6,000 Pharmaceutical Scientists Convene November 15-19 In San...( Newest Dr...),Health

Newest Drug Discoveries And Pharmaceutical Research To Be Unveiled At American Association Of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting In San Francisco On November 15-19

Alexandria, VA -- November 2, 1998 -- Six thousand of the world's premier pharmaceutical researchers will gather in San Francisco on November 15-19 to discuss the latest scientific research and medical advances of 1998. A small sampling of the breakthroughs, presented for the first time at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting, are listed below:

Sound-Alike Drugs Cause Potentially Dangerous Prescription Errors -- Nicoderm...Nitroderm; Xanax...Zantac: According to the FDA, look-alike and sound-alike drugs are causing roughly one death a day. Further, one out of every four reported prescription errors made by a pharmacist is due to name confusion. Pharmaceutical scientists are now studying this critical nomenclature issue and determining how to keep drugs with confusing names from reaching the market. Several of their recommendations to curb the probability of mistakes are currently being reviewed by the FDA.

Impact of High Altitude on Drug Efficacy -- Those who enjoy traveling to exotic locations, beware. The latest research shows that staying at high altitudes for more than 24 hours can alter the effect of drugs like DemerolTM, LithiumTM and even widely-used high altitude sickness medications like acetazolamide. How can skiers, hikers and tourists determine if their med
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Contact: Amy Miller
miller@aaps.org
703-518-8417
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
27-Oct-1998