still do in eye products as a preservative. Mercury can slow brain development in fetuses and children, those that are most vulnerable to mercury´s toxic effects. Mercury can also cause neurological symptoms in adults. Most experts agree that small amounts of mercury accumulating in the body over time is not a good thing and this is an important expansion of limiting mercury exposure for us all such as thermostats, barometers, thermometers. I also know and question the amount of mercury found in all the eco-friendly light bulbs we are all supposed to be using to save energy and decrease the need for fossil fuels. These light bulb are not able to be dumped in the garbage but must be handled specially at your local hazardous waste facility. What´s the trade-off I ask??? Great for Minnesota in leading the nation in banning mercury from cosmetics!  President Bush vetoes Kids Health Insurance Bill again. President Bush vetoed a bill that would have expanded government provided health insurance for children. The President vetoed the bill Wednesday due to his view that the bill allows adults into the program, would cover people in families with incomes above the U.S. median and raise taxes. (Truth be told the taxes raised would be on cigarettes of 61 cents). The House votes 211-180 to put off until January 23, 2008 a vote to override the veto. The bill passed the Senate by a veto-proof margin but not in the House. The vetoed bill would have increased the SCHIP program by $35 billion over 5 years and add an estimated 4 million people to the program that provides insurance coverage for children from families who earn too much for qualifying for Medicaid but donīt make enough to afford private insurance or have private insurance not offered through their employer. Currently, there are about 6 million people on the SCHIP program with a vast majority of them children. The first bill was vetoed by the President in October and a veto override by House members then failed by a margin of just a few votes. Nationwide, estimates are that 43 million Americans lack health insurance and more than 6 million(a little more than 9%) are under 18 years old. The President and Congress need to come together on a solution that funds the SCHIP program at current levels and should work toward a solution that allows states to expand the program to more low level income children. If some states(like Minnesota) are able to find creative ways to allow adults without the benefit of health insurance they should be allowed to do so and encouraged to do so. In the long run, those Americans without health insurance, regardless of age, need to obtain coverage. It is not about "moving Americans into a socialized medicine" program but its about doing the right thing for our fellow Americans. I see everyday, in my real-world pharmacy practice, those individuals, both young and old(they are not lazy and they are not making 6 figures), mostly young people just starting out with young families, working their full time and often another part time job, not having the benefit of health insurance extended to them by their employer and not making enough to be able to purchase health insurance on their own. Those that criticize the attempts by Congress (regardless of party as there are members who are Democrats and Republicans who have voted for the SCHIP bills) to further expand the program strangely enough all have their own health plan themselves through their employer. Children who are ill and canīt get medical attention, get sicker and sicker, miss days of school, fall behind in their learning until ultimately they must get care at the emergency room which costs EVERYONE in America much more money than if the first symptoms of a disease were treated because they had health insurance!!! Prevention and/or early treatment and intervention is the key in keeping overall expenses down so the right thing to do is to cover these folks and raise the financial limits a bit higher. The success stories during the programs first 10 years are numerous and really making a difference in peopleīs lives! Think about it and learn more at the Robert Wood´s Foundation. The Corner Pharmacist fully supports Congressīs efforts to expand and fully fund the SCHIP program ASAP. The vast majority of American´s support the Congress in this effort also according to every poll taken since early October and the first SCHIP bill.  Childhood Vaccine for Hib is recalled by Merck. Merck is recalling about 1 million doses of the childhood vaccine for Hib, which prevents meningitis and pneumonia due to sterilization problems at its Pennsylvania plant. Merck is not aware of any harm to children who have received the vaccine. Hib is a 3 shot series recommended for all children under 5 years old and is usually given to infants starting at age 2 months. Merck is one of the few companies that produces the vaccine. While they found no contamination in the actual vaccine itself, they did find contamination in the plant they were produced in Pennsylvania. Read more at www.cdc.gov  Minnesota reports second human rabies death in 7 years. 