Impact of deprescribing intervention on potentially inappropriate medications and clinical outcomes among hospitalized older adults in Malaysia: a randomized controlled trial (REVMED RCT) protocol.

Background: Polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are prevalent among older patients admitted to hospitals, posing a heightened risk of adverse drug events. This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention in reducing medications, PIM and improving clinical outcomes, using the locally developed Malaysian Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing Screening tool in Older Adults (MALPIP).

Methods: This is an 18-month cluster-randomized, open-label, parallel-arm controlled trial conducted at 14 public hospitals in the Perak state of Malaysia.

Experience and attitudes of pharmacists towards challenges and adaptive measures to new norm in ward pharmacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges to the ward pharmacy practice. Challenges arose due to new norms in the ward pharmacy practice. Adaptive measures to overcome these challenges were important to sustain the quality of pharmaceutical care.

Exploring the possible targeting strategies of liposomes against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Multi antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are on the rise due to the overuse of antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the pathogens listed under the category of serious threats where vancomycin remains the mainstay treatment despite the availability of various antibacterial agents. Recently, decreased susceptibility to vancomycin from clinical isolates of MRSA has been reported and has drawn worldwide attention as it is often difficult to overcome and leads to increased medical costs, mortality, and longer hospital stays.

Knowledge, attitude and practice on standard precautions for prevention of HIV infection among clinical year medical students.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be transmitted through blood, vaginal secretion, infected semen, breast milk as well as blood containing saliva, vomitus and urine. Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of HIV infection; and standard precautions is a guideline to be followed by HCWs to prevent it.

Objective: This study was aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude and practice on standard precautions for prevention of HIV infection; and its associated factors.

Chikungunya virus of Central/East African genotype detected in Malaysia.

Since its isolation in Tanzania in 1953, chikungunya virus has caused periodic outbreaks in both tropical Africa and Asia. In the last decade, the virus has shown not only increased activity but has expanded its geographical locations, thus classical delineation of various genotypes of chikungunya virus to specific geographic locales no longer holds true. Rapid mass movement of people and the constant presence of the right vectors in this region could have contributed to the change in virus ecology.