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Pharmacy Microteaches

Pharmacy Microteaches

By Dave Abbott

Run-throughs of core concepts in pharmacy, approached pragmatically. Plus quizzes.
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Currently playing episode

What's The Point Of... an ePMA pharmacist?

Pharmacy MicroteachesSep 26, 2022

00:00
07:41
How to think about... summary statistics ("short" version)

How to think about... summary statistics ("short" version)

For those who can't even spare 8 minutes, this podcast clocks in just north of 5. How can we explain what the different summary statistics actually mean?
Aug 15, 202305:28
How to think about... summary statistics ("long" version)

How to think about... summary statistics ("long" version)

Coming in at nearly 10 minutes, this is the long version of the summary statistics podcast. What are they, why do we like certain ones over others, and how do they behave?
Aug 15, 202309:28
How to think about... sustainability in pharmacy

How to think about... sustainability in pharmacy

With the world imploding and the climate crisis emerging, what role does pharmacy and medicines have in the area? And more importantly, what can we do as individuals working in the area to make things better and make a difference?
Aug 08, 202308:51
Why don't pharmacy departments have windows?

Why don't pharmacy departments have windows?

Of all the many conundrums of hospital pharmacy, this is possibly one of the greatest - why are most of them designed with terrible offices and no windows? Just in time for your summer holiday, this is the pharmacy / architecture crossover podcast episode you never knew you needed but now can't live without. Covering Florence Nightingale, germ theory, the birth of the NHS, the Linstead and Noel Hall reports, plus the omnipresent and omni-malevolent Toyota method, this is a whistle stop tour through pharmacy history to try to explain this most puzzling fact.
Jul 31, 202308:35
How to think about... SPCs

How to think about... SPCs

What's the plural of "Summary of Product Characteristics"? Summaries of Product Characteristics, or Summary of Product Characteristicses? Just one of the many questions this podcasts doesn't answer (because it's only 8 minutes long and about pharmacy stuff so there's loads of stuff outside the bounds of the podcast). But if your question is "how should I think about SPCs, and what are their benefits and limitations," then you've just hit the jackpot by finding this podcast! And if that wasn't your question - why not? Listen anyway, to find out why it should have been. Enjoy!
Jul 24, 202308:26
How To Think About... Volume of Distribution

How To Think About... Volume of Distribution

Just when you thought pharmacy couldn't get more interesting, here we go with a podcast about pharmacokinetics basics. What is a volume of distribution, what does it mean, and why should we care? All this and even more epic stuff! Hold onto your hats, kids - this is going to be a wild one! Give it a listen and see if exceeds your (low) expectations! (We've tried to keep it to under 7 minutes to compensate for the subject matter)
Jul 17, 202306:52
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Rosie!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Rosie!

It's a quiz. On a Friday. About pharmacy things. There's almost zero chance you'll get 6/6
Jul 14, 202301:25
Eptinezumab and network meta-analyses

Eptinezumab and network meta-analyses

We're back into critical appraisal of unpronounceable medicines! Using eptinezumab as an example, how does it work to treat migraines, how well does it work, and most importantly, how did NICE use a network meta-analysis to look at how good it is compared to its equally unpronounceable friends? What is a network meta-analysis, and what are the key points? Enjoy!
Jul 10, 202308:57
1 Minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Ben!

1 Minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Ben!

It's back! It's a quiz! It's about a minute long! It's on a Friday! That's pretty much all there is to say. Oh, apart from question 5 - you can have a point if you get within 5 of the answer (we're feeling generous as it's the first week back - it won't happen again)
Jul 07, 202301:29
What's The Point Of... Radiopharmacy?

What's The Point Of... Radiopharmacy?

We're back! Asking "what's the point" of more bits of pharmacy. Many thanks to Hannah and Olivia for taking the time to explain the world of radiopharmacy. What exactly is it? Why's everything so heavy to lift? And why do they always seem to be in so early in the mornings? Only 8 minutes out of your day to find out!
Jul 03, 202308:32
What's The Point Of... Medical Gases?

What's The Point Of... Medical Gases?