10/23/2007 Minnesota reported today its second case of human rabies in 7 years. A man in his 40īs died Saturday, October 20th. He had contact with a bat in north central Minnesota in mid August. Minnesotanīs are reminded that they should seek immediate medical attention if they have contact with a bat. Officials with the Minnesota Department of Health believe the man was infected with the rabies virus after being bitten by the bat in mid August in North central Minnesota. The man didnīt think he was bitten because no blood was drawn though he felt a "needle prick" and thus did not seek immediate medical treatment after the bite. The diagnosis was confirmed on Thursday, August 18th by the CDC(Centers for Disease Control) in Atlanta, Georgia. Human cases of human rabies is rare in the USA with one to three reported each year. There were 3 human cases in 2006. Minnesota has had only 4 previous human cases of rabies in the past 100 years...1917, 1964, 1975 and 2000..all were fatal. According to the state department of health: prompt medical advice should be sought after any POTENTIAL exposure to a bat. Bat bites are difficult to detect and are small. The area should be washed thoroughly with soap and water. The bat captured with heavy gloves and tested for rabies. No treatment is needed if the bat tests negative for rabies. Also, if a bat is found in a room/tent with an unattented child, a sleeping person or anyone who canīt relay what happened, the bat should be captured and tested and prompt medical advice should be sought. Once symptoms of rabies appear, the illness is almost always fatal. More up to the minute news, right here at thecornerpharmacist.com!  Mayo Clinic study shows benefit of flaxseed with hot flashes. 10/15/2007 A recently completed study from the Mayo Clinic showed good results in relieving hot flashes. See link on front page about halfway down the page to read complete results. Kmart Advanced Practice Pharmacy will add Flaxseed, grown and prepared in North Dakota, to our already excellent option of Uber Balance, natural progesterone cream, to help diminish hot flashes both available without prescription at our community pharmacy practice.  Generic Toprol XL 50mg now available The headline says it all. Now all strengths are available for Toprol offering equal therapeutic effectiveness approved by the FDA with cost savings both to the copay and cash paying patient!  Get your Flu, Pneumonia, tetanus shots NOW! 10/15/2007 This week begins my 3rd week of offering comprehensive vaccination clinics to the public. My 13th year of offering these important, disease preventing vaccination clinics for young and old in a community pharmacy setting. Our clinics, done in partnership with Paramed Services, have also have obtained the Minnesota Department of Healthīs "Mark of Excellence. Click on the front page link to view all the important details. The Mark of Excellence, earned by Paramed Services this year, means our standards and techniques utilized during our vaccination clinics are equal or greater than that of a doctorīs office or clinic...the highest standard I have always adhered to! I believe there is only one way to do something in healthcare and that is the RIGHT way. It is difficult for some in the healthcare arena to accept that there are others who can and do provide QUALITY healthcare that meets or exceeds what they themselves can provide. I, as a community Pharmacist, have always provided the utmost in quality healthcare to all my patients and these vaccination clinics are proof once more that it can be done by others who know what they are doing, are highly educated and trained in what they are doing and execute flawlessly delivery of quality healthcare. Maybe our healthcare system wouldn´t be in such a mess if those of us who have certain expertise are actually utilized to perform those roles and not worry so much about who "controls" the process or gets "credit" for providing it. Instead of partnering with us, they chose to discredit those of us as Pharmacists who are doing a quality job in the public health arena and providing greater and easier access to disease preventing vaccines than they can. My clinics offer greater access and ease for people to obtain these 3 shots at a local pharmacy practice. I also offer public education for those interested in learning more about these vaccines from a community Pharmacist. I am proud to say that together in partnership with RN Daryl Thompson of Paramed Services we have provided over 14,000 shots total to date, over 1200 already this year in just 5 dates. More than any other clinic in the region and to know its done with equal or greater care at a community pharmacy practice! The CDC(Centers for Disease Control) in Atlanta in addition to the Minnesota Department of Health both state that the first week of October is prime time to begin vaccinating the public against the flu. The shot takes about 10-14 days to become protective. A reminder that no vaccine is 100% effective but the flu vaccine provides protection to about 70-90% and is needed every year as the strains utilized change. A shot now will protect someone through the entire flu season which ends in early May! It is IMPOSSIBLE to get the flu from the flu shot or the flu nasal spray...one uses dead virus the other uses attenuated virus...neither can give you the respiratory flu. For much more information, click on the CDC box/link off the front page on the left hand side. Learn about pneumonia and tetanus boosters too which MY comprehensive clinics offer to the public quite successfully. I welcome any clinic, business, civic organization, etc. to partner with us and help make this country a healthier place this cold and flu season! My clinics have provided shots to people from Cincinnatti, Seattle, Eugene, Atlanta, Charlotte, New York City and points in between over these past 13 years! Listen and learn to my most recent show off the front page at ODEO where we discuss the shots in depth on the air. Protect yourself, protect your loved ones(especially school aged children) and get your shots done now at Kmart Advanced Practice Pharmacy in Rochester, Minnesota...the LEADER in community vaccination clinics in a community pharmacy setting!(Children age 4-8 require a written Doctorīs order be presented to us).  