Brevard County Pharmacy Association Online Newsletter

April 2006

P.O. Box 10054 Port St.John, Florida 32927 Tel: VM 321-633-9579 www.brevardpharmacy.com

Officers: Executive Committee:

President….…..…..Karen Bills Chairman… Kas Ghayal Member….Theresa Tolle

President-elect……Maggie Daly Member……Kirk Cardone Member…. Norman Tomaka

Secretary………….Jamie Wilson Member…. Kathy Petsos Member…..Deborah Ledoux

Treasurer………….Jeff Broxson Member……Val Ingoldsby Member…..Jim Dale

Program Chair……Maggie Daly Member……Chris Lent Member……Mike Edwards

Newsletter……….Kim Giacomelli, Jamie Wilson, and Scott Tomerlin

Please be mindful that we are dependant upon volunteers to continue with our successful programs and high attendance rates, therefore we are calling all members to volunteer. The program chair, president elect and/ or the treasurer positions are both needed very soon. Please add, you will be mentored and helped by all previous executive board members, so don't feel that you can't do the job. We can all do something to make this a better organization.

Continuing Education

Sunday, April 23rd 6:30 Sponsered by Roche and the talk will be given by Jason

Simpdon, Pharm D, who will give a Hepatitis C lecture for (1 CE). Hotel Imperial Exit 191. Call voice mail to request London Broil or Mahi-Mahi

Sunday, May 14th 6:30 Law and Legislative Update 2006 presented by Theresa Tolle. Sea Pines Rehab located 101 E Florida Ave , Melbourne (corner of Babcock and Florida Ave ). Cost of $3 at the door to cover refreshments. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

Please cancel if something comes up because we as an association had to pay for no-shows at the last meeting, and that will continue to raise the dues for all of us.

Please continue to dress in a professional manner for our meetings and be courteous and considerate of your colleagues, our sponsors, and our C.E. presenters by saving personal conversations until after our program is over. Thanks!

In This Issue

· ALS

· Florida Pharmacy Association News

· Attachment in e-mail issue regarding Bill 1838. This takes 5 minutes to read the info and less than 5 minutes to place a call to your Senate representative. The site links you directly to the phone number! It couldn’t have been made any easier.

Announcements

· Newsletter will now be available on a quarterly basis. Issues will be available in January, April, July, and October. Important information will still be sent by e-mail as needed (PRN?!). If you are not receiving a USPS edition and want a copy, then please contact Kim or Jamie.

· Scott’ Political notes will be missed! He is off on a whirlwind adventure in Japan for a rotation. We wish him well!

· RENEWAL. Membership renewal is due every June-July!

· To keep informed of important and up to date changes involving your profession visit the Florida Pharmacy Association website at www.pharmview.com or our own Brevard County Pharmacy Association website at www.brevardpharmacy.com

Laughter is the best medicine

Three reasons to have a Medicare Part D plan:

It may save you money during these times of skyrocketing prescription drug costs.

Viagra only works when you pay full price

It is causing pharmacists to age faster and therefore they will be available for bingo and shuffle board tournaments.

About ALS

In my current position, I have come in contact with ALS patients and their families. The pharmacy provides enteral nutrition and respiratory equipment for these patients. Although ALS is a debilitating condition I am constantly amazed at the courage of these patients. Technology and pure persistence has made these patients an excellent example of how the patient and family members can be their own healthcare advocates.

What is ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually lead to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With all voluntary muscle action affected, patients in the later stages of the disease become totally paralyzed. Yet, through it all, for the vast majority of people, their minds remain unaffected.
A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment---"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that nourish the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.

As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing and breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (waste away). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.

Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the 1990's have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of this disease.

Perspective from Hiroshi Mitsumoto, M.D., Cleveland Clinic ALSA Center and Chair of ALSA's Medical Advisory Committee: "In a review of ALS published in the Archives of Neurology in 1988, I quote Lewis Thomas. 'The whole field of biomedical science is on the move as never before in the long history of medicine. I don't know what will happen over the next 20 years, but my guess is that we are on the verge of discoveries that will match the best achievement in infectious disease a generation ago.' In ten years - just half of Lewis' prediction - we now know the gene responsible for some familial ALS; we have the first drug we can prescribe for ALS; we have a real animal model for this disease and we have incredibly important knowledge on the cell death mechanisms of motor neurons in ALS. Yes, the progress still appears to be too slow for anyone waiting for a breakthrough, but we are truly on the verge of more exciting discoveries. We have solid reasons for strong hope in ALS." There is no question about whether the cause of ALS will be found; it is only a question of when.

While there is not a cure or treatment today that halts or reverses ALS, there is one FDA approved drug, Rilutek®, that modestly slows the progression of ALS as well as other drugs in clinical trials that hold promise.

However, ALS is not just Lou Gehrig's disease and it knows no boundaries. The disease has cut short the lives of such notable and courageous individuals as Hall of Fame Pitcher, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, actor, Michael Zaslow, creator of Sesame Street , Jon Stone, actor, David Niven, boxing champion, Ezzard Charles, Pro Football Player, Glenn Montgomery and Senator, Jacob Javits.

http://www.als-florida.org.htm

Tips for Newly-Diagnosed ALS Patients from Will Hubben

Will Hubben was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in July 1998 and died in May 2004. In November 2000, Will created The ALS Research Digest, an electronic newsletter designed to provide information about the disease to the ALS community. Shortly before he passed away, Will provided ALSA with a number of coping devices he used that helped him immeasurably. In his tips for newly diagnosed ALS patients, Will shared what helped him along the way and some advice that he wished he had followed sooner rather than later.

