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Welcome to PharmCast—your prescription for information on the latest trends, discoveries and findings in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical science. Our PharmCast podcasts and videos feature interviews with faculty and pharmaceutical experts on a wide variety of current topics, including medication management, discoveries in new vaccines, drug regulations, and much more.

PharmCast was created in the spring of 2019 by three first-year PharmD classmates who wanted to educate fellow UGA College of Pharmacy students, the UGA campus, and area citizens about the important role of pharmacists in the community. PharmCast crew members include Kavya Balaji and Aahuti Patel, both from Suwanee, and Antoinette Morkeh from Dacula. In the spring of 2020, UGA College of Pharmacy faculty and staff collaborated with the PharmCast crew to expand the reach of the program by creating “PharmCast for the Community.” Hosted by Interprofessional Education Director Dr. Tim Brown, these podcasts and videos showcase College of Pharmacy faculty members and healthcare practitioners. The ultimate goal is to educate the citizens of Georgia about how pharmacists and other healthcare professionals impact their lives and work to keep them healthy.

Find out from the experts how the College of Pharmacy is responding to the pandemic and stay informed on all the latest pharmaceutical trends.

PharmCast for the Pharmacy Community

PharmCast for the General Community

Episode 36: Vaccine Season with Dr. Ashley Hannings Chinchilla

It is vaccine season again! Dr. Ashley Hannings Chinchilla from UGA’s College of Pharmacy talks us through vaccinations for flu, covid, and a new threat called RSV. Tune in for tips on the why, when and where of these important vaccines to prevent you from getting sick or even worse, landing in the hospital.

Episode 35: Medication Prices with Dr. Patrick Chancy

Experts estimate that in 2023, drug prices increased 6-8% from previous years. Couple this with inflation, and the average person is working hard to stay within their household budget. To help listeners navigate the maze of drug prices, Dr. Tim Brown, the College’s Director of Interprofessional Education discusses with Dr. Patrick Chancy from Chancy Drugs on how to be smart about paying for medications. Dr. Chancy has a reputation for being innovative and always placing his customers first, and he uses the podcast to give his insight on copays, Medicare Part D, planning for the doughnut hole, and how pharmacists can help you get the best price for your medications. Listen for tips of how to navigate the system and, with some work, save on your monthly budget.

Episode 34: HIV Prevention with Dr. Daniel Anderson

More than 35,000 new cases of HIV are diagnosed each year, with the number of Black women contracting the virus increasing dramatically in the Southeast. Understanding how to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections is crucial to maintaining your sexual health. Dr. Brown speaks with Dr. Daniel Anderson, an infectious disease pharmacist, about your options to decrease the chances of acquiring HIV and other infections that can be transmitted to you during sex. Watch and learn how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

Episode 33: HPV Prevention with Dr. L. Joy Baker

In the United States, approximately 36,000 new cases of cancer were caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) last year. Are you at risk of getting this virus? Join Dr. Brown as talks with Dr. L. Joy Baker, an expert on women’s health and prevention to learn more about risk of getting infected and how to stop the virus with a vaccine – more importantly, how to protect your children before they are at risk when they grow older.

Episode 32: Weight Management with Keisha Harvey

Are you overweight and frustrated? Dr. Keisha Harvey talks with Dr. Brown about newest thoughts on weight management and how just eating healthy and exercise may not be the answer for everyone. Join them as they discuss the medications that everyone is talking about and how they are changing our minds about weight loss.

Episode 31: Naloxone with Robin Elliot and Laurie Fugitt

Are you overweight and frustrated? Dr. Keisha Harvey talks with Dr. Brown about newest thoughts on weight management and how just eating healthy and exercise may not be the answer for everyone. Join them as they discuss the medications that everyone is talking about and how they are changing our minds about weight loss.

