Professor Berardi and APhA Collaborate on Definitive OTC Publication

With more than 100,000 over-the-counter (OTC) medications and complementary and alternative (CAM) products already on the U.S. market, and more on the way — including many former, prescription-only drugs — the sheer number and variety present a mixed blessing for U.S. consumers, and the health care providers who serve them.

Used as intended, OTC medications and CAM products offer consumers unprecedented control over their own health care. Used carelessly or in wrong combination, OTC products can seriously injure or kill.

Enter Professor of Pharmacy Rosemary Berardi, PharmD’61, and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) who have teamed up to produce the 14th edition of the Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: An Interactive Approach to Self-Care, published in spring 2004. Berardi is the Handbook’s editor-in-chief, editor of the gastrointestinal disorders section, and coauthor of the chapter on anorectal disorders. APhA is the publisher of this comprehensive, 1,440-page hardbound reference book on self care.

As with its predecessors, the 14th edition of the Handbook uses an interactive approach to teach pharmacy students how to assess a disorder and recommend self-care options based on clinical studies of safety and effectiveness, and on patient factors and preferences. The Handbook also provides authoritative guidance for health care practitioners with quick access to OTC drug information, assessment techniques, treatment algorithms, and patient counseling information.

Written by 74 content experts from multiple health care fields, every chapter of the 14th edition of the Handbook has been updated to reflect recent FDA rulings, availability of new OTC medications, botanical and nonbotanical medicines, nutritional supplements, and homeopathic medicines, new product formulations, new diagnostic and monitoring devices, and FDA-withdrawn agents.

“I believe there is no better, single source of accurate information for students, practitioners, and educators,” Berardi says. “I was fortunate to have an exceptional group of collaborators on this project — each a leading expert with an active practice in his or her field. The biggest challenge in putting together a reference text of this scope — other than the enormous time commitment — is incorporating up-to-date information. We met that objective, thanks to the hard work of a lot of authors and editors.”

Joining Berardi were a host of contributors with University of Michigan College of Pharmacy connections. They include Ilisa B. G. Bernstein, PharmD’87, Juliana Chan, RE’99, Lisa A. Kroon, PharmD’94, Clinical Associate Professor Tami L. Remington, PharmD’91, Professor of Pharmacy Leslie A. Shimp, BSPharm’74, PharmD’76, Clinical Associate Professor Deborah S. Wagner, BSPharm’76, PharmD’82, and Clinical Associate Professor Paul Walker.

Several other College faculty and alumni served as reviewers, Berardi notes.

The Handbook content for which Berardi was responsible relates directly to the courses she teaches at the College. For example, in course P432: Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, she teaches material about anorectal disorders, diarrhea, constipation, intestinal gas, heartburn, and dyspepsia. This winter, she will teach course P452: Pharmaceutical Care, and will use the Handbook to instruct students on topics ranging from wellness, health promotion and self-care, to patient assessment, consultation, and triage in ambulatory practice.

APhA is already planning its 15th edition, slated for publication in 2006, and Berardi has been asked to serve as editor-in-chief, section editor, and author on that project as well.

“Dr. Berardi was appointed editor-in-chief after demonstrating her commitment to the book and strong leadership ability as section editor of the 12th edition,” notes Julian I. Graubart, director of APhA’s Books and Electronic Products Department. “She shares APhA’s desire to make each edition of this widely used textbook a more relevant classroom resource than the previous edition. We believe she has accomplished that goal with the 13th and 14th editions and will do so again with the 15th edition.”

Bruce A. Mueller, professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, and associate director of the Department of Pharmacy Services at University Hospital, shares Graubart’s confidence in Berardi.

“We are very proud of the fact that Dr. Berardi was chosen to serve as editor-in-chief of this standard-setting reference book,” Mueller states. “Her reputation as an excellent researcher, writer, and educator made her the ideal choice as editor-in-chief, section editor, and author. It is no coincidence that she and Leslie Shimp, who also served a prominent role in the development of the 14th edition of the Handbook, are both past recipients of the College's Teaching Excellence Awards. Their commitment to education, and to their profession, is genuine and complete.”

 

E-mail: rberardi@umich.edu, remingtn@umich.edu, lshimp@umich.edu, lkroon@itsa.ucsf.edu, pcwalker@umich.edu, jchan@uic.edu, debbiew@med.umich.edu, muellerb@umich.edu.