ASHP Educates Pharmacists About Risks To Celiac Patients From Gluten In Medications

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry;  Public Health
Article Date: 19 Oct 2007 - 7:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

ASHP is alerting pharmacists about the safety risks that unlabeled gluten in medications pose for patients with celiac disease, as part of USA Weekend's Make a Difference Day.

USA Weekend is partnering with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to raise awareness about celiac disease during the newspaper's Make a Difference Day 2007, the largest national day of community service. ASHP has developed two educational pamphlets about the issue, one for pharmacists and one for consumers.

An estimated three million Americans have celiac disease, but less than 100,000 are accurately diagnosed. The only treatment is a gluten-free diet, which means eliminating wheat, barley and rye.

Activities related to Make a Difference Day will raise awareness of the disease among healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dietitians, as well as the general public, in an effort to increase accurate celiac diagnoses and improve patient care.

http://www.ashp.org