The University of Connecticut (UConn) is one of America’s top 20 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. It is home to more than 31,000 students, 1,300 faculty, 230,000 proud alumni, and a handsome husky named Jonathan.

The University has fourteen schools and colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Dental Medicine, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work. Students can choose from eight undergraduate bachelor's degrees with 102 possible majors, as well as seventeen graduate/doctoral degrees and five professional degree programs (MD, JD, etc.).

UConn's main campus in Storrs is admitting the highest-achieving freshmen in University history. Student diversity continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. It's a great time to be a Husky!

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Fellow of American College of Clinical Pharmacy and American College of Clinical Pharmacologists

Member of American heart Association and American Society of Health System Pharmacists

FDA is Right to Restrict 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Products

Animal tranquilizers found in illegal opioids may suppress the lifesaving medication naloxone − and cause more overdose deaths

Buyer beware: Off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight loss products carry undisclosed risks for consumers

Drug prices improved under Biden-Harris and Trump − but not for everyone, and not enough

Popularly known as ‘gas station heroin,’ tianeptine is being sold as a dietary supplement – with deadly outcomes

CRISPR and other new technologies open doors for drug development, but which diseases get prioritized? It comes down to money and science

Ketamine can rapidly reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression, new study finds

Anesthesia can cause disturbing sexual hallucinations, leading to lasting psychological trauma

Psychedelics may better treat depression and anxiety symptoms than prescription antidepressants for patients with advanced cancer

Dangerous counterfeit drugs are putting millions of US consumers at risk, according to a new study

The dietary supplement you’re taking could be tainted with prescription medications and dangerous hidden ingredients, according to a new study

Latest trials confirm the benefits of MDMA – the drug in ecstasy – for treating PTSD

The FDA’s lax oversight of research in developing countries can do harm to vulnerable participants

Why prescription drugs can work differently for different people

Rat poison is just one of the potentially dangerous substances likely to be mixed into illicit drugs

The FDA’s weak drug manufacturing oversight is a potentially deadly problem

The FDA’s big gamble on the new Alzheimer’s drug

Why is the FDA funded in part by the companies it regulates?

Are graphene-coated face masks a COVID-19 miracle – or another health risk?

How safe is your baby food? Company reports show arsenic, lead and other heavy metals – here’s what you need to know

How some drugs can turn into a cancer-causing chemical in the body

Why the FDA is warning pregnant women not to use over-the-counter pain relievers

Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: A new review of several studies shows flaws in research and no benefit

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Natural supplements can be dangerously contaminated, or not even have the specified ingredients

Why your generic drugs may not be safe and the FDA may be too lax

Generic Drugs Not as Safe as FDA Wants You to Believe

Understanding and Preventing (N-Nitrosodimethylamine) NDMA Contamination of Medications

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Dr. White is the co-director of the Health Outcomes, Policy, and Evidence Synthesis (HOPES) research group and has authored over 400 research articles with over 12,320 citations and an h-Index of 59 (top 5% of all researchers for impact of work)  including sentinel work in JAMA, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Diabetes Care, and many others. His research interests are in the areas of comparative effectiveness, and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, herbs, and illicit substances. Dr. White has received major media coverage by TV (NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Today Show, Dr Oz Show, BBC & CBC, PBS News Hour, CNN, MSNBC), newspaper (New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, LA Times, Chicago Tribune), radio (WNPR, CBS Radio Network, Bloomberg Radio, SiriusXM, Colin McEnroe Show), and magazine/online (Vogue, The Scientist, Newsweek, The Conversation, Salon, Huffington Post, Inverse) media outlets among many others. Many of his publications have an Almetric score over 200, showing major uptake by major media outlets, and several were among the top three most read articles in the journal in the preceding year (Annals Pharmacotherapy, Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Oral Diseases). He is an ACCP Young Investigator of the Year, AACP Lyman Award Winner, ASHP Sustained Contribution to the Literature (lifetime achievement award), and five time ASHP Foundation Drug Therapy Research Award recipient. He has a recurring TV segment called Ask the Pharmacist on Fox61 and a book entitled The Part-Time Diet. He is a University Teaching Fellow and a BOT Distinguished Professor, the highest designation for teaching and overall excellence bestowed by the University of Connecticut. Dr. White is also a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacologists and The American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

