Job interviews are always stressful. And when you’ve just graduated and are looking for your first job in a new career, it can be even more daunting than usual. The stakes can seem higher, and you want to make the best impression possible. For pharmaceutical quality control students, there are added challenges. Companies in the sector tend to conduct extremely detailed interviews, not only discussing your personal experience and goals, but also asking about quality control and quality assurance practices, often in great detail. It can be an intimidating experience for graduates, but with the right knowledge and a little.. READ MORE »
Who doesn’t love Aspirin? It’s a common drug can treat pain, fevers and inflammation. In low doses, it can even prevent heart attacks, strokes and blood clotting. As a result, it is no surprise that many major pharmaceutical companies offer their own version of the drug. Last week at AAPS, instructor Jason Chu led a lab session where students were taught how to conduct various laboratory tests on Aspirin in an effort to evaluate various properties such as; product purity, identity, safety and quality. These pharmaceutical tests are useful because they provide students with technical skills that are required.. READ MORE »
Professionals who have taken pharmaceutical courses know that although drugs and pharmaceuticals are created with the intention of treating one ailment, extensive testing can sometimes uncover results that prove it more effective for treating something else. A recent study rendered results showing that memory loss in women living with Alzheimer’s disease remained stable for one year while they were taking a drug that is commonly used to treat advanced prostate cancer. Experts who have had clinical research training know very well that it is extremely rare to find a drug or therapy that is able to stabilize memory loss for.. READ MORE »
Passing by the produce section of the grocery store, you might switch it up and decide to get the organic Red Delicious apples, which cost twice as much as the non-organic. In the cracker, cereal, bread and yogurt aisles, you’re again given the option of alluring organic brands. Many people spend more on organic because they associate the term with a healthier and more wholesome product – but is this really true? What is “Organic”? Organic products rarely make the claim that they are “healthier” – this is instead a result of effective food marketing. Anyone in food quality training can.. READ MORE »
Taking a plane to visit grandparents in Florida, or a sibling living overseas can be a fun way to spend your holidays. However, be aware that travelling during the winter makes us particularly vulnerable to the flu. With so many people sick during the winter season, germs can collect quickly in enclosed areas like trains, buses or planes. So what’s your everyday traveller supposed to do to keep their immune system on lock-down while travelling, and avoid arriving sick at their destination? We’ve got everything you need to know about staying healthy while on the go. Bring Hand Sanitizer Even.. READ MORE »
In Canada alone, there are approximately 250 food recalls each year. Although some of these incidents are labelled as low risk, others have the potential to spread serious illnesses like E. coli, listeria and salmonella. As consumers, it’s important to stay informed about any food products that carry health risks—a fairly simple task given today’s excessive media coverage, accessible easily via TV, computers and cell phones. But did you ever wonder how an item gets recalled in the first place? Who identifies the safety threat? Who gets products removed from store shelves? Keep reading to find out everything you.. READ MORE »
As a restaurant chain existing since 1940 and serving 86 million customers every day, McDonald’s certainly has a reputation—both good and bad. In recent years, this reputation has begun to dwindle with the release of documentaries like “Supersize Me” posing serious questions about the health effects of the restaurant’s food. As our attitude (and education about) food evolves, McDonald’s must try even harder to win over customers who are far more likely to exchange burgers and fries for green beans and quinoa. Last year, the company saw a 1.5% dip in sales, following a 0.2% dip from the year before… READ MORE »
If we think of a vigilante as someone doing good for the general public, it is easy to understand the need for vigilance in pharmaceuticals. Pharmacovigilance is both a job and a duty within the healthcare sector to monitor, assess and prevent the adverse long and short term effects of medicine. If you have an interest in scientific work and have received a drug safety and pharmacovigilance certificate, there are several careers involved in this field. As an employee in pharmacovigilance, you will use scientific techniques to monitor, research and evaluate data from healthcare providers on the effects of medication.. READ MORE »
Dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, humans have enjoyed the making and drinking of wine. The health benefits of wine – particularly the red variety – have been praised by everyone from scientists to sommeliers, reinforcing the common belief that a little red wine each day is actually good for our bodies. Clinical research on the subject has been rich and varied, featuring investigations into wine’s potential to protect against depression, breast cancer, the signs of aging, liver disease – and even sunburn! And now, a new study has emerged linking wine consumption with protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD), a condition.. READ MORE »
It seems that alternative applications for diabetes drugs are popping up all over the place. We recently discussed clinical research out of Belgium that revealed the unexpected anti-aging properties of metformin – the world’s most used diabetes medication. It actually toughens up cells so they stay stronger and live longer, keeping the signs of aging at bay. And now, at a recent meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, researcher Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer announced that a different type 2 diabetes treatment called Liraglutide not only promotes weight loss, but also reverses the course of pre-diabetes. Competitive Results The study.. READ MORE »