VGI Announces the Launch of DISMISS� Instruments for the VerteLoc™ Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization System

VGI Announces the Launch of DISMISS® Instruments for the VerteLoc™ Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization System

VGI introduces a revolutionary surgical instrument system that is smaller in diameter than a pencil. The DISMISS® instrument system is designed specifically for the implantation of the VerteLoc™ Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization System and will be unveiled at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons meeting in Phoenix, Arizona starting on March 12, 2009.

Winston-Salem, NC (PRWEB) March 3, 2009 -- VG Innovations, Inc. (www.vginnovations.com) (VGI), announces the launch of a new surgical instrumentation system, named DISMISS®.

"DISMISS® stands for Directional Instrument System for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery," stated VGI's President and CEO, Dan Grayson. "We have received very positive feedback from our surgeon users, regarding the biomechanical advantages of the VerteLoc™ Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization system, so the next logical step was to further refine the system's current instrumentation. We have now taken minimally invasive spinal facet fusion to a whole new level with the DISMISS® instruments."

"The DISMISS® instruments, used specifically for the implantation of the VerteLoc™ implants, are smaller in diameter than a pencil," noted Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer Dr. Tov Vestgaarden. "In addition, we have not only reduced the size, but also the number of instruments required for surgical implantation. This is just the beginning of a whole new era in surgical instrumentation from VGI."

"New sets of the DISMISS® instruments will be distributed during the second and third quarters of 2009 to select VGI distributors throughout the United States," Grayson added. "These new instruments will allow our distributors to introduce the VerteLoc™ system to a more diverse surgeon base."

The VerteLoc™ Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization System (www.verteloc.com) is designed to allow earlier intervention in the continuum of spinal care. The procedure should prolong or prevent more invasive spine procedures in indicated patients, which would provide significant benefits to the quality of life versus traditional methods of spinal fusion.

Company Profile

VG Innovations, Inc, is a privately held company and was formed in late 2007. The company is in the business of developing and commercializing proprietary, implantable devices with a specific focus on minimally invasive surgical products that could provide better surgical solutions over present technology. The products are designed to treat specific spinal disease indications that affect millions of people. More information on the company and its products can be found at: www.verteloc.com.

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Contact Information Dan Grayson

VG Innovations, Inc

http://www.verteloc.com

336-760-2012

The Health Alliance's Dennis Robb Announced Contracting Professional of the Year by The Journal of Healthcare Contracting

The Health Alliance's Dennis Robb Announced Contracting Professional of the Year by The Journal of Healthcare Contracting

Pioneer in healthcare supply chain honored for accomplishments

Dallas (Vocus) March 3, 2009 -- Dennis Robb, senior vice president, supply chain management (www.broadlane.com), The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, was recently announced 2008 Contracting Professional of the Year by The Journal of Healthcare Contracting.

Described as a pioneer in healthcare for more than three decades, Robb was selected to receive this honor based on his accomplishments in supply chain management and history of clinical and executive leadership.

As the senior vice president of supply chain management (www.broadlane.com) for The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Robb is continually seeking avenues for improvement for the 929-bed health system and manages its $369 million supply and capital spend. Robb is also responsible for initiation of value analysis committees and leadership of multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacy, information technology and bioengineering professional for the management of capital procedures, contracting and contract compliance, system-wide standardization, price verification documentation of audited savings, vendor negotiations, environmental responsibility and economic inclusion.

"We congratulate Dennis on his latest achievement," said David Ricker, president and chief executive officer, Broadlane. "He is a valuable member on our Executive Steering Committee, helping drive all contracting decisions and awards. Dennis has also emerged as a leader in Supplier Diversity, working with the Broadlane Supplier Diversity Contracting team to implement the methods by which to execute and track results of The Health Alliance's supplier diversity initiative."

One of Robb's most notable achievements is the 2008 Corris Boyd Leadership and Diversity Award from the Federation of American Hospitals. This award was presented for Robb's efforts to create an environment of cooperation and commitment within The Health Alliance, which helped the health system reach a $23 million diverse supplier spending goal in its first year.

"I work daily with Dennis on supply chain initiatives," said Ruby Kern, vice president, enterprise accounts, Broadlane. "In my 35 years of supply chain experience, I've never come across anyone as passionate as Dennis is about meeting supply chain, environmental and supplier diversity goals."

