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 I? want to thank Jen Hutson for posting this message about pharmacists to the listserv.

I actually meant to let the list know about it, but never got around to it!

I am the Director of Public Relations for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the group mentioned in the message.? We are the national professional organization for pharmacists who work in hospitals and health systems.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease almost three years ago.? Almost a year ago, I volunteered to help the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) with a local Gluten-Free Cooking Spree.? That was the beginning of a fabulous relationship with this great organization!

ASHP has been incredibly supportive of efforts to educate pharmacists and bring about some important changes to help people with celiac disease.? I'm so proud to work for an organization that has really taken up the banner for this important health issue.

Here's some of the great things happening in addition to the information posted in the previous message...

1) On December 3, Heidi Collins (CNN Newsroom Anchor and national spokesperson for the NFCA) gave her time to give a very entertaining and really moving talk as emcee for our national meeting.? This is the largest international meeting of pharmacists...with more than 22,000 attendees.? There were more than 8,000 pharmacists in the audience who learned from Heidi about the danger that hidden gluten in medications poses for people with celiac disease!

2) At this same meeting, Heidi introduced the incredible Dr. Maya Angelou as the key note speaker.? Dr. Angelou shared with the audience that her own great granddaughter has celiac disease!

3) This national meeting also featured an educational session specifically for pharmacists which was presented by Robert Mangione, Dean of the pharmacy school at St. Johns University.? There were thousands of pharmacists in attendance who learned about the presence of gluten in some medications and that they should consider malabsorption due to undiagnosed celiac disease as a possible reason why a patient's drug therapy may not be working as expected.

4)? Additionally, ASHP is in the process of developing official organizational policy calling for drug manufacturers to label botanical sources of starch used in medications.

We've done all of this fabulous work in partnership with the NFCA.? I'm thrilled to be associated with both organizations.

Hopefully, people will find that pharmacists in hospitals are more familiar with our special issues and patients will be safer!

I'll keep the list posted on developments and new projects as they come!

Ellen Wilcox


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jen Hutson <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:13 pm
Subject: Gluten and Pharmacists - ASHP Pamphlet










---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender:       Celiac/Coeliac Wheat/Gluten-Free List <[log in to unmask]>
Poster:       Jen Hutson <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Gluten and Pharmacists - ASHP Pamphlet
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Thought this article and/or pamphlet might be helpful to some of you.  The =
ASHP is trying to better educate pharmacists on gluten and medications:  ht=
tp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86125.php

=20
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