The impact of distance education via interactive videoconferencing on pharmacy students' performance in a course was assessed after implementation of a distance campus. Students filled out a "Student Demographic Survey" and a "Precourse Knowledge Assessment" at the start of the course and a "Postcourse Knowledge Assessment" and a "Postcourse Student Perceptions Survey" at the end of the course. The primary end point, a comparison of course grades (%) between the main and distance campuses, was examined using the two-sample t-test. We examined the relationships among demographics, campus location, course grades, grade point average, pre- and postcourse knowledge assessments, and postcourse perceptions as our secondary end points with parametric and nonparametric tests. Data from 93 students were included in the analysis [main campus ( n = 81); distance campus ( n = 12)]. Students on the main campus achieved a significantly higher final course grade (87 vs. 81%; P = 0.02). Scores on the Postcourse Knowledge Assessment were also significantly higher compared with those of students on the distance education campus (77 vs. 68%; P = 0.04). Students on both campuses reported self-perceived improvement in their knowledge base regarding various aspects of infectious diseases. Compared with the students on the distance campus, those on the main campus were more likely to subjectively perceive that they had succeeded in the course ( P = 0.04). Our study suggests that students on the main campus achieved a higher final course grade and were more likely to feel that they had succeeded in the course. Students on both campuses reported improvement in knowledge.

Medical misinformation is more pervasive today because of widespread and near instantaneous dissemination of information via the internet and social media platforms. Consequences of medical misinformation may include decreased uptake of needed health care resources, delays in seeking care, vaccine hesitancy, medication non‐compliance, increased disease outbreaks and/or burden, and increased hospitalization and mortality. It disproportionately impacts underserved populations, including Black patients, those who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more), and patients with reduced health literacy skills or who are digitally disadvantaged. Medical misinformation challenges health care professionals not only to provide the best care possible, but to assist patients in finding accurate information. Preprint publications, although potentially beneficial in rapidly disseminating new scientific discoveries, often have not undergone peer review and may contribute to the widespread propagation of inaccurate or overstated results, thereby perpetuating the spread of medical misinformation when it exists. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic highlighted the importance of practicing evidence‐based medicine and the need for cautious review of preprint publications and articles from predatory publishers in addition to usual and customary literature evaluation techniques. Everyone plays a role in preventing the spread of medical misinformation, with pharmacists uniquely positioned as trusted and highly accessible professionals who may help combat its spread. The goal of this article is to define medical misinformation and related terms, outline mechanisms by which it is spread, describe its clinical impact, highlight how it disproportionately impacts underserved populations, provide actionable strategies to prevent its spread, and give examples of practical tactics to help identify, correct, and alert individuals about the possible presence of medical misinformation.

Objective. To determine if an educational intervention in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program increases pharmacy students' ability to identify plagiarism. Methods. First-year (P1), second-year (P2), and third-year (P3) pharmacy students attended an education session during which types of plagiarism and methods for avoiding plagiarism were reviewed. Students completed a preintervention assessment immediately prior to the session and a postintervention assessment the following semester to measure their ability. Results. Two hundred fifty-two students completed both preintervention and postintervention assessments. There was a 4% increase from preintervention to postintervention in assessment scores for the overall student sample (p,0.05). The mean change was greatest for P1 and P2 students (5% and 4.8%, respectively).Conclusion. An educational intervention about plagiarism can significantly improve students' ability to identify plagiarism.

A 34-year-old woman presented with acute and progressive pain in the upper abdomen with worsening nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Her pain was described as severe, sharp and stabbing, with radiation to her chest and back. The patient's amylase and lipase levels were only mildly elevated. However, triglyceride levels (10,039 mg/dL) were markedly elevated upon presentation and no other causes of acute pancreatitis (e.g. obstruction, alcohol and medication) were identified. The patient was treated with opioids to control her pain and gemfibrozil was initiated to reduce her triglycerides. In addition, the patient received enoxaparin for deep vein thrombosis prevention and insulin for hyperglycaemia which also have been shown to decrease elevated triglycerides. The patient subsequently required antibiotic therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam after developing fever and an elevated white blood cell count. We review the role of adjunctive therapy with heparin and insulin in a patient with recurrent pancreatitis probably because of hypertriglyceridaemia and medication non-compliance.

When drug therapy is necessary and cannot be avoided during a pregnancy, the decision of what drug therapy is best may be difficult for the health care provider because the vast majority of drugs are classified as Pregnancy Category C. This classification indicates that information regarding the risk to the fetus is unknown. For ethical reasons, pregnant women are not included in drug studies, so most decisions regarding the safety of a particular drug are based on animal studies, available cases reports, or are theoretical and are based on pharmacokinetic properties. Fortunately, with the development of Pregnancy Registries, more information has been collected, analyzed, and is available regarding the safety of drugs during pregnancy. These registries have expanded in recent years allowing better determination of fetal safety for triptans and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The information assists health care providers in selecting optimal therapy for women seeking pregnancy or those already pregnant. This review presents the most recent information for the treatment and prophylaxis of migraines and seizures during pregnancy.