Medical gases are medicines, but often relatively neglected by pharmacy - so it's time for a review of what they are and why we should care about them, all provided by our guest expert, Lucy. There's so much stuff we've been slightly flexible (but not that flexible - we are still pharmacy) and given her 10 minutes instead of the normal 8. Loads of content with this one - the only thing you'll not find out is why gases only has 1 "s" in the middle, when all the laws of English would suggest it should have 2. Give it a listen - what have you got to lose?
Mar 27, 202310:12
Pholcodine, case control studies and odds ratios

Pholcodine, case control studies and odds ratios

Never one to miss a bandwagon, with the recent announcement of the withdrawal of pholcodine it seemed an ideal opportunity to look at the study that provided the data to prompt the review. How does pholcodine make you more likely to have an allergic reaction to neuromuscular blocking agents? How do we know? And whilst we answer these questions, we'll also talk about case control studies and odds ratios too. There's not much more fun you can pack into an 8-ish minute podcast!
Mar 20, 202309:19
Imlifidase and commercially confidential information

Imlifidase and commercially confidential information

This week, we're having a look at the fancy new imlifidase, which is used around renal transplant and costs a small fortune (though may be worth it - in the grand scheme of transplants and dialysis, most drugs costs pale into insignificance). What does it do, what do NICE think, and can we play along and see whether we'd get to the same conclusions as NICE - or does commercial confidentiality get in the way and ruin all our fun? Only 8 minutes to find out!
Mar 13, 202308:04
How to think about... liver function

How to think about... liver function

One of the most common questions we get asked about medicines where there isn't a straight forward answer is how to work out whether a medicine is harming someone's liver, or whether someone's liver is affecting a medicine. For kidneys we have eGFR and CrCl. For liver we have LFTs. But why is it not that simple, and how can we start thinking about these sorts of questions to try to make it a bit simpler? This isn't a podcast about what a specific LFT means at specific levels (because - spoiler alert - LFTs don't work like that) but does try to give an overview of what sorts of things to think about and what common pitfalls might be.
Mar 06, 202308:43
What's The Point Of... Pharmacy Clinical Trials Services?

What's The Point Of... Pharmacy Clinical Trials Services?

A quick 8 minute tour of pharmacy-specific bits of clinical trials and what the point of them is. What do pharmacy clinical trials teams actually do, and why?
Feb 28, 202308:07
How to think about... half lives

How to think about... half lives

In pharmacy, we often bang on about half lives, but what are they actually useful for, and what are the limitations of the values we're given in SPCs? This podcast aims to be a whistle stop tour of half lives, covering some of the interesting things about them and when they might lead us astray (and hardly any maths at all, in case you were worried).
Feb 20, 202308:48
1 Minute(ish) Friday Micro-quiz: Bob!

1 Minute(ish) Friday Micro-quiz: Bob!

It's a Friday Quiz! But with Bob!
Dec 16, 202202:28
1 minute (ish) Friday micro-quiz: Kerry!

1 minute (ish) Friday micro-quiz: Kerry!

A quiz! About pharmacy things! With Kerry! And a hint of Canada!
Dec 09, 202202:13
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Rebecca and Sally!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Rebecca and Sally!

A quiz! About pharmacy things! With Rebecca and Sally!
Dec 02, 202201:45
Evusheld in 2022: critical appraisal things

Evusheld in 2022: critical appraisal things

Missing novel Covid treatments and cutting edge pharma tech? Well, don't worry because Evusheld is the newish monoclonal antibody thing that might be useful as a prophylactic treatment for those people for whom vaccines don't work. But how do we know what do we know, what don't we know, and how can we make this all comprehensible if someone asks us about it?
Nov 28, 202208:52
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Eve!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Eve!

It's a quiz! About antibiotics! With Eve!
Nov 24, 202201:53
What's The Point Of... Free of Charge Schemes?

What's The Point Of... Free of Charge Schemes?

It's a bit niche (or is it?...) but why would a company give away it's shiny new drug for free? Why do these schemes exist? What's in it for the drug company? What's in it for the NHS? What are the risks? Overall - what's the point? Just under 8 minutes of your life needed to get a potted summary and find out!
Nov 21, 202207:49
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Andrew!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Andrew!

A Friday Quiz! With Andrew! How many can you get?
Nov 18, 202201:48
What's The Point Of... Integrated Care Systems?

