American journal of hospital pharmacy
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The stability of diazepam injection repackaged in disposable glass syringes and stored at room and refrigerator temperatures was studied. Thirty-nine 1.5-ml syringes were filled with 1.1 ml diazepam injection 5-mg/ml. All syringes were stored in light-resistant bags on their sides so that the solution was in contact with the rubber stoppers on both ends. ⋯ The decrease in diazepam was a function of storage time and temperature; however, the disappearance of MACB from the syringes was a function of only time. Diazepam injection is chemically stable as 5-mg doses in disposable glass syringes for 90 days when stored at 4 degrees C or 30 degrees C. However, refrigeration is recommended.
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An assessment of whether the clinical pharmacy program at Memorial Hospital Medical Center (MHMC), Long Beach CA, was meeting its goals is presented. MHMC is a 858-bed, nonprofit teaching hospital that initiated a clinical pharmacy program in 1967. The program's three foremost goals were to: (1) establish cohesive and standardized clinical services, (2) promote the acceptance of the roles and functions of clinical pharmacists by physicians and nurses, and (3) assure the provision of good quality care. ⋯ Sixty-eight percent of the pharmacists reported discussing general issues with physicians, and 72% answered patient-specific questions from physicians. The physicians (96%) and nurses (97%) thought that there was an improvement in the quality of patient care as a result of pharmacist involvement. Pharmacists at MHMC are providing useful clinical services.
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The current directions of the FDA are outlined. The underlying philosophy of the FDA under the Reagan Administration is that both the private sector and the government must address the responsibilities to which they are best suited for the health-care system to work more efficiently. To facilitate this, FDA is conducting comprehensive reviews of FDA regulations and the drug-evaluation process. ⋯ The response at a recent hearing on the program indicates that the responsibility to protect the public health is shared by the government, health professions, industry, and the public. The FDA's campaign on sodium is based on that shared responsibility. By improving communication and building upon their common objections, both pharmacy and the FDA can do their jobs successfully.
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The viability of microorganisms in multiple-dose vials (MDVs) and the use and in-use contamination rate of MDVs were investigated. Serial tenfold dilutions of stationary cultures of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were injected into 30-ml MDVs containing bacteriostatic agents, and samples were removed at 1, 16, 24, and 48 hours, and at seven days to test for viable organisms. All opened MDVs were removed from each patient-care area and the pharmacy in a hospital and tested for microbial contamination using an aliquot-sampling method. ⋯ Lidocaine, insulin, diluents, and heparin constituted 57% of collected vials. The length of time that opened vials remained on a unit and the number of opened vials per unit varied considerably between units. The cost, feasibility, and effectiveness of control policies regarding use of MDVs should be weighed objectively against potential benefits.