In 10 months, The Health Alliance reached and exceeded the $23 million target with certified diverse suppliers and was recognized with awards from the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. The number of diverse suppliers grew 360 percent over a year. Over the past three years, the organization has maintained its commitment, spending a total of $90 million with diverse suppliers.

"We are very proud of Dennis' newest honor as Contracting Professional of the Year," said Ken Hanover, chief executive officer, the Health Alliance. "He has done an extraordinary job managing our supply chain. Dennis' optimism, professionalism and commitment to excellence are outstanding attributes, and this recognition is something in which we can all take pride."

About The Journal of Healthcare Contracting

The Journal of Healthcare Contracting is the only publication that is solely devoted to the contracting arena of healthcare. It focuses on the interactions of the four primary stakeholders in healthcare contracting: health systems and their facilities, manufacturers and suppliers, distributors and group purchasing organizations. The participants in the contracting arena will grow to rely on The Journal of Healthcare Contracting for industry understanding, insight into the minds of thought leaders and collaboration opportunities amongst contracting constituents.

About The Health Alliance

The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, which includes the University, Jewish and Fort Hamilton hospitals, Drake Center, West Chester Medical Center and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care, continues to be Cincinnati's largest healthcare provider and recently expanded its physician practice by acquiring Greater Cincinnati Associated Physicians. The Health Alliance, which employs 7,800 people, has been recognized for its progressive supplier diversity and disability services programs. For more information on the Health Alliance, visit

www.health-alliance.com.

About Broadlane

Broadlane is the leading cost management company for healthcare providers. Broadlane's scalable business solutions optimize operational performance and achieve significant cost savings, thereby improving the overall financial performance of its clients. Its core services include supply chain management and clinical workforce management services.

Broadlane's comprehensive supply chain services include:

• Unparalleled national and custom contracting for supplies, pharmaceuticals, equipment and purchased services

• Innovative Procurement Services and purchase transaction management

• Clinical Services for managing clinical preference items and operating room and cath lab spending

• Comprehensive Materials Management Services - including outsourcing

• Informatics - benchmarking, advanced analytics and reporting

• Supply chain technology and e-commerce

Broadlane Workforce Management™ addresses nurses and allied healthcare practitioners and includes:

• External shift and agency management services

• Internal shift management, including electronic shift auctions

• Regional nurse float pool management and internal agency management

• E-commerce workforce exchange linking healthcare providers, clinical staff and agencies, enabling efficient shift management and fulfillment and reconciliation

Broadlane's clients include leading providers such as Advocate Health Care, Ascension Health, Beaumont Hospitals, CHRISTUS Health, Continuum Health Partners, Kaiser Permanente, Kindred Healthcare, MedCath Corporation, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, Tenet Healthcare, The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, US Oncology and UMass Memorial Health Care.

The company is headquartered in Dallas with offices in Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, New York City and Oakland. For more information, visit www.broadlane.com.

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Contact Information Jim Webb

http://www.broadlane.com

972-813-7782

Sunetics' New Laser Paddle Brush for Hair Enhancement Provides Largest Coverage Area of All Hand-Held Devices

Sunetics' New Laser Paddle Brush for Hair Enhancement Provides Largest Coverage Area of All Hand-Held Devices

New hair enhancement laser device offers best coverage available.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) March 3, 2009 -- Sunetics International announces the official launch of the new Laser Paddle Brush, an advanced at-home hair care device for men and women with weak or thinning hair that delivers a greater degree of low level laser energy to the scalp than any other hand-held unit on the market.

"Sunetics' Laser Paddle Brush is an important advancement for consumers as it provides the maximum level of scalp coverage at a more optimal low level laser energy wavelength than any other 'brush' or 'comb' currently available," said Dr. Charles Maricle, Chief Technological Officer of Sunetics International. "Low level laser therapy has been demonstrated to effectively improve the appearance of hair, making it look fuller, thicker, shinier and healthier."

With the new Laser Paddle Brush, Sunetics has enhanced the size of the laser area by creating three rows of laser diodes utilizing 12 true laser diodes. Sunetics also uses its patented technology to expand the laser beam pattern, thus creating a superior coverage area of laser energy. The Laser Paddle Brush was developed to deliver the largest coverage area of all hand-held devices so that consumers can experience in the privacy of their own homes the maximum amount of laser energy at the optimal wavelength level. The average usage time is just 10 minutes per day, three times per week.

