A Call for an Integrated Program of Assessment.

An integrated curriculum that does not incorporate equally integrated assessment strategies is likely to prove ineffective in achieving the desired educational outcomes. We suggest it is time for colleges and schools of pharmacy to re-engineer their approach to assessment. To build the case, we first discuss the challenges leading to the need for curricular developments in pharmacy education.

Modelling costs and outcomes of expanded availability of emergency contraceptive use in British Columbia.

Background: Emergency contraception (EC) can potentially reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions. However, these agents are underused due to lack of awareness and barriers to utilization. While earlier economic evaluations have indicated that use of EC is potentially cost-effective, recent evidence of a lower risk of pregnancy following unprotected intercourse than previously reported suggest prior studies may have over-estimated cost savings.

Outcomes of bupropion therapy for smoking cessation during routine clinical use.

Background: Knowledge pertaining to the effectiveness of smoking cessation treatments and patient characteristics that may affect success may enable smokers and clinicians to select individualized treatment for each patient and ultimately increase the success rate of smoking cessation in general.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of bupropion as a smoking cessation agent when used in routine clinical practice.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study with a one year follow-up period.

Effects of making emergency contraception available without a physician's prescription: a population-based study.

Background: Timely access to emergency contraception has the potential to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and subsequent abortions. A public health policy initiative in British Columbia beginning in December 2000 allowed pharmacists to provide emergency contraceptives (ECs) without a prescription. We sought to determine changes in EC use after the policy was introduced and to analyze EC use with data generated by the policy.

Assessment of communication barriers in community pharmacies.

This study identified previously reported facilitators and barriers to pharmacist-client communication and then evaluated their impact on the observed communication behaviors of pharmacists. Pharmacists (n = 100) completed a seven-page questionnaire collecting information on 11 variables that had been organized according to the Policy, Regulatory and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Ecological Development (PROCEDE) model as predisposing, enabling, or reinforcing of pharmacist communication with their clients. Demographic variables also were included.