What's The Point Of... Integrated Care Systems?

Finally - they're here! But what exactly is an Integrated Care System or ICS, and why have they been created? Park your cynicism and have a whistle stop tour of ICSs, ICBs, ICPs to meet the saviours of the NHS. Plus bonus material on the previous iterations of SHAs, DHAs, PCGs, PCTs, CCGs, and any number of TLAs in the NHS! It's going to be an excellent way to spend 8 minutes of your life!
Nov 14, 202208:46
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Anniela!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Anniela!

Another quiz! From Anniela!
Nov 11, 202201:24
What's The Point Of... the Yellow Card Scheme?

What's The Point Of... the Yellow Card Scheme?

To tie in with Medicines Safety Week, we're having a look at the Yellow Card Scheme - what is it, why do we have it, and why is it a really important thing that everyone should make efforts to join in and contribute their adverse event reports.
Nov 07, 202208:46
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Chris!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Chris!

A quiz! With Chris!
Nov 04, 202201:22
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Alison!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Alison!

Halloween-themed pharmacy 1 minute quiz, with the legendary Alison!
Oct 31, 202201:38
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Hannah!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Hannah!

Pharmacy! Quiz! Hannah!
Oct 21, 202201:24
Molnupiravir: Panoramic and directness of evidence

Molnupiravir: Panoramic and directness of evidence

It's third time out for molnupiravir, with the preliminary results of the Panoramic study. Does molnupiravir work at preventing admission to hospital? Does Panoramic support the findings of Move-Out? How directly linked to our patients are the two trials? What on Earth is a Bayesian credible interval? There's a lot to cover in just over 8 minutes!
Oct 19, 202208:41
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Lucy!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Lucy!

Week 5, with a new guest host Lucy, of medical gases fame!
Oct 14, 202201:37
DOACs: what to think about when prescribing or using

DOACs: what to think about when prescribing or using

In a trial first of a kind, this week we've rented out the podcast to the inestimable Chris Day and Katherine Stirling from Leeds Teaching Hospitals to talk about the practicalities of managing DOACs. Who should get what? What do you need to do when a patient is admitted to hospital? What do patients and GPs need to know when patients leave the hospital taking them? There's a Leeds flavour to things, but useful to all wherever you are. 8 and a bit minutes to do some practical learning!
Oct 10, 202208:57
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Charlie!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Charlie!

Back for week 4 of the pharmacy nano-quiz, this time with Charlie "I used to be an MI pharmacist" Daniel
Oct 07, 202201:35
Lecanemab: Alzheimer's, press releases and relative risk

Lecanemab: Alzheimer's, press releases and relative risk

Lecanemab is the shiny new medicine for Alzheimer's that's been in the press - a 27% decrease in progression sounds great, plus it's a 'mab, so it must be cool. But how might it work, what do we actually know from the press release, and what do we need to have a closer look at?
Oct 03, 202207:46
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Ollie!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Ollie!

Congratulations for finding your way back for week 3's quiz offering. Only just over a minute to test your pharmacy knowledge!
Sep 30, 202201:29
What's The Point Of... an ePMA pharmacist?

What's The Point Of... an ePMA pharmacist?

What's the point of an ePMA pharmacist? What's an ePMA? Why is FHIR cool and interesting? What does DM+D stand for? If acronyms are your thing, this podcast might be right up your street. And we also talk about how electronic prescribing systems are overall a good thing, and what pharmacy can contribute to making them better.
Sep 26, 202207:41
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Shereen!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Shereen!

The pilot quiz wasn't hated, so here's the first official one!
Sep 23, 202201:24
What's The Point Of... Medication Safety Officers?

What's The Point Of... Medication Safety Officers?

In honour of World Patient Safety Day, we're asking the question - what's the point of Medication Safety Officers? Why do we have them? What do they do? What problems are they trying to solve and how can they make your life better? How are they like Liam Neeson? It's only just over a 7 minute listen to find out!
Sep 20, 202207:07
1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Sumrah!

1 minute(ish) Friday micro-quiz: Sumrah!

Friday micro-quiz - pilot episode!
Sep 16, 202201:26
What's The Point Of... Medicines Management Nurses?

What's The Point Of... Medicines Management Nurses?