"Customers who use the Sunetics' Laser Paddle Brush for at-home laser hair therapy care will also be able to use it on the road when they travel since it is so portable as well as rechargeable," says John Carullo, Director of Marketing for Sunetics.

Key Facts for Consumers About the Sunetics' Laser Paddle Brush:

•    Maximum Laser Energy - Designed with 12 true laser diodes, the most of any other hand-held unit on the market. Each laser diode used for hair rejuvenation has a wavelength of 650 nm.

•    Superior Scalp Coverage - Uses multiple, wide-pattern, true laser diodes to provide maximum coverage of the scalp for men and women. The laser diodes are positioned on the brush to produce an expanded elliptical laser light pattern that provides maximum coverage of the scalp.

•    Portable - Unlike other hand-held laser devices that are plugged in, the Laser Paddle Brush is cordless and uses a rechargeable battery to make it portable and easier to use with maximum energy.

•    Unique Bristle Design - A true laser "brush," the device has over 75 soft, gentle scalp-massaging bristles. The unique soft bristles are designed to not break or damage fine or weakened hair.

•    Certified, Patented and Approved - The Laser Paddle Brush is a U.S. patented device (#7,258,695) that is CE-certified and complies with all FDA manufacturing standards and safety regulations for personal use as well as 11 FDA performance standards for laser products.

Evidence for Low Level Laser Hair Therapy:

In January of 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially cleared the first hand-held laser device (www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf6/K060305.pdf) to treat hair loss and to re-grow hair.

Previous cosmetic clinical studies performed by Sunetics have shown that, as a result of its laser hair therapy program, 86-percent of participants reported the appearance of healthier hair, 78-percent reported the appearance of thicker hair, 76-percent reported the appearance of fuller hair and 85-percent of the participants reported overall satisfaction with the Sunetics Laser Hair Therapy program.

About Sunetics International

Sunetics International is a leading U.S. manufacturer of low level laser devices that are regularly used by doctors for the care of weak or thinning hair. Sunetics also offers devices for acne, wrinkles and skin rejuvenation. Established in 2003, Sunetics is a registered cosmetic manufacturer with the FDA and provides both hand-held laser devices and in-office clinical laser units. For more information about low level laser devices or products from Sunetics, visit www.sunetics.com or call 1-888-266-2232.

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Contact Information John Carullo

Sunetics International

http://www.sunetics.com

888-266-2232

CIRM Completes Briefing Visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies

CIRM Completes Briefing Visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies

Leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ("CIRM") completed a two part visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. ("Stemedica") to tour its manufacturing facility, R&D lab and corporate headquarters.

San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) March 2, 2009 -- Leadership of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ("CIRM") completed a two part visit to Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. ("Stemedica") to tour its manufacturing facility, R&D lab and corporate headquarters.

"I was glad to have the opportunity to visit Stemedica and get to know more about its leadership, plans for the future and to see first hand the assets and potential they represent to the stem cell movement in California", said Dr. Alan Trounson, President of CIRM. "We want to have strong working relationships with all sectors of California's stem cell industry, including for-profit companies like Stemedica."

Prior to Dr. Trounson's visit, Dr. Marie Csete, CIRM's Chief Scientific Officer had the opportunity to visit Stemedica's manufacturing facility and R&D laboratory. "We're delighted to see Stemedica make the effort to secure a clinical grade manufacturing license from the State of California. We believe this capability will aid numerous organizations in California and around the world in their efforts to manufacture stem cell products for clinical application", said Dr. Csete.

"We were pleased to have Dr. Trounson and Dr. Marie Csete visit our facilities and receive a briefing from our leadership", said Dr. Maynard Howe, Stemedica's Vice Chairman & CEO. "We continue to play a pivotal role in the evolution of the stem cell industry in California and believe a supportive working relationship with CIRM is an essential part of this process.

Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., Scientific Director and Senior Vice President of the Del E. Webb Center for Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, San Diego, CA, joined Dr. Trounson during his visit to Stemedica's manufacturing facility. "I was impressed with the progress that Stemedica has made on the licensing process for clinical grade allogeneic stem cell manufacturing and am excited about expanding our research relationship with the Stemedica team. Having a manufacturing resource like this in California will be a great asset to our entire research community. I anticipate that many CIRM-funded stem cell research institutions will take advantage of Stemedica's manufacturing facility that will soon become FDB (Food & Drug Board) cGMP licensed."

Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, Stemedica's President and Chief Medical Officer organized the visits for Dr. Trounson, Dr. Csete and Dr. Lipton. "We're delighted that these outstanding leaders within California's stem cell movement took the time to find out more about Stemedica and our plans to lead this industry from a manufacturing standpoint. We will continue to seek the wise counsel of CIRM in an effort to align our efforts with theirs. In addition, we are expanding our collaborative research efforts with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and several other California stem cell research institutions", said Dr. Tankovich.

About Stemedica Technologies, Inc.:

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. (http://www.stemedica.com (http://www.stemedica.com)) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company that is committed to the development and manufacture of best-in-class adult stem cells for use by approved research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Within the United States, the Company is currently developing regulatory pathways for stroke, traumatic brain injury and wound repair. Outside the United States, Stemedica provides its adult stem cells to hospitals and research centers that are conducting studies under protocols approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. These studies are focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, sight restoration and wound repair. Stemedica is based in San Diego, California.

About CIRM:

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was established in 2005 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was overwhelmingly approved by voters, and called for the establishment of an entity to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research opportunities. To date, the CIRM governing board has approved 229 research and facility grants totaling more than $614 million, making CIRM the largest source of funding for human stem cell research in the world. For more information, please visit http://www.cirm.ca.gov (http://www.cirm.ca.gov/).

Media Contact for Stemedica: Dave McGuigan at dmcguigan (at) stemedica.com.

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Contact Information Dave McGuigan

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc

http://www.stemedica.com

+1 858 658 0910

Medisoft Clinical EHR Software to Be Funded By New Economic Stimulus Plan

Medisoft Clinical EHR Software to Be Funded By New Economic Stimulus Plan

The economic stimulus plan signed by President Obama includes funding for the long awaited EMR software (also called EHR Software) (electronic medical records software, or electronic health record) for doctor's offices and can result in better patient care and treatment.

(PRWEB) February 28, 2009 -- Doctors wondered when the time would come that EMR software (http://www.medicalcharting.com) would bring their offices into the future. They suspected the government would pay for it and many have not purchased the software due to this. Today they found out that indeed the government will begin footing the bill for this state of the art Medisoft Clinical EHR software (http://www.medicalcharting.com/medisoft-clinical-medisoft-emr-software.htm).

Congress passed the stimulus package which is one of the largest ever. Over $20 billion is included in the form of grants and loans as well as other incentives to spur health care into the future by paying for the latest technology. This will be a large boon to the health care industry by providing doctor's offices and clinics with the software that will allow one click access to patient information.

MedicalCharting.com is an affiliate of Selent & Associates, Inc. Founded in 1989, this Port Charlotte, Florida company started as a general business services company. However, due to the vast background in health care related services, the company changed their focus to serve medical and physician offices and health care. Members of the Charlotte County, Florida Chamber of Commerce since 1988, this is a company that has committed to making the area of medical records a simpler process for health care providers.

MedicalCharting.com is a leading provider of integrated electronic health records software is thrilled that the health care industry will finally have access to the tools it needs to manage patient's electronic medical records. By providing funding for this crucial system, the health care industry is taking one giant step forward when it comes to the safety and security of the patients who depend on it.

While doctors have waited for this technology to be implemented for years the transition will be much quicker now that the government will be funding up to $64,000 maximum per provider.

The number of Medisoft users that will be affected by this stimulus program is around 80,000 and growing. The new software offered by MedicalCharting.com, called Medisoft Clinical EMR Software (http://www.medicalcharting.com/medisoft-clinical-medisoft-emr-software.htm), is designed for 1 -5 doctor practices. With the start of government funding, doctors are being encouraged to call and discuss the setup of this program for their practice and to help determine how much they can get reimbursed. With all the benefits of EHR software such as appointment scheduling, medical billing, prescriptions, lab results and more the safety of the patient is assured using this software more than ever before. Some of the primary benefits of adoption of Electronic Medical Records or EMR Software will be more accurate prescriptions, quicker diagnosis and treatment of patients, and saving of lives.

Harry Selent, President of www.MedicalCharting.com says "This EHR software (http://www.medicalcharting.com/index.htm) (Medisoft Clinical) will allow the doctors ultimate access to the patient's medical history and avoid the duplication of tests, medications and treatments. The patient's medications, vital information, documents and all treatments received would be in one place for ease of access by the doctor treating them, and no more problems of reading physician notes and prescriptions."

