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Integrating Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pharmacy Practice

Pharmacy Practice

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes diverse practices like massage, acupuncture, tai chi, and drinking green tea. CAM encompasses medical products and practices that are not typically part of standard medical care. Cancer patients often use CAM to manage treatment side effects such as nausea, pain, and fatigue, to find comfort and reduce stress, to feel proactive in their care, or to attempt to treat or cure their cancer.

Integrative Medicine

Integrative medicine merges conventional medical treatments and pharmacy practices with CAM, that have been scientifically validated for safety and effectiveness. This approach prioritizes the patient’s preferences and addresses mental, physical, and spiritual health aspects.

Conventional Medicine

Conventional medicine involves healthcare professionals, including medical doctors (M.D.), who treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Other health professionals, such as nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, and therapists, also do the pharmacy practice with conventional medicine. This practice may also be known as allopathic, biomedicine, Western, mainstream, or orthodox medicine. Some conventional medical practitioners also incorporate CAM into their treatments.

Standard Medical Care

Standard medical care refers to treatments widely accepted and used by healthcare professionals as appropriate for specific diseases. This is also called best practice, standard of care, or standard therapy.

Pharmacy Practice

Complementary Medicine vs. Alternative Medicine

Complementary medicine is used alongside standard treatments but is not considered standard on its own, such as using acupuncture to lessen the side effects of cancer treatment. Pharmacy practice like alternative medicine replaces standard treatments, like using a special diet instead of prescribed cancer drugs. Less research exists for most types of complementary medicine and alternative medicine.

Exploring CAM

While scientists continue to learn about CAM therapies, more research on Pharmacy practice is needed. If you have cancer, discuss CAM with your healthcare provider before using any therapies listed below. CAM is “natural,” “holistic,” “domestic remedy,” or “Eastern Medicine.” Experts categorize CAM into five main types:

  1. Mind-Body Therapies: These practices combine mental focus, breathing, and body movements to relax both the mind and body. Examples include:
    • Meditation: Focused breathing or repetition of words or phrases to calm the mind and reduce stress.
    • Biofeedback: Using machines to help patients control body functions like heart rate and blood pressure.
    • Hypnosis: A trance-like state that increases focus on certain feelings, thoughts, images, sensations, or behaviors, aiding in healing.
    • Yoga: Balancing the mind and body through stretches, poses, meditation, and controlled breathing.
    • Tai Chi: Gentle exercises and meditation using slow body movements and controlled breathing.
    • Imagery: Focusing on positive mental images to aid in healing.
    • Creative Outlets: Activities like art, music, or dance.
  2. Biologically Based Practices: These use natural substances, such as:
    • Vitamins: Essential nutrients the body needs in small amounts.
    • Dietary Supplements: Products added to the diet, including vitamins, minerals, and herbs.
    • Botanicals: Plants or plant parts, including herbs and spices like turmeric or cinnamon.
  3. Manipulative and Body-Based Practices: These involve physical manipulation of the body, including:
    • Massage Therapy: Kneading, rubbing, tapping, and stroking the body’s soft tissues.
    • Chiropractic Therapy: Manipulating the spine, joints, and skeletal system.
    • Reflexology: Applying pressure to specific points on the feet or hands believed to correspond to certain body parts.
  4. Energy Healing: This is based on balancing the body’s vital energy flow, including:
    • Reiki: Lightly placing hands on or above the person to guide energy and aid healing.
    • Therapeutic Touch: Moving hands over the body’s energy fields or gently touching the body.
  5. Whole Medical Systems: These traditional healing systems have evolved over time, including:
    • Ayurvedic Medicine: An Indian system aiming to cleanse the body and restore balance through diet, herbal medicines, exercise, meditation, breathing, and physical therapy.
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine: Based on balancing qi (vital energy) along meridians (channels) in the body, including practices like acupuncture.
    • Naturopathic Medicine: Avoiding drugs and surgery, using natural agents like air, water, light, heat, and massage, along with herbal products, nutrition, acupuncture, and aromatherapy.

For specific CAM therapies, the NCI provides evidence-based information for both patients and health professionals. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) also offers detailed information and current research on CAM.

Safety of CAM

Certain CAM therapies, like acupuncture, yoga, and meditation, are generally safe and effective after thorough evaluation. However, other CAM therapies may not work, could be harmful, or might interact negatively with medications. It’s important to remember that “natural” does not always mean “safe.” Herbal and dietary supplements are not FDA-approved before being sold and can be harmful when taken alone, with other substances, or in large doses. For instance, kava kava has been linked to liver damage, and St. John’s Wort can reduce the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Always inform your doctor about any dietary supplements you are taking, even vitamins, as they can interact with your medications.