Donate to Muscular Dystrophy Telethon for Jerry´s kids! As long as I can remember, a family tradition on the Labor Day weekend was watching Jerry Lewis´s Labor Day Telethon to raise money for research and awareness to fight dozens of neuromuscular diseases. Its Labor Day weekend again, and true to form there´s Jerry Lewis and his crusade to defeat muscular dystrophy on TV. I urge everyone who reads this to go back to my website´s front page on the left hand side and click on the direct link to the MDA website and donate! I have donated this link on my front page for some 5 plus years now because Jerry Lewis and the MDA organization do so much to find a cure to dozens of neuromuscular diseases, help families with MDA summer camp expense or just equipment to make dealing with the day to day battles with the diseases a little easier. Last years telethon raised 61 million dollars! I´m going to do my part, please do yours. The direct link from my webpage will remain 24/7/365 for you to donate until there´s a cure for ALL MDA diseases!  New Generic Equivalent Drugs Released 8/1/2007 I am pleased to announce several additions to the FDA approved generic equivalent drugs available at fine pharmacies everywhere now: Norvasc, Ambien, Lamisil, Vantin Suspension, Toprol XL 25, 100 and 200mg tablets currently. (50mg XL to be released in the coming months.), Zofran. Patients should appreciate lower copays from their PBMīs for these drugs and cash paying patients will also appreciate eventual savings vs. brand name fees for equal efficacy(therapeutic results).  I say REQUIRE FLU immunization for SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN every year before December 1st! 2/22/2007 Rochester, MN As a community Pharmacist who is keenly on the cutting edge of preventative care and actively involved in providing disease preventing flu, pneumonia, tetanus, hepatitis vaccination clinics at my pharmacy since 1994(now over 15,000 shots given!), I have long wondered why donīt we as a state and nation REQUIRE FLU SHOTS OR FLUMIST NASAL SPRAY before our children can return to school AFTER Thanksgiving break EVERY school year? We already require a number of other disease preventing vaccinations (measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, tetanus, pertussis(whooping cough) to name but a few). TODAY, I call on the powers that be to add INFLUENZA to the REQUIRED immunizations for our school age children EVERY YEAR before returning to school December 1st. I have seen first hand in over 12 years of providing flu shots to the public in a community pharmacy setting how well it is tolerated and offers protection. A most recent study also has showed the effectiveness of Flumist(the nasal spray) approved for healthy individuals age 5-49 years and firmly believe the FDA, the makers of Flumist and of the injectible forms of flu vaccine to push for this change in public health policy immediately for the 2007-2008 flu season and school year! Vaccine can be given to individuals as early as early October every year which offers protection through the flu season which tends to end in mid to late April. In light of the recent tragic deaths of pediatric patients across the country(4 alone here in Minnesota) the time is NOW to require school age children to receive the flu vaccine before school in December. I as a community pharmacist who understands PREVENTATIVE CARE and DISEASE PREVENTION through vaccinations as one route letīs do this for the benefit of our children and ultimately for all Americans to be healthier and avoid the deadly flu and its complications. (Nearly 36,000 Americans die each year from flu related complications). We should also require ALL HEALTHCARE providers(doctors, pharmacists, nurses, etc.) to get the shot or nasal spray every year too. Believe it or not, overall only 20-40% of healthcare workers dealing directly with the public are protected with the flu shot every year! We need to do a much better job ourselves to protect ourselves from the flu! I know I have since 1994! Sherwood Peterson, Jr., RPh Clinical Pharmacy Director Rochester, MN 507-281-3532 Host of the award winning radio show and website/webcast "The Corner Pharmacist" since 1994 and www.thecornerpharmacist.com since 1998.  MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! 12/25/2006 I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year of 2007! Thank you for visiting this page and listening to the show over these past 12 years already! Go out of your way in the remaining days of 2006 to do some random act of kindness for someone else...you´ll feel better knowing you´ve helped someone else improve their day and life! Let´s ALL make a difference TODAY and TOMORROW! Pass it on too!  LISTEN to "The Corner Pharmacist" radio show 24/7/365 11/25/2006 I am extremely pleased to announce the availability of my radio show "The Corner Pharmacist" on my website for you to listen to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you miss the award winning show, now in its 13th season, the second Tuesday of each month at 805am-9am on Rochester´s #1 AM morning prime time drive station KROC AM 1340 with Rich and Steve, or if you live outside the listening area you can now listen to the replay at your convenience. The commercials are removed but not the meaty medical topics and questions that are asked with honest, in depth but plain English answers for you from me. Email after you listen and let me know what you think, where you live (in the World I guess) and any future topics you´d like to see covered. Have a healthy month until our next show Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 episode #145!  