Episode 30: Monkeypox with Drs. Antonio Luis and Daniel Chastain

News media continues to highlight the spread of Monkeypox across the US. To outline the facts surrounding this viral infection, Dr. Brown welcomes two infectious disease specialists: Antonio Luis, MD and Daniel Chastain, PharmD. They discuss how the Monkeypox virus is transmitted, what symptoms to watch for, and treatment options, including the hard-to-get, non-replicating live virus vaccine. Tune in to learn if you are at risk for Monkeypox, and if so, how to protect yourself.

Episode 29: Skin Cancer Prevention with Dr. Aderonke Adeboye

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with an estimated 20% of the population developing the condition in their lifetime. This means approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. To reduce your chances of developing skin cancer, click into to this episode of PharmCast for the Community with Dr. Aderonke Adeboye, a pharmacy expert in Dermatology, who explains the different types of skin cancers and tips we can use to keep our skin healthy and cancer free. Dr. Brown and she discuss ways to protect yourself from the sun, including how sunscreens work, and common mistakes we all make with these skincare products.

Episode 28: Managing Parkinson’s Disease with Dr. Eileen Kennedy

Tune in as Dr. Eileen Kennedy, a pioneer in Parkinson’s research, discusses the symptoms and recent advances in managing the symptoms. This podcast is a must listen for those caring for family members with Parkinson’s Disease, as Dr. Kennedy addresses the newest medications that have been approved over the past two years, in addition to the latest in research from the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Episode 27: Birth Control Options with Dr. Rebecca Stone

Did you know that more than 30% of all pregnancies are unintended? To address this concern and in recognition of Women’s Month in March, Dr. Rebecca Stone, Clinical Associate Professor, joins PharmCast for the Community to discuss birth control options. Dr. Stone summarizes the choices of contraception on the market and where women can find various products. Listen as Dr. Stone educates us on the what, where, and when of birth control choices.

Episode 26: Heart Health with Dr. Devin Lavender

Combining Heart Health Month with Black History Month: Welcome to PharmCast for Community, where Dr. Devin Lavender, Clinical Assistant Professor, educates us on heart failure and its impact on different populations of patients, specifically those who identify as Black or African American. You do not want to miss Dr. Lavender giving some great tips on how family history and the way we live in our 20s, 30s, and 40s affects our hearts. Listen in so you can avoid developing a broken heart as you age.

Episode 25: Alcohol Use with Dr. Randall Tackett

Are you attempting a Dry January? Set your resolutions for 2022 to watch your alcohol use? Tune in to PharmCast for the Community and listen to Dr. Randall Tackett, Professor and Associate Department Head of CoP’s Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, and Dr. Tim Brown, CoP Director of Interprofessional Education and Producer of PharmCast, discuss alcohol use and the latest research to make us “smart drinkers.” Dr. Tackett specializes in in helping patients with use of drugs and alcohol, so he provides the facts we need to tune up alcohol use in 2022.

Episode 24: Movember with Drs. Henry Young and Ewan Cobran

On average, men in the U.S. live five years shorter than women. To increase awareness, November has been renamed “Movember” to shine a light on men’s cancer screenings and mental health needs. Join Drs. Henry Young and Ewan Cobran as they talk with Dr. Brown on why this month is all about the man. Tune in and find out ways for men to stay healthier and prolong their lives, as these two experts give us tips on how to be better at caring for ourselves. Happy Movember 2021!

Episode 23: Advocating for the Pharmacy Profession to Keep You Safe

“Advocating for the Pharmacy Profession to Keep You Safe” is the topic of discussion this month as Dr. Tim Brown welcomes Dean Kelly Smith to PharmCast for the Community. Click in to discover how pharmacists are adapting to the ever changing healthcare world and what University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy is doing to prepare the next generation of pharmacy providers to care for our communities. Dean Smith provides insight on the pharmacy profession, what is occurring nationally in healthcare, and how pharmacists are playing a significant role in educating and caring for their patients.