Diet and Cancer

No single food or special diet has been proven to control cancer. Individual nutritional needs vary, so it’s important to discuss your diet with your treatment team. Maintaining a well-rounded diet is crucial, especially during cancer treatment. There are no studies proving that any specific diet, food, supplement, herb, or combination can slow, cure, or prevent cancer recurrence. Some products may even interfere with cancer treatments.

Consulting Your Doctor

Cancer patients should discuss CAM use with their doctors to avoid potential harm or interference with treatment. Verify the efficacy and safety of any CAM therapy. Consider asking about complementary medicine and alternative medicine therapies that might help reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate fatigue, manage symptoms and side effects like pain or nausea, and improve sleep.

Choosing a CAM Practitioner

Selecting a CAM practitioner requires the same diligence as choosing a doctor. Seek recommendations from your cancer center’s staff. Questions to ask a complementary medicine and alternative medicine practitioner include their training, qualifications, experience with your type of cancer, and willingness to coordinate with your doctor. Inquire about the therapy’s benefits, risks, side effects, duration, cost, and insurance coverage.

Clinical Trials

The NCI and NCCIH sponsor clinical trials to test CAM treatments, studying complementary approaches alongside conventional treatments or comparing alternative therapies with standard care. A list of cancer CAM clinical trials is available.

Pharmacy Practice

Resources

Patients and healthcare providers can learn about CAM therapies and practitioners from agencies such as the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the NCI Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dr. Jeffrey D. White, OCCAM Director, explains the use of CAM in cancer.

Conclusion

Integrating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into cancer care provides a comprehensive approach that considers physical, mental, and spiritual health. Practices such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation have been proven to be generally safe and effective, but it’s essential to use these therapies under the guidance of healthcare professionals to avoid potential risks and ensure they do not conflict with standard treatments. Always discuss any CAM therapies with your doctor to make informed decisions. Combining conventional medicine with validated CAM Pharmacy practice can enhance overall well-being and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Stay informed, communicate openly with your healthcare team, and make thoughtful choices to achieve the best possible care.

FAQs

Q.1 What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?

  1. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) refers to medical practices and products that are not typically included in standard medical care, such as massage, acupuncture, tai chi, and herbal supplements.

Q.2 How does CAM differ from conventional medicine?

  1. Conventional medicine involves treatments like drugs, surgery, and radiation administered by healthcare professionals. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) encompasses non-standard practices and products that often focus on natural and holistic methods.

Q.3 What is integrative medicine?

  1. Integrative medicine blends conventional treatments with CAM practices that have been proven to be safe and effective, addressing physical, mental, and spiritual health while considering patient preferences.

Q.4 Can CAM assist with cancer treatment?

  1. Many cancer patients use complementary medicine and alternative medicine (CAM) to manage treatment side effects, reduce stress, feel proactive in their care, or attempt to treat their cancer. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any CAM therapy.

Q.5 Are CAM therapies safe?

  1. Some Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation, are generally safe. However, others may not work, could be harmful, or might interact negatively with conventional treatments. Always discuss complementary medicine and alternative medicine use with your doctor.

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Antibiotic Resistance: The challenges posed by antibiotic resistance and the role of pharmacists in combating this global issue

December 6, 2024 No Comments

What is antibiotic Resistance ? 

Antibiotic resistance is also known as drug resistance; it is a term that describes a bacterium’s ability to reach a stage where it becomes immune to antibiotics that should have destroyed the specific bacteria or even inhibited its growth. The most alarming anthropogenic menace in the modern world is the emergence and spread of ‘superbugs’ among infectious microbial communities. Such organisms possess the ability to survive and reproduce even under adverse conditions — the presence of antibiotic drugs within many populations thankfully retains a sizable penetration potential but newer infections are pushing meaning that global primacy for antibiotic use is under threat. Antibiotic resistance can be genetic in nature, which means that the bacteria themselves evolve through natural mutations. Such mutations occur over time leading to structural changes that provide new characteristics of resistance against antibiotics. The android characteristic is the ability of bacteria to acquire additional genes responsible for providing resistance from other vast pools of bacteria. The most prevalent of which are vegetative in nature leading to uncomplicated infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis and urinary tract infections.

