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Kent Richardson
Kent Richardson graduated from the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy in 1972. Kent has owned and operated Richardson's Pharmacy, a retail independent pharmacy, and Richardson's Medical, a Durable Medical Equipment and Oxygen company in Wichita, KS since 1973. He also owns Custom Rx, Inc., a compounding only pharmacy in Wichita, KS. Since 1988, Kent has served on the Board of Directors of PACE Alliance, the largest retail pharmacy-buying group in the United States, and is currently Vice Chairman of that organization. He has also served as President and Chairman of the American College of Apothecaries, an international professional association of pharmacists, and has served on their Board of Directors for 14 years. Kent holds memberships in the National Community Pharmacists Association, American Pharmaceutical Association and the Kansas Pharmacy Association and has served and is still serving on various committees for these organizations. His employment history includes serving as Marketing Director for a regional Prescription Benefit Management Company (PBM) for twelve years. For the last seven years he has been instrumental in the development of Right Choice Pharmacy, a totally unique concept in the cost-effective provision of maintenance prescriptions via community pharmacies. You can reach Kent Richardson at Richardson's Custom Rx Pharmacy (316) 721-2626 located at 3510 N. Ridge Rd. in Wichita, or visit their website at www.customrx.net
Pharmaceuticals
2005-02-01 11:24:00
Are herbal medicines safe?
: Are Herbal Medicines Safe?
ANSWER:  The market for dietary supplements, including herbal medicines and other botanical remedies, is growing tremendously in the United States.  Of the nearly 18 billion dollars spent on dietary supplements, approximately $4 billion of it was for herbs and other botanical products.There are, however, concerns about the lack of regulation and oversight of these products.  While most perceive that botanical products are safe because they are "natural" products, some of them are potentially toxic and may not be what they seem to be.  According to the December 19, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, in the past year the Food and Drug Administration issued warning about potentially harmful effects to the kidney and/or liver, and cancer-causing effects of the botanical products containing Kava, comfrey, and aristolochic acid.  These are herbal remedies used widely in the United States.One of the major problems with herbal products is the lack of consistency in their composition and biologic activity.  Because of variations in the plants themselves and the methods by which they are harvested and processed, many botanical products do not contain the amount of the compound stated on the label.  As such, their potency and activity in the body may vary.  Secondly, some herbal products contain heavy metals or prescription or over-the-counter drugs that are not indicated on the label.  In 1998, the California Department of health stated that about one-third of the Asian patent medicines sold in California were adulterated, or contained undeclared drugs or heavy metals.Another concern is that botanical medicines, if taken with prescribed medications, can change the way the prescribed medications work.  These herb-drug interactions are potentially serious, and are especially noteworthy in situations where people take many medications for chronic diseases.  Consumers of botanical products should purchase these products where credible and authoritative information about the products is available.  Be aware that promotional claims for products on the Internet may be misleading, with potentially serious consequences.  Tell you physician and pharmacist of any herbal medications that you may be taking for assistance in choosing products based on sound medical evidence.
 
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