Objective. To compare empathy scores between health professions students (pharmacy and nursing) and non-health professions (law) students and between first-and third-year students. Methods. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was completed by 282 students. Results. Nursing and pharmacy students had significantly more empathy than did law students. Thirdyear pharmacy students scored higher on empathy than did first-year pharmacy students, whereas the converse was true for nurses. There was no significant difference in empathy between first-and third-year law students. Across the study years, empathy increased among pharmacy students, decreased among nurses, and remained the same among law students. Women scored higher on empathy than did males. Conclusions. Empathy scores among university students vary depending on discipline and year of study.

The ingestion of water hemlock can lead to serious complications that may be fatal. Prognosis is good, however, if prompt supportive care is provided.

The objective of the work is physicochemical characterization of meloxicam (ME)-cyclodextrin (CD) binary systems both in solution and solid states and to improve the dissolution properties of meloxicam via complexation with alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins. Detection of inclusion complexation was done in solution state by means of phase solubility analysis, mass spectrometry and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies, and in solid state using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffractometry, and in vitro dissolution studies. Phase solubility, mass spectrometry and 1H NMR studies in solution state revealed 1:1M complexation of meloxicam with all CDs. A true inclusion of ME with gamma-CD at 1:1 and 1:2M in solid state was confirmed by DSC, powder XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Dissolution properties of ME-CDs binary systems were superior when compared to pure ME.

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Allopurinol is effective for the control of gout and its long-term complications when taken consistently. There is evidence that adherence to allopurinol therapy varies across population groups. This may exacerbate differences in the burden of gout on population groups and needs to be accurately assessed. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of allopurinol use in a region of New Zealand using community pharmacy dispensing data and to examine the levels of suboptimal adherence in various population groups. Data from all community pharmacy dispensing databases in a New Zealand region were collected for a year covering 2005/2006 giving a near complete picture of dispensings to area residents. Prevalence of allopurinol use in the region by age, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic position was calculated. Adherence was assessed using the medication possession ratio (MPR), with a MPR of 0.80 indicative of suboptimal adherence. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore variations in suboptimal adherence across population groups. A total of 953 people received allopurinol in the study year (prevalence 3%). Prevalence was higher in males (6%) than in females (1%) and Māori (5%) than non-Māori (3%). The overall MPR during the study was 0.88, with 161 (22%) of patients using allopurinol having suboptimal adherence. Non-Māori were 54% less likely to have suboptimal allopurinol adherence compared to Māori (95% CI 0.30-0.72, p = 0.001). These findings are consistent with those from other studies nationally and internationally and point to the important role for health professionals in improving patient adherence to an effective gout treatment.