A major contributing factor for developing resistance is the over use and mismanagement of antibiotics. A clear factor is ’excessive prescription’ from healthcare professionals or even self-prescription wherein the patient consumes antibiotics without seeking professional help. The situation is worsened further due to the aggressive use of antibiotics within animal husbandry; especially in the cases of prophylaxis or to promote growth. Oftentimes antibiotics are disbanded before treatment or take an incorrect dosage allowing low antibiotic concentrations which put adequate stress to cause selective pressure on the bacterial population to adapt.

Bacterial vectors capable of mediating antibiotic resistance may escape domestication and be expelled into the environment which together only makes the situation worse. For musical structuring, antibiotic resistance genes are pervasive in soil and water and from the treated animals they may reach humans by means of the food chain.

Causes of Antibiotic Resistance 

In India, the causes of antimicrobial resistance include:

Overuse of Antibiotics: The easy availability of over-the-counter antibiotics without a prescription results in misuse.

Mismanagement in Healthcare: The Over prescription by healthcare providers is usually caused by ignorance or pressure from patients; this later leads to resistance.

Agricultural Practices:  The practice of giving antibiotics to chickens and farm animals to boost their growth plays a part in a loop of pollution that affects food safety and the environment. In India many infections are tied to germs that can fight off drugs, like Klebsiella pneumoniae. This germ often causes infections in hospitals and has learned to resist many common antibiotics, which makes it hard for doctors to treat.

The impact of antibiotic resistance in India is acute. It leads to prolonged illness, escalated treatment cost, and increased risk of mortality among patients. Besides, rising resistance against penicillin antibiotics and other first-line drugs further impairs India’s capability to manage effectively against ordinary bacterial infections.

Challenges in antibiotic resistance 

  1. Threat to Public Health The pandemic of antibiotic resistance is a disease as it reduces available options for treating bacterial infections. Patients suffering from pneumonia, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, and blood infections become more challenging since they need longer treatment and have higher death rates. Resistant pathogens, for example klebsiella pneumonia infections, are usually incurred at high costs and more toxic therapy.
  2. Overuse and Misuse of Antibiotics Undoubtedly, antibiotics have been overprescribed which is a significant contributor to the development of drug resistance. Misuse of Antibiotics includes prescriptions that patients obtain for themselves or are prescribed antibiotics for flu and cold viruses despite their ineffectiveness which encourages the development of resistance in bacteria. In farming practice, antibiotic use is high as it increases livestock growth and finds its way into the food and the environment leading to antibacterial drug resistance.
  3. Rise of Superbugs The term super bugs is used because these are bacterial strains that can conquer a large number of antibiotics and therefore there are limited treatment options for the practitioners if any at all. These pathogens tend to multiply in a very wasteful way in hospitals and communities and cross continental borders making the control of such infections an issue of global concern.

The Role of Pharmacists in India

Professional pharmacists have an appreciable advantage when it comes to addressing the crisis of antibiotic resistance in India. Their contribution is crucial on the frontlines of these critical health concerns of antimicrobial resistance and infection control.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Pharmacists can help patients to appreciate what antibiotic resistance is all about and encourage the completion of antibiotic courses while avoiding self-medication. Campaigns are particularly relevant in rural locations where knowledge levels are very poor.

Promoting Rational Antibiotic Use

Pulled in partnership with physicians, pharmacists also ensure that the correct antibiotics are prescribed in the appropriate dosages only. For instance, they argue that antibiotics should not be administered to somebody suffering from a viral infection like a cold or the flu because it will not work.

Surveillance and Monitoring

Pharmacists in India  play an important role in the monitoring of antibiotic consumption and the resistance trends among the strains. This data will be useful in the country’s foothold in the fight against antimicrobial resistance within the context of WHO guidelines.

Improving Access to Infection Control

Pharmacists may advocate for helping to promote the awareness of the importance of proper hygiene, vaccination, and any other known effective strategies that prevent infection. Proper hygiene measures reduce the transmission of drug resistant strains of microorganisms.

Conclusion

India opines a huge challenge of fighting against antibiotic resistance. Superbugs and increasing resistance will undermine the decades’ passage of medical progress. But with an effective role played by pharmacists and a national dedication to fight against antimicrobial resistance, India can manage the spread of drug-resistant bacteria’s spread. With public education, better healthcare practices, and research support, India can preserve antibiotics’ effectiveness for generations to come.