Episode 22: Managing Your Cholesterol with Dr. Alix Schnibben

What should you know about your cholesterol? Dr. Alix Schnibben, an ambulatory care pharmacist at the Northeast Georgia Physician Group, is this month’s guest on UGA’s PharmCast for the Community. Drs. Brown and Schnibben discuss how to stay healthy by lowering your cholesterol to help prevent future heart attacks and strokes. So, click that play button and listen to steps you need to take to live longer!

Episode 21: Flu Vaccines with Dr. Ashley Hannings

Flu season is fast approaching, but what does that mean for us as we continue to fight COVID? Dr. Ashley Hannings is this month’s guest on “PharmCast for the Community,” when she and Dr. Brown discuss flu vaccines, how they work, and why it is more important than ever to get yours this year. Tune in to hear how this season could be like no other, and what you need to know to stay as healthy as possible.

Episode 20: Sunscreen with Dr. Aderonke Adeboye

As we all start to enjoy our summer, it is important to stay safe in the sun. Click in and listen to Dr. Aderonke Adeboye, Dermatology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with Emory Healthcare, as she discusses skin cancers and how to choose and use sunscreens. She and Dr. Brown review how to read the sunscreen labels, so you can get the one that suits your family for the best price and who should use sunscreens (Hint: EVERYONE should use sunscreens). Dr. Adeboye also discusses how to reduce your chances of developing skin cancer with tips on how to stay safe while in the water, working on our lawns, and just living outdoors with others again.

Episode 19: Allergy Medication with Dr. Andrew Blake

Allergy season is here in full force and many of us are suffering from runny noses, itchy eyes, and stuffy heads. Join Dr. Tim Brown as he talks with Dr. Andrew Blake from Gwinnett Drugs on how to choose over-the-counter medications to manage these pesky symptoms. Dr. Blake goes into detail about which type of medication you need based on your symptoms, and gives great tips for kids, women who are pregnant, and even those looking to save a little cash as they tackle all the choices in the allergy aisle at their local pharmacies.

Episode 18: National Medication Take Back Day with Dr. Ashley London

National Medication Take Back Day is Saturday, April 24 from 10 am – 2 pm in all communities. Listen in as Dr. Tim Brown, the College’s Director of Interprofessional Education, talks with Dr. Ashley London, the Pharmacy Manager at Barney’s Pharmacy in Augusta, on how you can get rid of outdated or no longer used medications safely. Dr. London discusses the need to do some medication spring cleaning to decrease the chances of old drugs falling into the wrong hands. A must-listen for anyone who is cleaning out a home after the loss of a loved one. Their program will tell you how to find a drop off spot in your area and what drugs you can put in the collection bins. Takes the pressure off of you to find a way to clean out and discard medications while keeping your community safe!

Episode 17: Managing Diabetes with Dr. Sharmon Osae

Tune into the March edition of “PharmCast for the Community,” when Dr. Sharmon P. Osae, CoP faculty member and family medicine pharmacist, talks with Dr. Tim Brown about updates in the medications used to manage diabetes. The two walk you through the newest oral medicines and how they not only lower blood sugar, but they also offer protection from heart attacks, strokes, and kidney damage. Dr. Osae also discusses some of the recent technology updates that can be used to monitor blood sugars and how they are changing the way diabetes is being managed. As always, the show is designed to help you live a healthier life.

Episode 16: Advocacy

Join Dr. Tim Brown and his guests, Greg Reybold, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel for the Georgia Pharmacy Association (GPhA), and Dr. Jennifer Shannon, Owner of Lily’s Pharmacy in Johns Creek and a GPhA board member, who discuss the role pharmacists and GPhA are playing in assuring communities have access to the COVID-19 vaccines in Georgia. You’ll learn why community pharmacies are the best way to receive the vaccine and why it is important that a pharmacist, as the medication expert, is involved in your vaccinations.