1. Be compassionate to yourself. If you are like me, your first reaction to being told you may have ALS is shock and fear. We all go through wild emotional swings when we hear such dreadful news. Allow yourself to go through denial, grief, anger, and whatever else you feel without criticizing yourself for it. It's natural and necessary for you to experience powerful emotions. Many feelings will arise again and again as ALS progresses. This will pass, and being gentle with yourself is a big help.

2. Reach out to family and friends. Many people may want to help and not know how. Talking openly to a family member or friend about your situation will help both of you cope. Ask for assistance with preparing meals, running errands, doing household chores, or ask to be taken to the movies. Building a support network will help you and your primary caregiver. Also, this allows family and friends to get involved.

3. Learn about ALS. Knowledge is power. ALS tends to make people feel powerless. Learning all you can about the disease, about supplements and drugs that might slow progression, and about current research, can help empower you. Sharing what you learn will help raise awareness about ALS and the need for more research money.

4. Do everything you can for your health. Improve your diet, quit smoking, take up yoga and/or meditation, practice positive visualization, get plenty of sleep, and work with your doctor to develop your own regimen of helpful vitamins. Every little effort will help you, both physically and mentally.

5. Take charge of your treatment. Pick your health care providers carefully. Remember, they work for you. Talk to your primary care provider and your neurologist about any vitamins and supplements you may want to take. Ask lots of questions. If they don't patiently and respectfully answer (or research) all of your questions, fire them and find someone else. Don't be passive about your treatment options. You are always in charge.

6. Develop a relationship with a major ALS center. Centers and clinics associated with The ALS Association have a lot of experience with ALS. They take a multidisciplinary approach with ALS patients and can be helpful at every stage of the disease. The ALS clinical team is there every step of the way to provide expert medical care to people living with ALS. A list of ALS centers and clinics affiliated with The ALS Association can be found here.

7. Do things you have always wanted to do. Take that trip to Europe, spend more time with your family, go skydiving, write a book, or raft the Grand Canyon . Whatever it is, go ahead and do it. In a few months, you may no longer be able to do these activities.

8. Find ways to help others. One of the best ways you can help yourself is to help other people with ALS. Consider raising money for research, joining advocacy efforts, volunteering for clinical trials, attending support groups, and reaching out to others who need emotional support. Giving to others enriches your life as well as theirs.

9. Practice hopeful, positive thinking. Maintaining a positive attitude in the midst of trying circumstances takes practice, but it's worth it. Not only is your moment-to-moment experience improved, but experts agree that a positive attitude can improve your body's resistance to disease. Remaining hopeful helps me to enjoy my life, in each moment. In addition, a lot of promising research is being conducted in many different areas of investigation. Remember, a breakthrough could happen at any time.

10. Stay ahead of the curve. Get a wheelchair when walking difficulties begin, even though you can still walk. Get a feeding tube before you lose weight. Begin using augmentative communication aids before you need them. Get respiratory support by using a BiPAP at night as soon as possible. By taking these and other steps early, you remain in control. No one with this disease regrets doing these things early; many regret waiting too long.

http://www.alsa.org/community/article.cfm?print=1&id=383&

Florida Pharmacy Association

Each year the Brevard County Association leaders consider important political agendas. You, your fellow pharmacists and technicians are protected by the hard work and persistence of those trying to improve our profession. More voices means more power. Think about it!

The Resolutions are presented at the yearly FPA Board of Delegates Meeting for items to be worked on in the coming year. This year the meeting will be held in Boca Raton from June 14th through 18th.

Resolution # 1 Brevard County Pharmacy Association

PO Box 10054 Port St. John , Florida 32927

Maggie Daly, PharmD., President Elect, work 321-984-4616

Problem:

Whereas Health Education Cuts will be 155 million in the 2007 Federal Budget from

Title VII programs that recruit minority doctors and improve primary-care access in rural

and underserved areas,

Whereas the budget cuts also target Title VII programs that promote allied health and

faculty development in medicine,

Whereas scholarships for disadvantaged students will lose 36 million dollars including

allied health and nurses,

Whereas among the cuts will be 6 million for the rural training of doctors, nurses,

pharmacists and social workers and 32 million in cuts to prepare doctors and allied

health professions to take care of elderly patients,

Whereas the cuts undermine access for underserved, rural, low-income and minority

patients they will also exacerbate workforce shortages,

Whereas pharmacists are uniquely qualified to care for the elderly, underserved, rural and

low income patients under new Medication Management and practice collaborations

with physicians,

Therefore be it resolved that the Florida Pharmacy Association join with the

Florida Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and the American Society of

Health Systems Pharmacists to lobby to keep this funding and to increase

this funding to 175million dollars for 2007.

If you are having problems receiving your newsletter by e-mail or mail please contact Kim Giacomelli at kgiaco@earthlink.net or 321-242-2996 or 321-508-2742 or Jamie Wilson at FLASUNLVR@aol.com or 321-242-2996

Advertisements pertaining to pharmacy will be run in this newsletter. Anyone interested can contact Kim Giacomelli at kgiaco@earthlink.net

Application for Membership in Brevard County Pharmacy Association

Make Check payable to Brevard County Pharmacy Association and send to P.O. Box 10054 Port St John, FL 32927

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