The Drug Discovery And Development Process

November 7, 2024 No Comments

The process of bringing a new drug to market is intricate and indispensable in today’s fast-paced world of medicine. Every year, scientists take a challenging route to discover and develop treatments that can improve, extend, and save lives. Before drugs reach pharmacy shelves or the hospital, though, they must first undergo a strict, multi-step process referred to as drug discovery and development.This is where scientific knowledge is translated into practical therapies for complex disease targeting. The journey has many stages-from very origins in the laboratory as just an idea or a biological target and through extensive research, testing, and refinement, regulatory approval, and finally into patients’ pockets-it’s a process that works with precision, expertise, and relentless pursuit of safety and efficacy.

Every new drug brings hope that can make more than just the alleviation of symptoms but the treatment of root causes of diseases. Such insight into this process makes us see the painstaking work put into creating these therapies. In this blog, we will walk through all the stages-from initial research and preclinical testing to clinical trials and launch. The challenges faced by researchers and advanced knowledge which they utilize in their endeavors to move forward the future of drug development will also be covered.

Let’s Dive into the process of Drug Discovery and Development

Stage 1: The Process of Drug Discovery

India finds its drug discovery basis from the research of public and private sectors. And key players behind this movement are CSIR, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, and NIPER. Here they underline their search towards compounds related to prevalent diseases in India. The Indian pharmaceutical companies are investing in discovering unique therapeutic agents and conducting extensive screening to find promising drug leads with growing support from the government’s “Make in India” initiative. For example, it is emphasized that efforts toward plant-based and traditional medicine research allow India to leverage its rich biodiversity in the drug discovery process, making it singular in the world scenario.

Stage 2: Preclinical Testing

Preclinical testing in India is an important stage that ensures drug safety and effectiveness before it is administered to humans. The conducting authority in this regard is the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). According to CDSCO, any drug developer has to conduct all in vitro and animal studies prior to exposing his formulation on human subjects. Many of the Indian companies have already started collaborating with Contract Research Organizations to maintain cost-efficiency and make it an efficient option for the study. In addition, very crucial is the aspect of ethics, as India is stringent on animal welfare protocols taken in laboratories to ensure humane usage. At this stage, results help Indian drug developers go ahead to clinical trials confidently, since they are assured that the compounds for the drug are safe.

 

Stage 3: Clinical Development

Because of its diversified population and infrastructural costs, India has become one of the biggest destinations for clinical trials around the world. This diversification provides researchers with adequate genetic backgrounds to test drugs, which enhances the knowledge about drug efficacy and side effects. The Indian regulatory body, by the CDSCO and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), made strict regulations on the clinical development process to ensure transparency and safety in every stage of the trials. Indian companies will conduct clinical trials with strong adherence to protocol, especially as far as immunity responses are concerned such as anti drug antibodies so the drugs can emerge as both safe and efficient.

Stage 4 : Regulatory Approval And Market Launch

 India has more attention when it is put forward because through this one may have space for the reporting of side effects even after the release of the marketed drug so there is the patients’ safety in all possible ways.

Drug approval is regulated in India through the CDSCO, accompanied by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), who reviews the clinical trial data and grants approval according to consideration in terms of safety and efficacy. The Indian regulatory authorities adopt policies that expedite approvals of essential medicines so that drugs can reach the market as early as possible once they meet some of the urgent health needs. India has demonstrated that it can accelerate approvals of COVID-19 vaccines under a fast track approach. Once out in the market, drugs are watched for rare adverse drug reactions. The authorities check on manufacturers to ensure they adhere to quality and safety norms and therefore continue to bank on India’s reputation as a trusted pharmaceutical provider.




Challenges and Innovations in Drug Development

Though India is very well recognized as a generics manufacturing hub, it poses a higher cost and longer timelines for drug discovery and development along with infrastructure constraints. But recent developments such as Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and engagement with international collaborations are starting to help alleviate these inefficiencies. Innovations such as artificial intelligence in drug discovery, where faster predictions allow for quicker identification of potential drug candidates, and personalized medicine, where the treatment is precisely tailored to meet the needs of an individual, are gaining traction in India, too. The way forward in drug discovery, uniquely Indian in its approach-blending traditional medicine with the latest research-is expected to present a rich wholesome perspective for this country’s future in drug discovery, one that will redefine global health.



Conclusion

This process of drug discovery and development improves significantly in India with government initiatives and private investment. Each stage-from discovery and preclinical testing to clinical development and market launch-has to pass strict standards relating to international safety and efficacy tests. As India moves forward to further develop its capabilities, the nation stands to not only improve health outcomes at home but also take a pivotal role in addressing global health challenges. With ongoing innovation and regulatory support, the landscape of drug discovery and development in India will emerge as one of the very important players in future medicines.

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