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VIEWERS CAN 'ASK THE
PHARMACIST' ON FEB. 3, 2001 How to treat the flu, over-the-counter vs. prescription medications, the safest medicines to give to children -- these are the types of questions encountered by the panel of "Ask the Pharmacist," the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy's annual call-in show. Pharmacy educators and community pharmacists will be on hand from 6-7 p.m. Feb. 3, 2001, to answer callers' questions. One of the questions addressed during the 2000 edition of "Ask the Pharmacist," hosted by Channel 27 health reporter Jerry Sander, was the use of new oral inhalants and pills being used to combat influenza. Panelist Bryan Yeager, Pharm.D., a clinical specialist and assistant professor in the UK College of Pharmacy, noted that these types of medications need to be taken within three days of the onset of systems to be effective. The panelists added that any such medication is an aid, not a cure or preventive measure. The often-posed question of whether "flu shots" can actually trigger a bout of illness was addressed during the January 2000 show by all of the panelists, which included Ginny Creasman, Pharm.D., and Mark Edwards, R.Ph., of the Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Kentucky Pharmacists Association, respectively. "The shot won't give you the flu," Creasman noted, but "some people get the flu before the shot becomes effective." The other panelists concurred, adding that the influenza vaccine can take up to four weeks to become effective. Creasman and Edwards reminded viewers that even though the flu season has arrived, the vaccine is still being provided and should be taken by high-risk individuals, which includes diabetics, the elderly and all health care providers. For those fortunate enough to experience only the common cold during the flu season, increased consumption of vitamin C has been approved by the National Institutes of Health. But the panelists cautioned that the best way to increase vitamin C during those times is not by a pill, but by increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet. With any medication questions, don't guess ... ask the pharmacist -- Feb. 3, 2001, from 6-7 p.m. on WKYT-TV Channel 27 in Lexington and WYMT-TV in Hazard. |
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Comments to J. Carol Guinnup, Last Modified: February 05, 2001
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