Excitement is high as this much awaited program is beginning to become more of a reality. MedicalCharting.com invites doctors to contact them to discuss the prospects of this groundbreaking new era in medicine. To find out more about how to make the transition in your practice contact http://medicalcharting.com or call them at 888-691-8058 or 941-743-6666.

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Contact Information Harry Selent

www.medicalcharting.com

http://www.medicalcharting.com

9417436666

Stemedica Medical Team Cautions Patients About Stem Cell Therapy & Comments on PLoS Medicine Article

Stemedica Medical Team Cautions Patients About Stem Cell Therapy & Comments on PLoS Medicine Article

Stemedica provides its observations and comments to the media regarding the PLoS Medicine article published online February 17, 2009. The PLoS Medicine article describes a patient who developed "brain tumors" (glioneuronal neoplasms) after undergoing repeated transplants of "fetal neural stem cells" in Russia starting in 2001.

San Diego, California (PRWEB) February 27, 2009 -- Stemedica Cell Technologies (http://www.stemedica.com), Inc. ("Stemedica") provided its observations and comments to the media regarding the PLoS Medicine article published online February 17, 2009. The PLoS Medicine article describes a patient who developed "brain tumors" (glioneuronal neoplasms) after undergoing repeated transplants of "fetal neural stem cells" in Russia starting in 2001.

"All of us at Stemedica would like to extend our condolences to the young patient involved in this situation and our hope is for a speedy and positive outcome to this unfortunate experience. Never before have we or any of our Principal Investigators ever encountered such an occurrence either in our own research or in any of the published research", said Dr. David Howe, Stemedica's Vice President and Medical Director.

"We want to use this unfortunate incident to warn those seeking stem cell therapy abroad," warns Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, President & Chief Medical Officer of Stemedica, "to make certain that the manufacturer of the stem cells used in transplantation comply with the rigid standards that have been established by the FDA and other Internationally-recognized regulatory agencies. The future of this industry and the safety of all future patients depend on such adherence." FDA Compliance and Surveillance Standards can be referenced by visiting www.fda.gov/cber/compliance.htm (http://www.fda.gov/cber/compliance.htm).

The report in PLoS, Donor-Derived Brain Tumor Following Neural Stem Cell Transplantation in an Ataxia Telangiectasia Patient (http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000029), describes the development of multifocal glioneuronal neoplasms along the spinal nerves and brain stem in a 13-year-old patient who underwent repeated transplantation procedures in an attempt to treat ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). A-T is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder known to have an increased risk of developing cancer.

Malignancy and neoplasia are common in A-T secondary to deficient cellular and humoral immunity. This immune deficiency is a contra-indication to stem cell transplant therapy. In addition, the mutations associated with A-T in the A-T mutation gene lead to mutations in nuclear protein, which normally repairs DNA. This loss of DNA repair combined with immune deficiency in A-T increases risk of neoplasia with and without cellular transplant therapy in A-T.

"Due to age, children and adolescents have significantly increased quantities of growth factors. Adding stem cells, known for their growth factor production capabilities, to a child with this presenting condition may have been a contributing factor. As in the administration of pharmaceuticals, many of which are not recommended for use in children and adolescents in the same way as in treating adults, great care must be taken in using stem cell therapy with this population of patients", said Dr. Michael Bayer, Stemedica's Director of Medical Services.

Based on the facts and references cited within the PLoS Medicine article, researchers have discovered that some of the cells were female and had two copies of the gene that causes A-T. Karyotype testing was reported in this case which confirms inadequate testing of the stem cells prior to transplantation. "The stem cell preparation protocol provided to the parents by the treatment team was reviewed and found to be inadequate by our standards", said Dr. Howe. "No cell characteristics, cell markers or bio-safety data was present. Mechanical desegregation in the 8-12 week age fetus is not recommended. Enzymatic separation is preferred, a process that also removes any dead cells that may be present. There is also a significant lack of detail on the number of cell passages as well as the dispersion of the neurospheres", Dr. Howe went on to say.