Over 1500 shots provided this year! 11/27/2006 I am proud to announce that this years comprehensive flu, pneumonia and tetanus shot clinics held on 12 various dates throughout October and November provided over 1500 individuals with their yearly respiratory flu shot! Our clinics also provided nearly 40 pneumonia shots AND 18 tetanus boosters to the community as a whole. Our community pharmacy based vaccination clinics, now in their 11th year, developed, organized and supervised by myself, with the assistance of my staff and RN Daryl Thompson of Paramed Services, far exceed any other such community pharmacy based clinics in Minnesota and perhaps the Upper Midwest and should serve as a model for what can be done in a community pharmacy setting for public health! Great job Pharmacists, Technicians, PharmD externs, Paramed Services and YOU the public for taking the time to keep Minnesota a healthier place to live!  New Generic for Ditropan XL 11/23/2006 A new generic equivalent approved by the FDA is now available for all three strengths of the popular prescription drug for incontinence...Ditropan XL 5mg, 10mg, 15mg. Most fine pharmacists should have these available for you in the next 30 days as your insurances begin to recognize the new drug code available to substitute by your pharmacist. Safety and effectiveness will be the same as for the brand name drug.  FDA approves 5th type of Flu Vaccine 10/6/2006 A 5th flu vaccine has been approved by the FDA, further adding to the apparent record levels of doses available for the upcoming flu season. FluLaval was approved by the FDA in part by relying on safety data from Canada, where the vaccine has been available since 2001! The vaccine is manufactured by Id Biomedical Corporation, a Canadian company purchased by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline(GSK). FluLaval is approved for use in adults only, it has not been tested in children or pregnant women.  Flu, Pneumonia, Tetanus Shot Clinics 12th Year 9/1/2006 I am pleased to release dates for my always well organized and attended flu and pneumonia shot clinics with the addition this year of the tetanus-diptheria booster being offered. The complete schedule can be seen from our front page and saved or printed off. Remember if Medicare Part B is your primary insurance bring your Medicare Part B card(its red,white and blue on the top) for a flu shot at no charge. The general public is encouraged to get their flu shot also, they just aren´t for senior citizens anymore! Flu shots result in cost savings of medical care/sick leave at an estimated $46.85 per person vaccinated. Flu shots reduce upper respiratory illness(URI) by 25%. Flu shots reduce work absenteeism due to URI by 43%. Flu shots reduce work absenteeism due to illness in general by 36%. Flu shots reduce physician office visits for URI by 44%. I am proud to state that in the previous 11 years I have provided over 12,000 shots to the public in a community pharmacy setting. Think of the massive dollars saved in healthcare and the workplace JUST by educating the public to get their flu shot at one of my clinics! It is not possible to get the flu from the flu shot...its a killed virus. One must get a flu shot every season as the strains change which the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) believe will be causing flu. Tetanus shots must be renewed once every 10 years to be up to date. Pneumonia shots are recommended in general for anyone once in a lifetime especially after age 50 but younger people certainly can get pneumonia so a pneumonia shot will protect them from 23 different strains that may cause it. See the schedule on my front page and check back there also soon to link direct to the CDC for fact sheets on all 3 vaccines and more. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., RPh Clinical Pharmacy Director Kmart Advanced Practice Pharmacy Rochester, Minnesota  12th Osteoporosis Awareness and Screening day 8/10/2006 Registered Pharmacist Sherwood Peterson, Jr will host his 12th osteoporosis awareness and bone density screening day at his pharmacy practice on Thursday, August 31st, 2006 from 10am-3pm. The bone density scan of the heel bone costs $30, requires you to make a brief 15 minute appointment, uses the latest FDA approved ultrasonic sound (not x-rays) technology and allows your results to be reviewed with you by one of our pharmacists. This is the 12th such screening I have held since 1998 and our appointment times fill fast for women and men so call and make those appointments. I will also provide numerous informational brochures, calcium samples and education about osteoporosis for the general public even if you donīt want a scan but wish to learn more about the disease, treatment, risk factors and early detection. I have helped numerous people over the years who were previously unaware they had low bone density be referred to their physician after one of our heel bone density scans and am proud to offer the opportunity to the public once again as an innovative service of my pharmacy practice and my staff. Donīt be like most Americans who find out they have osteoporosis(thinning of the bones) after its too late and they break a hip. Over 10 million people have osteoporosis in the United States, take the first step and get a scan!  Plavix generic available Friday, August 11, 2006 8/10/2006 Patients should be able to obtain the first more cost effective FDA approved generic equivalent tomorrow for Plavix. Plavix was the #7 brand name drug in 2005 as far as sales to the public with $2.4 billion dollars in sales. As always, please keep in mind some PBM´s(prescription benefit managers-the middlemen) may not "recognize" the generic equivalent in their billing system immediately due to a wide variety of reasons so be patient. It may take until next month for them to pay for the lower cost generic alternative for Plavix for your specific benefit and if they don´t right away call them and express your concerns.  Rochester´s Stroll for Epilepsy raises over $20,000! 