David Poon, BSc. Immunology and Infection, PharmD Student A Modern Day Food Guide I remember when I was first introduced to Canada’s Food Guide back in elementary school. Now, I’ve almost graduated university (twice), and the guide looks almost the same as it did back in elementary. However, on January 22, 2019, that all changed.…
David Poon, BSc. Immunology and Infection, PharmD Student Controversial Cannabis in Canada Oh dear. What have I gotten myself into here. For those who don’t know, cannabis is now legal in Canada as of yesterday. This CBC article does a good job summarizing what you need to know now that cannabis is legal1. Whether you…
David Poon, BSc Immunology and Infection, PharmD Student An Aspirin a Day Keeps the Doctor Away. Or so we thought. For many years now, it was thought that taking a low dose aspirin may help prevent an initial heart attack or stroke. And at some point in time, it became the norm that just about anyone…
David Poon, BSc Immunology and Infection, PharmD Student Valsartan It’s been in newspapers and on TV for over a week now. Valsartan is a common blood pressure medication used to treat high blood pressure and other heart-related diseases. On July 9, 2018, Health Canada announced that a potential cancer-causing impurity, known as N-nitrosodimethylamine, was found in…
Ethos Ho, BSc Pharm Candidate Mandatory Warning Labels and Information With the rise of the opioid crisis, Health Canada has passed a new requirement regarding the dispensing of prescription opioid medications by pharmacists and other healthcare providers. Effective October 2, 2018, all prescription opioids, such as morphine, hydromorphone, and oxycodone, mandate mandatory warning stickers and…
Ethos Ho, BSc Pharm Candidate The Spark That Ignited a Crisis In our previous article about the history of fentanyl and the opioid crisis, we talked about how the discontinuation of OxyContin® by Purdue Pharma L.P. in 2012 sparked a chain of events leading to the fentanyl crisis we currently face in Canada. Following the ignition of this…
Aaron Chy, BSc General, PharmD Candidate Ever wondered what it’s like to be homeless? Imagine what life would be like without the basic needs we take for granted every day. Imagine having no income, no phone, no access to a shower, and no roof over your head at night. This is the reality that individuals…
Jasmine Han, PharmD Candidate Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) Whether it’s to get an antibiotic for an infection or to simply fill a regular prescription, you’ve probably had an interaction with a pharmacist at some point in your life. The month of March is Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM), where young aspiring pharmacy students across Canada promote…
Aaron Chy, BSc General, PharmD Candidate Take a moment to think of all the basic amenities you use on a daily basis: a roof over your head, a clean shower, and a warm bed to lay in every night. Now ask yourself: when’s the last time you were worried you wouldn’t be able to feed…
Choi Chung, RPh, BScPharm, Ahmad Chehade, PharmD Candidate & Aaron Chy, BSc General, PharmD Candidate Practitioners in Canada Imagine working an eight, nine or even a ten-hour day with no breaks, where you’re in a position responsible for the health and well-being of hundreds of patients a day. All of this while striving to build…