: About Me

As a registered pharmacist, I practiced for several years at a national university hospital, where I ran the drug information service. Beyond dispensing and counselling patients on their medication, I administered continual education activities and managed a team of pharmacists in handling medication-related enquiries throughout the hospital. I reported on and developed protocols for the monitoring of adverse drug reactions and actively conducted drug reviews and evaluations to identify the best combinations of safe, effective and low cost drugs for use in the hospital. At other institutions, I subsequently expanded my clinical skillset, dispensing to and counselling a wider array of patients at various private and public hospitals, also taking on the role of an on-call pharmacist with a national drug and poisons information centre.

I like to balance 3'c's in my activities and complementing the 'c'linical aspect has always been a 'c'reative one.

I have actively written articles for healthcare magazines and taken on engagements with various organizations specializing in medical and healthcare communications. Some of my roles have included that of medical journalist, editor, managing editor and consultant. I have developed healthcare content for various media from print to web, started a magazine from scratch as well as authored and managed several healthcare publications including a recently published book on LASIK surgery. I currently manage a company that produces continual education material for healthcare professionals and custom healthcare publications for the general public with the twin goal of providing innovative communication tools that cater to the development of healthcare practices and the better living of patients.

My research into patient care favours medication review wherein I firmly believe that patients should be taking the right medication only when necessary and in a safe and effective way that minimizes errors and costs. I have developed a renal medication review service and presented research findings at a pharmacy congress. I have also conducted research into injectable medication for treating osteoarthritis and recently had a review article on halting the allergic march published in the April 2008 issue of the World Allergy Organization Journal.

I have a Masters in Health Service Management, that follows from an honours degree in Pharmacy at the graduation of which I delivered the valedictory address. I have previously garnered awards in English and Literature and now strive towards combining my interests in developing a unique language to healthcare and wellness.

I describe myself as personable, resourceful and adventurous and continue to seek out activities that broaden my perspectives. Now actively involved in various medical missions, I liken the experience gained from such endeavours to an integral cog in the wheel of 'c'ontentment.

My passion is ...

articulating healthcare strategies

I know too much about ...

medicines yet learn something new each day

My parents always told me ...

give the world your best

My childhood ambition ...

to grow up and figure the rest out later

My favorite memory ...

the laughter of loved ones

Why I write ...

to create, to express and to shape the world

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

the political and healthcare happenings that affect us all

My first job ...

looking out for my sibling

My best moment ...

is yet to be

My inspiration ...

the blessings that come with each new day

Health & Fitness > Prescription & Medication The dangers of expired drugs

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Expired drugs are commonplace and inertia notwithstanding, many of us tend to rely on an intuitive sense of their value in continuing to store and use them. Such drugs can be harmful to health in several ways; they can be unpredictable in effectiveness, simply ineffective, or even toxic. The formal way of classifying a drug as having expired is through it's labeled expiry date. This date is often set based on a combination of the common properties of the dosage form as well as the stability and expiration studies of the product that have been conducted by the manufacturer. Importantly, thi...

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Writing:

• 2Citizen Journalism Awards
• Marketplace Approved Writer
• Helium Charter Member