8/10/2006 As a participant again in the local Stroll for Epilepsy we helped raise over $20,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota just here in Rochester this evening!!! Our family raised $320 in pledges/donations to help programs, individuals and educate the public about epilepsy! You can still be involved just call the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota at 1-800-779-0777 ext 2310 or online at www.efmn.org and tell the you read and/or heard about it on "The Corner Pharmacist" website or radio show from Rochester.  Lipitor patent upheld... 8/7/2006 Patients taking the #1 prescription drug in the world, Lipitor (atorvastatin), will have to wait for the full 17 year patent to expire in March 2010 as a Federal court upheld its basic patent protection (subject to appeal,of course!) Lipitor registered 2005 sales in the United States of $6.3 billion. Balance that with the cost savings of lower cholesterol levels on one´s circulatory system.  Still waiting for generic Zoloft...NOW its HERE! 8/7/2006: Despite its patent expiring June 30, 2006 patients in the United States continue to wait for the release of its more cost effective generic equivalent. Zoloft(sertraline) used mainly for depression was the #6 topselling prescription drug in 2005 with $2,561,069,000(2.5 billion) in total US sales. 8/15/2006 GREAT NEWS! GENERIC ZOLOFT IS NOW AVAILABLE AT MOST COMMUNITY PHARMACIES AND CAN BE SUSTITUTED BY YOUR PHARMACIST FOR THE BRAND NAME WITH EQUAL EFFECTIVENESS, RESULTS AND SAFETY. ALL 3 STRENGTHS ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR MEDICATION THERAPY 25MG, 50MG, 100MG. The name for generic zoloft is "Sertraline".  Cervical Cancer Vaccine Approved 6/8/2006 The first vaccine to protect against most cervical cancer won FDA approval today. The vaccine, GARDASIL, approved for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26, prevents infection by four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) says the drugs maker, Merck & Co.. Gardasil protects against the 2 types of HPV responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer cases. The vaccine also blocks infection by two other strains responsible for 90% of genital wart cases. HPV affects more than 50% of sexually active adults at some point in their lives. The cervical cancer it can cause kills about 290,000 women worldwide each year. About 3700 of those are in the United States. Cost for the 3 shot series should range between $300-500. In the United States, regular Pap smears often detect precancerous lesions and early cancer, the vaccine does NOT eliminate the need for regular screening.  Generic Proscar, Pravachol and Zocor are finally here... July 1, 2006 FDA approved Generic equivalents for 3 major drugs are now available as more cost effective therapy options from your pharmacist. First, generic Proscar, chemically or generically known as, Finasteride, is now available in the 5mg tablet form for prostate. Most(I never say all) insurance plans should offer you the patient a lower copay for the generic to Proscar now with you receiving the same medical results as with the brand name. Secondly, generic Pravachol, known chemically/generically as pravastatin, has been availble for 2 months as a cost effective FDA approved equivalent for battling cholesterol. Finally, and more confusing, generic Zocor, chemically or generically known as, Simvastatin, is now available in all 5 strengths for cholesterol management. The confusing (and frustrating) portion with simvastatin is that some PBMīs(prescription benefit managers) have made side deals with Zocorīs manufacturer, Merck, to keep their brand name drug as the preferred drug for a specific insurance plan. In other words, Merck has paid your PBM money to have a preferential position or copay tier as opposed to the new generic equivalent! This is both contrary to all previous generic launches(for which PBMīs would reward you the patient with a lower copay) and results in little or no cost savings to you the patient(besides a temporary lower copay), no cost savings to the pharmacy practice who now must have BOTH brand(Merck hasnīt lowered their price for my practice and no payments come to my practice for the lower copays vs generic) and generic versions of Zocor available, confusion and wasted time by pharmacy staff having to submit numerous online claims to your PBM for both generic and brand to see which offers you the patient the lower copay for that day(this takes away crucial time better utilized by pharmacy staff in making sure you or someone else with a new medication receives consultation on what to expect with new medication therapy(side effects, with or without food, endpoints of therapy success,etc.) and ultimately NO savings to your employer(who pays for your medication benefit and has no information shared with them by the PBM as to the dollars paid to them by Merck for the lower copay) or savings to the taxpayer if the PBM is in charge of a patientīs medication benefit either through Medicare or Medicaid! Fortunately, a US Senator and a few state Attorney Generalīs as well as the FTC are investigating the legality of these "arrangements". Time will tell if this will now become the "norm" for PBMīs who are very desparate for dollars/profits and are needless "middlemen" in the doctor/patient/pharmacist relationship with regards to medication therapy.  Now is the time to learn about your family´s health history A great idea for you is to learn more about your family health history when visiting family during the holidays or really at anytime. Many common health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, hyperlipidemia, heart disease run in families. The Corner Pharmacist recommends the following website as an excellent resourse to document for future reference your family´s health history or inventory: www.hhs.gov/familyhistory from the US Surgeon General. This hopefully will help you with early detection and prevention.  