Episode 15: COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A

Special Edition of PharmCast for the Community: As we anxiously await the statewide distribution of COVID vaccines, this special edition was recorded to answer your questions so you can be ready when it’s your turn to be vaccinated. Tune in as Dr. Brown talks with Drs. Ashley Hannings and Daniel Chastain, two of Georgia’s pharmacy leaders playing a part in the rollout of these vaccines to our communities.

Episode 14: Smoking Cessation with Kay Brooks

Join Dr. Tim Brown as he talks with Kay Brooks, a pharmacist and nationally certified Health and Wellness Coach, on how to be successful quitting nicotine. Ms. Brooks gives some great tips on which medications work best to stop smoking and outlines some common sense tips to keep you from getting frustrated during your journey. It’s a new year – what better time than to focus on ourselves and make good choices for our health?

Episode 13: How to Survive the Holiday Feast

This month Dr. Tara Koehler, Pharm.D., who specializes in Digestive Health, joins the “PharmCast for the Community” family to discuss how to manage heartburn and reflux during the holidays. She gives great advice on how to eat smart as well as some rules to help you reduce stomach problems and she even goes a step further and gives some great information on which medications work best if you decide to splurge.

Episode 12: Dr. Timothy Brown interviews Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020, Pharm.D. Student and Prescription Safety Advocate

A conversation with Miss America, Camille Schrier, discussing her initiative “Mind Your Meds: Drug Safety and Abuse Prevention from Pediatrics to Geriatrics” and how this relates to naloxone access and saving lives. Dr. Brown welcomes Daniel Rogers, Co-Chair of UGA’s chapter of Generation Rx, as a co-host in talking with Camille about opioid misuse and how we can save lives by educating the public about naloxone and why to keep naloxone handy if and when it may be needed for a loved one. The trio also discuss National Take Back Day and how to “demedication” your home to decrease the chance of opioids being misused. Click on the link now to listen to Miss America educate us about Minding Our Medications!

Episode 11: Dr. Timothy Brown Interviews Dr. Daniel Chastain on vaccine access and how to avoid a “twindemic”

Dr. Daniel Chastain, UGA College of Pharmacy Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Infectious Diseases, joins host Dr. Tim Brown to discuss access to vaccines and how influenza interacts with COVID-19. Dr. Chastain explains how to avoid the possibility of a “twindemic”–a severe flu season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode 10: Dr. Timothy Brown Interviews Dr. Renad Abu-Sawwa on Pediatric Vaccines during the Pandemic

Dr. Tim Brown interviews Dr. Renad Abu-Sawwa, clinical assistant professor and pediatric neurology pharmacist at the College of Pharmacy in Augusta. She discusses pediatric vaccines, why it’s important that children continue to visit their pediatrician to get their vaccines, and how to catch up on vaccines if they fall behind schedule during the pandemic.

Episode 9: How Pharmacists Are Helping with COVID Testing

Tired of sitting in lines or trying to figure out where the Department of Health is located so you can be tested for COVID-19? Tune in to PharmCast, hosted by Dr. Tim Brown, and learn how community pharmacies are rising to the challenge. Dr. Brown’s guests will be Neil Wohlford. RPh ‘95, and Kevin Hatcher ‘01, PharmD, both of WalMart, who will discuss how your local pharmacists are stepping up to meet the testing challenge.

Episode 8: COVID Testing & You with Dr. Suzanne Lester

Dr. Suzanne Lester, a local family medicine physician, joins Dr. Tim Brown on UGA’s College of Pharmacy PharmCast for the Community to discuss how she is working with her team to offer Coronavirus testing for those unable to get to a testing site. Dr. Lester addresses the test method as well as who should be tested as the fight against COVID-19 continues. She also talks about the spread of the virus and why testing is so important in understanding how this infection works. Listen for tips and even how to find a testing center in your community.