Back on the "what's the point of..." various bits of pharmacy, today we're asking what's the point of medicines management nurses? What do they do, and why can't pharmacists just do everything?
Sep 12, 202206:24
What's The Point Of... A Virtual Ward Pharmacist?

What's The Point Of... A Virtual Ward Pharmacist?

Keeping on with the "What's The Point Of..." topics, this week we've dared to step outside of a hospital (though not too far) and are having a look at what a virtual ward pharmacist does. What do they actually do, and how is it different to a non-virtual ward pharmacist?
Aug 30, 202208:20
The hierarchy of evidence triangle thingy
Aug 22, 202209:04
What's The Point Of... Pharmacy Procurement?

What's The Point Of... Pharmacy Procurement?

It's finally here! The much anticipated (ok, maybe not anticipated - delayed may be a more accurate description) "what's the point of pharmacy procurement?" Why do we run out of medicines? Why do different areas of the country use different products? Why should this stuff be important to you? Only 8 minutes of your time to spend listening to this podcast to find out!
Aug 01, 202207:58
Alpelisib, indirect comparisons and confidentiality of data

Alpelisib, indirect comparisons and confidentiality of data

Welcome back! It's been a couple of weeks, but we're back with a new podcast now we've got a believable excuse to avoid talking about pharmacy procurement again. This time, we're going to talk about alpelisib, how it works, the problems you get into when you try to do indirect comparisons between different trials, and how data being confidential makes looking at stuff for yourself really difficult.
Jul 24, 202208:38
Tecovirimat for monkeypox and directness of evidence

Tecovirimat for monkeypox and directness of evidence

Sticking on the critical appraisal theme, we have a look at tecovirimat, the antiviral suggested as an option for the treatment of monkeypox. How does it work, what does it do, how do we know, and how confident are we in the evidence base? As part of this, we have a think about the directness of evidence, and how far it might be sensible to extrapolate from the data we have to different clinical scenarios.
Jun 27, 202208:41
Kennel cough vaccines and managing theoretical risks

Kennel cough vaccines and managing theoretical risks

Going back to critical appraisal (we'll go back to finish the series of "what's the point of..." various different bits of pharmacy next time), we're having a look at the risks around getting your dog vaccinated against kennel cough. Are you going to catch kennel cough from them yourself? When we say "there's a theoretical risk" what do we mean? And if we know what we mean, do the people we're explaining things to take the same meaning from what we say? How do we help people to optimise the risks they might take in a world where we don't have definite numbers to work with?
Jun 17, 202208:05
What's The Point Of... Pharmacy QA?

What's The Point Of... Pharmacy QA?

Following on from last time's "what's the point of Medicines Information services", this time it's the turn of pharmacy QA. What do they actually do, and why might they be good people to know? Thanks to QA Hannah for QA'ing this one.
Jun 10, 202206:36
What's The Point Of... A Medicines Information Service?

What's The Point Of... A Medicines Information Service?

Following on from last time's podcast, we continue on a theme of having a look at some of the less often seen bits of pharmacy departments and services. This time out, it's Medicines Information (or Medicine Advice) services in the NHS. Back in the 1970s when they started, the world was a different place and information was hard to come by. But now, when you can get millions of guidelines and papers after a quick search of the internet, what function do they serve? With thanks to all those who helped to give me a pharmacy history lesson last year when MI in the UK turned 50!
May 24, 202207:26
What's The Point Of... A Drug and Therapeutics Group?

What's The Point Of... A Drug and Therapeutics Group?

Going in a slightly different direction with this episode, we're looking at bits of pharmacy and asking "what's the point?". But, you know, in a positive way. This time, what's the point of having a Drug and Therapeutics Group - a group in your organisation who get to decide which new medicines get used. What value does a DTG add, and what benefits does it deliver?
Apr 28, 202208:11
Methenamine hippurate and non-inferiority studies

Methenamine hippurate and non-inferiority studies

What is methenamine hippurate? Is it as good as prophylactic antibiotics for recurrent UTIs? And most importantly, how come the recent trial could, perfectly legitimately, say it was non-inferior whilst it also looking to the casual observer as being marginally less good? What does non-inferiority mean in clinical trials, and why do people get twitchy about delta values?
Apr 08, 202208:51