Tamiflu is safe according to FDA investigators Tamiflu is safe. federal officials said on November 18, 2005, after finding no direct link between the drug and the deaths of 12 Japanese children who had taken it.  New Tablet appearance for Premarin... Premarin(conjugated estrogen tablets, USP) has a slightly new shape and non-shellac/shiny coating due to a new and improved manufacturing process according to Wyeth, the drug´s manufacturer. This process includes all 5 strengths(0.3, 0.45, 0.625, 0.9 and 1.25) of the tablets and patients should notice the new tablet soon at their local pharmacy. Premarin uses the same active ingredients as before for the same clinical effects for patients. (1/31/2006)  11th Anniversary Show and beginning of the 12th season of "The Corner Pharmacist" 12/12/2005 Tune into KROC AM 1340 at 810 AM on Tuesday, December 13th, 2005 as Pharmacist Sherwood Peterson, Jr. is welcomed back to the microphone for the 132nd time to host his 11th anniversary show! The show is provided as a public service of Pharmacist Peterson and allows listeners to ask their medication, over the counter, general health and well being and nutritional questions live on air during the hour. Peterson provides lively "bumper music" after each commercial break with this show featuring the best of the holiday season and a variety of timely healthcare topics ripped from todayīs headlines explained and discussed in plain English. Join this award winning pharmacist this Tuesday morning for his 11th anniversary show and episode #132 AND learn a thing or two to improve your health or a loved ones. Explore his website too for the best vitamins and nutritionals at Swansons website or even email him a question and keep track of the flu direct from his connections to the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) to keep yourself well informed with the facts! Learn the facts about the Avian or bird flu with his connections to the CDC and become better prepared and informed about your health.  Expect generics for Norvasc, Ambien, Zocor, Zoloft, Pravachol and Zofran in 2006! 12/12/2005 I am pleased to share important news on the availability of a generic form of the previously mentioned brand name prescription drugs in 2006 as their patents expire. These generic equivalents will certainly save patients money though expecting the same results. The generics should also save PBMīs(prescription benefit managers) and ultimately employers, school districts and/or government agencies(also including the taxpayer) real dollars unless the PBM has an "agreement" with a brand name manufacturer for exclusive contracts or specific tiered copays regardless of the availability of a generic equivalent which is a more cost effective therapy. Check back here first for actual availabilty of each drug in generic form as they are approved by the FDA.  Generic Zithromax now available. 11/15/2005: The Corner Pharmacist, Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph. is pleased to let regular readers/visitors of his web page that today generic Zithromax became available. Generic equivalent medications approved by the FDA(Food and Drug Administration) offer the patient more cost effective therapy than the brand name drug once the 17 year patent protection has expired. The generic or chemical name for Zithromax is "azithromycin" and currently is being made by the drug company Greenstone. Azithromycin is available in both the 250 and 500mg strength for both the popular 5 day "Z-pak" and the 3 day "T-pak" for treating many bacterial infections. A patient may still receive the brand name drug for the next few weeks as some insurance companies do not yet have the generic zithromax loaded into their system and/or as pharmacists use up their remaining supplies of the brand name drug before converting to the generic equivalent.  Amaryl is now available generically... The popular diabetes prescription drug Amaryl is now available in an FDA approved generic equivalent version for all 3 strengths...1mg,2mg and 4mg. Watch for the change from your local pharmacist soon. The generic or chemical name is "glimepiride". Effectiveness will be the same, the design, color or shape may or may not be different but the end results for controlling your diabetes will be the same and should be slightly less expensive for you the patient. October 10, 2005 Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 8, 2005 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October and The Corner Pharmacist is proud to DAILY provide our website visitors the opportunity to fund FREE MAMMOGRAMS by simply clicking on the link prominently located on the left column of our front page. We are committed to finding a cure and creating a greater awareness of breast cancer by donating space on our front page and have done so since about 1999. Websites and people can make a huge and positive difference! Remember to visit our site daily and click on the breast cancer link to help fund free mammograms DAILY. You can also purchase numerous breast cancer awareness items of clothing, wrist bracelets, books, umbrellas and more DAILY which fund even more dollars towards finding a cure for this terrible disease and The Corner Pharmacist is proud of our commitment for over 7 years to help in this cause EVERYDAY not just in October. We also encourage you to visit another donated link on the front page called "Join the Journey" a new initiative in Rochester, Minnesota. We are proud to be one of the early initial supporters of theirs in helping patients with breast cancer. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  October is National Pharmacistsī Month October 8, 2005 October is National Pharmacistsī Month and recognizes the important contributions to the healthcare team that our nationīs registered pharmacists provide to you the patient. Todayīs pharmacist graduates from 1 of about 77 Pharmacy Schools in the country after 6 years of school with an advanced practice Doctorate of Pharmacy or Pharm.D. degree. Their title is that of "Dr." and that stands for Doctor of Pharmacy or PharmD. They arenīt done there...pharmacists must pass a 2 day rigourous national pharmacy exam and then a state exam where they will practice before they are granted a license after which they earn the title of "R.Ph." or registered pharmacist which you see listed after their name. Also most states now require at least 30 hours of pharmacy/healthcare specific CE or continuing education every year or 2 years to make sure they are the most current on the latest drug advances, disease states, etc. Most pharmacists daily update their knowledge base through a variety of sources to make sure they can provide the best care for their patients. Choose your pharmacist for you and your family as carefully as you chose your doctor, dentist, lawyer. Chose someone and stay with them and their pharmacy as a trusted member of your healthcare team who is the medication expert and expert on their proper use. Pharmacistsī do much more than count and pour and the public needs to become keenly aware of that expertise. We must maintain your medication records on a computer and are your personal, individual health medication record. Todayīs community pharmacist is daily consulted by doctors and nurses at medical clinics, hospitals and Emergeny Rooms to confirm your current therapies. Todayīs pharmacist and pharmacies are the most technologically advanced member of the healthcare team designed to provide efficient care to patients and to screen any new medications against current therapies to prevent any predictable interactions and alert the prescriber if one will occur. We also must know proper dosing of medications for various ages and make sure that a drug is not underdosed or given in excess dose to a patient. THESE IMPORTANT PHARMACIST SERVICES AND MORE GO INTO FILLING AND REFILLING YOUR PRESCRIPTION EACH TIME AND TAKE TIME JUST LIKE AT THE DOCTORīS OFFICE AND CURRENTLY PHARMACISTīS DONīT REQUIRE APPOINTMENTS FOR THEIR CARE TO YOU, YET. We are delivering life saving and life benefiting medication to you and others, time must be taken to do so SAFELY for everyone. A friendly reminder to please be patient and respect others who are seeking the pharmacistsī services at a given time and take your turn. More on what a pharmacist does later and on this monthīs edition of "The Corner Pharmacist" award winning radio show October 11,2005. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  New form of medication for Alzheimer´s now available October 7, 2005 Namenda (memantine) the FIRST and ONLY approved ORAL solution (liquid form) for moderate to severe Alzheimer´s disease patients is now available and joins the tablet form. Namenda solution contains 2mg of active medication per ml. Normal dose would be 5ml (which is one teaspoon) by mouth twice a day to deliver the therapeutic dose of 10mg twice a day. If we can assist you in providing you with prescription Namenda solution I encourage you to become one of our patients at my community pharmacy practice in Rochester, Minnesota. We are on the cutting edge when it comes to medical and pharmaceutical advances in our community practice. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph. Clinical Pharmacy Director  Flu and Pneumonia Shots now available for 2005 October 7, 2005...On average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year in the United States as a result of influenza(the flu). The flu is a RESPIRATORY tract (nose,throat,lungs) contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and dehydration, and worsening of chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes. An average of 36,000 USA residents die from the flu annually. The flu virus changes from year to year so it is crucial to get a shot each fall to protect you against this years strains of the flu which are: A California, A New Caledonia and B Shanghai. The flu we have traditionally vaccinated against is NOT the Avian or bird flu...that is entirely different and you may visit links on my main page to read more about that. You can receive your shot on the various dates located on the main page of the corner pharmacist. I take pride in providing this critical community service to the public at my community pharmacy for 10 years now. No one else has done so longer and our comprehensive vaccination clinics are well known by the public in the region and by fellow healthcare providers for our efficiency, organization, and education of the public during and daily at our pharmacy practice. Remember that up to 20% of Americans get the flu every year and that a flu shot is anywhere from 70-90% effective in protecting you from the flu so protect yourself, protect your loved ones and get your flu shot this year. It is wise to arrive sometime during the middle of the time slots alloted for shots as to minimize any waiting time. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF FLU VACCINE FOR 2005-2006 as approximately 75-90 million doses will be produced. Last season the USA utilized only 57 million doses. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  Allegra now available in generic version! September 6, 2005 Good news for allergy sufferers...today the popular prescription drug Allegra now has an FDA approved generic version for all 3 strengths...30, 60 and 180mg tablets available now. The FDA approved generic versions offer the same safety and effectiveness as the brand name but is more cost effective therapy for you the patient. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  The Corner Pharmacist urges you to help Hurricane victims August 30, 2005 The Corner Pharmacist urges you to donate to the relief efforts via a prominent banner link at the very top of my web page which goes directly and securely to The Salvation Army website and on the left hand column which goes directly and securely to Samaritanīs Purse a worldwide relief agency headed since 1983 by Franklin Graham, son of the Reverend Billy Graham . These 2 organizations are proven leaders in delivering efficient, speedy and massive aid to disaster victims worldwide for decades. "We have all witnessed the horrific devastation to our fellow Americans along the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina and this gives each of us an opportunity to help with a donation of $5 or $50 or whatever you can afford. Our friends along the Gulf Coast will need our help for months to come and this way through the Corner Pharmacist we can together make a difference!" I want to thank you ahead of time for making a difference and making a donation today, remember these people in our thoughts and prayers too. Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  Free or Reduced Health Insurance for Kids... Parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts and uncles of infants, children and teens are reminded again by The Corner Pharmacist that free or reduced health insurance IS available for them by calling 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669). This is a Federal program which includes working families in EVERY state in the United States. You may also visit their website at : www.insurekidsnow.gov Another great healthy reminder from Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph. "the Corner Pharmacist"! of Rochester´s Kmart Pharmacy.  April 10, 2005 Topics for "The Corner Pharmacist" for 4/12/2005 Join me this Tuesday morning at 805 until 9 AM for the following topics...Bextra bites the dust, new once a MONTH osteoporosis drug approved, new generic versions available for SPORANOX, GRIFULVIN SUSPENSION and the OTCīs of MURO 128 drops and ointment available now at Rochesterīs Kmart Pharmacy. I will also take your phone calls with your medication or nutritional supplement question. Remember to visit my website often and take advantage of our partnership with the premier nutritional supplier...SWANSONS of Fargo, North Dakota. I will also discuss a change coming in 2009 to all inhalers...such as albuterol and now to Flovent. I will also remind everyone about the continued success of Heartlandīs Natural Progesterone Cream for women for hot flashes, PMS, etc. that I first shared on my show almost 3 years ago. Email me if you are not in the Rochester, MN area and I will get you some as it is available at Kmart Pharmacy where I have my practice. Brochures and videotapes are available to educate you with the FACTS about the benefits of OTC progesterone cream from Dr. Lee. This is the ONLY one I will "prescribe" for women because of its quality control and it works and its made in good old Valley City, North Dakota, USA! Accept no cheaper substitutes! And a very important reminder to START your allergy medicine, eye drops and/or nose sprays if you have springtime allergies!!! Also visit my website daily for your very own specific allergy forecast and current counts for any of the 40,000+ USA zip codes...a POWERFUL NEW feature provided by www.thecornerpharmacist.com! Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph.  April 9, 2005: New Once a MONTH Osteoporosis Drug is approved by FDA The FDA approved earlier this week the once a month osteoporosis prevention prescription drug BONIVA. This joins previous drugs Fosamax and Actonel that a patient may only take once a WEEK depending on strength. Listen Tuesday for more details or visit www.fda.gov for more information on this once a month drug approval. Sherwood Peterson, Jr.,R.Ph. www.thecornerpharmacist.com  April 8, 2005 FDA requests Bextra be removed from the market... FDA has concluded that the overall risk versus benefit profile for the selective COX-2 NSAID prescription drug Bextra (valdecoxib) is unfavorable and has requested Pfizer to voluntarily remove the drug from the marketplace. Pfizer has agreed to do so even though they respectfully disagree with FDA´s assessment. Patients should contact the NNC group at 1-866-608-3935 if they wish to return any unused Bextra to Pfizer. Patients should then contact their pharmacist who will contact their doctor or you may contact your doctor yourself for consideration of alternative treatments. This topic will be one of the features of Tuesday´s (April 12, 2005) "The Corner Pharmacist" radio show now in its 11th season at 805 AM on KROC 1340 AM Rochester, Minnesota. More information is available at : www.fda.gov Sherwood Peterson, Jr., R.Ph. www.thecornerpharmacist.com  Natural Progesterone cream available for hot flashes. Natural progesterone cream can be applied daily to ease hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fibrocystic breasts, PMS, facial hair, osteoporosis prevention, fatigue, loss of limbido. The cream is available without a prescription and contains 960 mg of NATURAL progesterone per specifications of John R. Lee, MD. The cream is transdermally applied, light, greaseless, hypoallergenic,non-comedogenic, color and fragrance free and in an aloe vera base. This is the cream listeners to "The Corner Pharmacist" first heard about in October 2002 and have had great results since. Become educated about menopause...according to John R. Lee, MD many "female" conditions are due to too MUCH estrogen and not enough progesterone. This cream has proven itself with the results I have seen in my pharmacy practice firsthand with the many repeat patients, phonecalls, letters thanking me for sharing this option on the radio show. You may also purchase the cream when in Rochester, Minnesota at the Kmart Pharmacy.
	Đ2001