Cathy Smith has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Texas at Austin. She is licensed in Pharmacy in the States of Texas and Michigan, and was licensed in California for some time. She has been a hospital pharmacist for twenty-three years and has worked as a clinical hospital pharmacist at a southeast Michigan teaching hospital for the last thirteen years. Her dietary turmeric needs are met monthly, as she enjoys Shrimp Curry at her local Skeptics in the Pub meeting.
Articles by Cathy Smith
The true “abortion distortion” is that these laws are actually detrimental to women’s health and their families.
If you’re like most Americans, you are probably taking some kind of supplemental vitamin. We spend close to $12 billion annually on them. How do we decide which ones to take? Do we take a multivitamin or do we take vitamins separately? How much do we need? Which brands are better? How do we know if it’s working?
A growing number of health care facilities require that all of their employees get the influenza vaccine every year in order to help prevent their patients from getting the flu. It’s a well known fact that handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections; however, vaccinations work even better in preventing the spread of influenza. Voluntary vaccination isn’t enough, however, to achieve herd immunity within the hospital community. For our employees, refusing the vaccine without a preapproved religious or medical exemption is grounds for dismissal.
“What medications do you take?”
“What?” She appeared to be sleeping. I guess it took her a moment to realize she was in her hospital bed. I was waiting for her eyes to open. I don’t usually talk to the hospitalized patients directly, but in this case, I had to make an exception.
“I take lisinopril and metformin. Who are you?”
“I’m your pharmacist. I’m dosing the blood thinner your doctor prescribed for you… to help make sure you don’t get a stroke? Your lab work came back all wacky and I’m just trying to figure out why. Do you happen to be taking any dietary supplements?”
“Turmeric” she said. “It helps with my arthritis.”