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Cardiovascular Drugs

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The Conversation

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expert-opinion-the-undisclosed-risks-of-offbrand-ozempic-and-other-weight-loss-products

Head and Distinguished Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice

The popularity -- and price -- of brand-name injectable drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound has skyrocketed.

But the soaring demand for these drugs -- used for weight loss as well as to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease -- and the limited supply as well as lack of generic options has also led to a flood of non-brand alternatives in the market.

In a recent article for The Conversation, UConn expert C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, issued a warning to consumers about the potential undisclosed risks of these off-brand products:


High demand is driving GLP-1 wannabes The dietary supplement market has sought to cash in on the GLP-1 demand with pills, teas, extracts and all manner of other products that claim to produce similar effects as the brand names at a much lower price. Products containing the herb berberine offer only a few pounds of weight loss, while many dietary supplement weight loss products contain stimulants such as sibutramine and laxatives such as phenolphthalein, which increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer.   The role of compounding pharmacies Unlike the dietary supplements that are masquerading as GLP-1 weight loss products, compounding pharmacies can create custom versions of products that contain the same active ingredients as the real thing for patients who cannot use either brand or generic products for some reason. These pharmacies can also produce alternative versions of brand-name drugs when official drug shortages exist. Since the demand for GLP-1 medications has far outpaced the supply, compounding pharmacies are legally producing a variety of different semaglutide and tirzepatide products. These products may come in versions that differ from the brand-name companies, such as vials of powder that must be dissolved in liquid, or as tablets or nasal sprays. Just like the brand-name drugs, you must have a valid prescription to receive them. The prices range from $250-$400 a month – still a steep price for many consumers. Compounding pharmacies must adhere to the FDA’s sterility and quality production methods, but these rules are not as rigorous for compounding pharmacies as those for commercial manufacturers of generic drugs. In addition, the products compounding pharmacies create do not have to be tested in humans for safety or effectiveness like brand-name products do. Proper dosing can also be challenging with compounded forms of the drugs. Companies that work the system For people who cannot afford a compounding pharmacy product, or cannot get a valid prescription for semaglutide or tirzepatide, opportunistic companies are stepping in to fill the void. These include “peptide companies,” manufacturers that create non-FDA approved knockoff versions of the drugs. From November 2023 to March 2024, my team carried out a study to assess which of these peptide companies are selling semaglutide or tirzepatide products. We scoured the internet looking for these peptide companies and collected information about what they were selling and their sales practices. We found that peptide sellers use a loophole to sell these drugs. On their websites, the companies state that their drugs are for “research purposes only” or “not for human consumption,” but they do nothing to verify that the buyers are researchers or that the product is going to a research facility. By reading the comments sections of the company websites and the targeted ads on social media, it becomes clear that both buyers and sellers understand the charade. Unlike compounding pharmacies, these peptide sellers do not provide the supplies you need to dissolve and inject the drug, provide no instructions, and will usually not answer questions. Peptide sellers, since they allegedly are not selling to consumers, do not require a valid prescription and will sell consumers whatever quantity of drug they wish to purchase. Even if a person has an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, the companies will happily sell them a semaglutide or tirzepatide product without a prescription. The average prices of these peptide products range from $181-$203 per month.   Skirting regulations Peptide sellers do not have to adhere to the rules or regulations that drug manufacturers or compounding pharmacies do. Many companies state that their products are 99% pure, but an independent investigation of three companies’ products from August 2023 to March 2024 found that the purity of the products were far less than promised. One product contained endotoxin – a toxic substance produced by bacteria – suggesting that it was contaminated with microbes. In addition, the products’ promised dosages were off by up 29% to 39%. Poor purity can cause patients to experience fever, chills, nausea, skin irritation, infections and low blood pressure. In this study, some companies never even shipped the drug, telling the buyers they needed to pay an additional fee to have the product clear customs. If a consumer is harmed by a poor-quality product, it would be difficult to sue the seller, since the products specifically say they are “not for human consumption.” Ultimately, consumers are being led to spend money on products that may never arrive, could cause an infection, might not have the correct dose, and contain no instructions on how to safely use or store the product.  Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances. 

Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.





Expert Opinion - The Undisclosed Risks of Off-brand Ozempic and Other Weight Loss Products

tianeptine-a-socalled-supplement-with-dangerous-consequences-our-expert-weighs-in-on-gas-station-heroin-warnings

Since 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been actively urging consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tianeptine -- a synthetic drug commonly called "gas station heroin" that can mimic the actions of opioids like fentanyl.

 Now, the FDA is upping the urgency of it's warnings as vendors continue to market the drug as a so-called "dietary supplement." UConn's C. Michael White, a Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, spoke with The Conversation about the problem with tianeptine in a must-read Q-and-A:

What is tianeptine and why is it risky? Tianeptine stimulates the same receptors as well-known opioids such as fentanyl, heroin and morphine. When these drugs make their way from the blood to the brain, they bind to the “mu” type opioid receptor that triggers the sought-after pain relief and euphoria of those drugs as well as the dangerous effects like slowed or stopped breathing. High doses of tianeptine can bring euphoric effects similar to heroin and can also bring about the dissociative effect – the perception of your mind being disconnected from your surroundings and body – that is reminiscent of ketamine, an anesthetic that has a role in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and depression but has also commonly been abused as a street drug. Products containing tianeptine are often called “legal high drugs” – sometimes dubbed “gas station drugs” – a term used for all non-FDA-approved synthetic drugs that are sold casually in gas stations, online and elsewhere.   What are the major adverse effects that people can experience? Data from clinical trials, case reports and poison control centers shows that tianeptine commonly induces agitation. This is typically accompanied by a fast heart rate and high blood pressure, confusion, nightmares, drowsiness, dry mouth and nausea, among other conditions. The most serious adverse events are slowed or stopped breathing, coma, heart arrhythmia and death. When long-term users try to stop tianeptine use, they often experience withdrawal symptoms reminiscent of opioid withdrawal. Consumers need to be aware that products containing tianeptine may not adhere to good manufacturing practices. This means they could contain lead or have other heavy metal contamination or be contaminated by microorganisms such as salmonella or mold. They could also contain other drug ingredients that are not disclosed. Knowingly or unknowingly combining active ingredients can increase the risk of adverse events. Additionally, the amount of the active ingredient contained in the product can vary widely, even with the same manufacturer. So past use does not guarantee that using the same amount will provide the same effect. How are these drugs sold in the US if they are not FDA-approved? If a drug product is not FDA-approved for prescription or over-the-counter-use, it is the Drug Enforcement Agency that is responsible for controlling market access. Before the DEA can ban an active ingredient in a drug product, it must be designated Schedule I, meaning the drug has no legitimate medical purpose and has high abuse potential. Manufacturers do not have to alert the DEA before selling their products to U.S. citizens. This means the DEA must detect an issue, identify the products causing the issue, identify the active ingredients in the product in question and do a full scientific review before designating it as Schedule I. Tianeptine came to market masquerading as a dietary supplement in gas stations and smoke shops, even though it is a synthetic compound. Tianeptine is also sold online allegedly for research purposes and not for human consumption. Tianeptine is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of pain and depression, but sellers do nothing to make this type of labeling clear to consumers or to restrict purchases to researchers.   What can people do to protect themselves and their families? Non-FDA-approved products containing synthetic drugs are very risky to use and should be avoided. FDA-approved drugs are available by a prescription from a health professional or over the counter with active ingredients on an approved list. If someone in a gas station, smoke shop or over the internet touts the benefits of a non-FDA-approved drug product – for pain or anxiety relief, to increase energy or for a buzz – be aware. It could be dangerous the first time you use it, but using it successfully once also doesn’t mean the experience will be the same the next time, and continued use can cause addiction. If a product is being sold “not for human consumption” or “for research purposes only,” you are at a high risk if you take it. Before you take any dietary supplement, make sure you check the active ingredient to be sure that it is, in fact, a natural product and not a synthetic chemical. If someone you know has bags with unmarked powder, a product labeled for research use or not for human consumption, or tablets or capsules not in standard drug bottles, that is a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. Standard drug tests sold over the counter are not designed to pick up tianeptine. One of the main reasons that people use these alternative substances of abuse over regular opioids, cannabis or amphetamines is that they are much harder to detect through work- or at-home drug screens by parents, schools, employers, probation officers and so on. If the DEA is not responding to emerging threats quickly enough, individual states can also act to ban sales of dangerous active ingredients in products. As of January 2024, at least 12 states have banned the sale of tianeptine, according to the FDA, although people in those states can still illegally procure it from the internet. So contacting your state legislators could be a place to start exercising your power to help prevent the harms from these products.   This is an important piece, and if you are looking to know about tianeptine and the threat it poses to consumers in America, then let us help.

Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances.  Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.



Tianeptine - A so-called supplement with dangerous consequences. Our #expert weighs in on 'gas station heroin' warnings

uconn-expert-on-the-fdas-big-gamble-with-controversial-alzheimers-drug-

The Food and Drug Administration's accelerated approval of the drug aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is mired in controversy -- three scientists have resigned from the independent committee that advised the agency on the monthly infusion treatment priced at $56,000 per year. 

C. Michael White, distinguished professor and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut, explains the situation surrounding the drug's approval this week in an essay published by The Conversation:  Over 6 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s disease, and deaths from Alzheimer’s have risen over 145% over the past 20 years. Alzheimer’s disease not only robs individuals of their autonomy but also places a huge burden on family members and the U.S. economy: $355 billion is spent annually on caring for people with Alzheimer’s. Current FDA-approved treatments are only modestly effective at controlling disease symptoms, and none target a possible underlying cause. The accelerated approval pathway allows patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s to access aducanumab while a larger and more definitive clinical trial is conducted. Biogen says it hopes to have the clinical trial completed by 2030. If the study does not find reductions in the hard clinical endpoints, the drug will be withdrawn.   If aducanumab is ultimately found to be effective, many patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s will reap the benefits in reductions in hospitalizations, doctor visits, nursing home costs and societal burden. If aducanumab is found to be ineffective, however, Medicare, insurers and patients will have spent tens of millions of dollars on a drug that not only did not work but also exposed patients to adverse events, including the risk of bleeding in the brain.  June 10 - The Conversation    Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances. If you are a journalist looking to cover this topic, then let us help. Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.



UConn Expert on the "FDA's Big Gamble" with Controversial Alzheimer's Drug 

The body does not discern between dieting and starving if you do it for too long.  Metabolic adaptation cuts the number of calories you burn each day and this can kill your ability to lose weight over the long term and how fast you gain it back once you stop dieting. Find out how and why this occurs.

Dieting is Killing your Diet  Stange but True! Source

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL HEART MONTH AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH SO TODAY WE ASK THE PHARMACIST SPECIFICALLY ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HEART HEALTH.  WE ARE JOINED IN THE STUDIO BY DR MICHAEL WHITE FROM THE UCONN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY TO FIND OUT MORE.

UConn School of Pharmacy

Dr. Michael White of the UConn School of Pharmacy talks with Tim Lammers about the pros and cons of sleeping pills and melatonin, as well as some non-pharmacological ways to fight sleeplessness.  Aired  on Fox 61's Good Day Connecticut on 2/7/17.

What to know about insomnia, sleeplessness and sleeping pills

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