Dr. Alex Kharazi, Stemedica's Vice President for Manufacturing & Research observed, "Limited cell culturing in only 12-16 days as described in their protocol is like using a crude primary culture of cells. There are numerous risks associated with using crude cell preparations that have not been subjected to rigid manufacturing and testing protocols such as purity, identity and potency. In addition, the antibiotics used to manufacture the stem cells, are potentially neurotoxic." Dr. Kharazi went on to say, "Overall the description provided for the manufacturing protocol was vague and a poor example of what a well thought out manufacturing and safety-driven process should be. For example, there was no data provided relating to tumorgenicity, toxicity, or bio-distribution testing of the manufactured cells in nude mice which is a mandatory requirement as a first and critical step to assessing cell safety."

"Stemedica is committed to a manufacturing process that puts safety first at all times. Our stem cell product lines go through extensive testing during several stages of the manufacturing process and are also subjected to in-depth pre-clinical studies before filing with the FDA and other regulatory agencies for clinical trials", continued Dr. Kharazi. "Nothing is more important than the welfare of the patient and there is no explanation that can justify any deviance from compliance to FDA guidelines for the manufacturing and testing of stem cells prior to administration. These are the guidelines we follow and any patient considering stem cell therapy, at any location worldwide, should confirm that the manufacturer is in full compliance before they decide to undergo stem cell transplantation." warns Dr. Kharazi.

About Stemedica Technologies, Inc.

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. (http://www.stemedica.com (http://www.stemedica.com)) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company that is committed to the development and manufacture of best-in-class adult stem cells for use by approved research institutions and hospitals for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Stemdedica complies with the standards and guidelines established by the FDA and the FDB (Food and Drug Board) in the manufacturing and testing of its stem cells. Within the United States, the Company is currently developing regulatory pathways for stroke, traumatic brain injury and wound repair. Outside the United States, Stemedica provides its adult stem cells to hospitals and research centers that are conducting studies under protocols approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies. These studies are focused on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, sight restoration and wound repair. Stemedica is based in San Diego, California.

Media Contact for Stemedica: Dave McGuigan at dmcguigan (at) stemedica.com.

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Contact Information Dave McGuigan

Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc

http://www.stemedica.com

+1 858 658 0910

Pharmacists Encourage Patients To Seek Their Guidance When Choosing OTC Medications

Pharmacists Encourage Patients To Seek Their Guidance When Choosing OTC Medications

Eighty-three percent of Patients Select OTC Products Recommended by Their Pharmacist

Washington, D.C. (Vocus) February 25, 2009 -- According to the most recent Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey conducted by the American Pharmacists Association (http://www.pharmacist.com/) (APhA), pharmacists believe that 83 percent of consumers purchase over-the-counter products that were recommended by their pharmacist. With more than 100,000 nonprescription medications on the market and more than 1,000 active ingredients, it's critical that patients consult their pharmacist to maximize the benefits from medications and minimize the potential for harmful drug interaction and/or side effects.

The survey, completed by nearly 1,000 APhA member and non-member pharmacists, also reveals that on average pharmacists counsel 31 patients per week about over the counter medications. Patients who seek their pharmacist's advice include patients suffering from an acute or chronic condition (92 percent), patients that are worried about using an OTC product with other prescription medications (84 percent), and patients worried about taking OTC products with a specific disease/condition (74 percent).

"Pharmacists are the only health professionals specifically trained in nonprescription medications," said John A. Gans, APhA's Chief Executive Officer. "Patients can take an active role in self care by reading medication labels, knowing the active ingredients in their medications, and asking their pharmacist questions."

One of APhA's goal in conducting the annual Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey is to educate consumers that pharmacists have the knowledge and training to help them select right OTC medications. As part of the survey, pharmacists are asked to tabulate the OTC products they recommend per week in 77 different product categories. The results of the survey are published as a supplement to the February issue of Pharmacy Today (http://www.pharmacytoday.org/index.htm). Click here to view the entire Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter (http://www.pharmacytoday.org/index.htm) Supplement.

As the medication experts, pharmacists are trained in both prescription and over-the-counter medications and can provide patients with important information about how medications may interact with certain foods, other medicines or dietary supplements. Pharmacists are the most accessible health care providers and APhA encourages patients to actively seek their advice about the proper use of medications.

About the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

The American Pharmacists Association (http://www.pharmacist.com/), founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the uniformed services.

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Contact Information Erin Wendel

American Pharmacists Association

http://www.pharmacist.com/

202.429.7558