Quick Update

When I started this blog, my goal was to post at least every two weeks with quality content.  I’ve just come back from a major conference, followed by a few days off, where I tried to think about pharmacy as little as possible. Now I’m back, and have a hectic day job to keep me busy.  But regular posts will resume shortly. In the meantime, here are a few recent posts, articles, and news items that I’d like to draw your attention to:

Supplements for Hot Flashes – The Power of Placebo

Red Clover: From flickr member freebird4

As a follow-up to a previous post on bioidentical hormone replacement, I thought it would be helpful to quickly review the major herbal and alternative medicine products available to treat menopausal symptoms. The market is large, and the treatments are ubiquitous in pharmacies, so they’re worth of some science-based scrutiny.

The Alternative that Isn’t: Bioidentical Hormones

The interest in bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) has seemingly exploded of late, due in part to celebrity books and daytime television discussion. Suzanne Somers, author of multiple books on BHT, recently made her case for BHT on Oprah. According to Somers, BHT is a veritable “juice of life“; appropriate for women from their twenties right up to menopause and beyond. This article will look at the safety and effectiveness of BHT, and the responsibility of pharmacists and the pharmacy profession in its provision.