Episode 7: How a Virus Works and What We May Be Facing in the Months Ahead

Dr. Michael Welton, a UGA postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the College of Public Health, joins PharmCast for the Community to remind us how a virus works and possibly what we may be facing in the months ahead as we reopen Georgia. Dr. Welton also will discuss why we needed to flatten the curve and exactly what this time has bought us as we await the surge of the disease. His background in researching the Zika virus and how it impacted communities places him in a unique position to discuss SARS-CoV-2’s proposed activity in the coming months.

Episode 6: Life Inside an Intensive Care Unit with Dr. Trisha Branan and Dr. Susan Smith

Dr. Trisha Branan and Dr. Susan Smith discuss life as pharmacists working inside an intensive care unit during the pandemic. The conversation ranges from what they have witnessed as part of the healthcare team helping patients and their families in the hospital to what it is like protecting their own families after their return home from the hospital.

Episode 5: Bruce Jones on New Ways to Attack Coronavirus

Dr. Bruce Jones, an infectious disease specialist from the Savannah area and an adjunct professor in the College of Pharmacy, talks to Dr. Tim Brown about new ways to attack coronoavirus (SARS-COV-2), including Remdesivir. He also discusses why we need blood donations from those that have been infected since their blood could lead to possible immunity from the virus for others not exposed.

Episode 4: Mental Health and Well-being During COVID-19

Listen to Staci Pfeiffer EdS., LPC, CPCS, MAC, a licensed professional counselor and founding clinical director of The Banyan Tree Center in Athens, GA, as she addresses well-being and gives tips on maintaining your lifestyle during quarantine. In addition, she discusses when we should seek professional help for our mental health when all the stress and uncertainty starts to cause problems we cannot solve ourselves.

Episode 3: Fighting COVID-19 in the Community with Dr. Patrick Chancy

Dr. Patrick Chancy Discusses How He is Fighting COVID in His Community

Dr. Patrick Chancy discusses all he and his team at Chancy Drugs are doing to ensure a healthy community, for example compounding hand sanitizer for first responders, answering questions about over the counter medications for cough and colds, and performing “drive-in” counseling with patients in the parking lot to answer all their questions–6 feet apart of course.

Dr. Patrick Chancy on Why You Should Ask Your Pharmacist for Advice to Stay Healthy

Dr. Patrick Chancy gives advice on Vitamin C and other over the counter products as well as why you should continue to take all your medications. He also discusses how to gain access to your refills and the changes allowing you to get a 90-day supply even if your prescriber is not immediately available.

Guest expert on the audio and video above: Dr. Patrick Chancy ’17, is a pharmacist at Chancy Drugs in Hahira, Georgia.

Episode 2: What is a Virus and How Do We Fight It?

Listen to Dr. Scott Pegan, a leader in drug development, define a virus and discuss potential new drugs that we can use to fight COVID. Dr. Pegan also addresses the research surrounding hydroxychloroquine as well as the development of a COVID vaccine and how long it will take for us to see one on the market for widespread use.

Guest expert on the audio and video above: Dr. Scott Pegan, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, and Director, UGA Center for Drug Discovery

Episode 1: Expert Commentary from Pharmacists Fighting COVID-19

Videos:

Part 1: Staying Healthy and COVID-19 Testing: Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Part 2: Medications Against COVID-19: Do They Work? Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Part 3: Why You Should Not Stop Your Chronic Medications: Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Guest experts on the videos above: Dr. Christopher Bland, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist practicing in Internal Medicine; Dr. Daniel Chastain, Board Certified Infectious Disease Clinical Pharmacist; Dr. Bruce Jones, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist practicing in Infectious Disease

Podcasts:

Part 1: Staying Healthy and COVID-19 Testing: Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Part 2: Medications Against COVID-19: Do They Work? Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Part 3: Why You Should Not Stop Your Chronic Medications: Advice from Clinical Pharmacists

Guest experts on the podcasts above: Dr. Christopher Bland, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist practicing in Internal Medicine; Dr. Daniel Chastain, Board Certified Infectious Disease Clinical Pharmacist; Dr. Bruce Jones, Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist practicing in Infectious Disease

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