A new state law giving easier access to the overdose reversal drug Naloxone will result in more lives saved, according to a University of Toledo pharmacy professor.

“It is definitely a proactive and positive move. This provides a new avenue to access a life-saving drug,” said Anthony Pattin, UT assistant professor of pharmacy practice. “With this new law, people can get Naloxone without having to get a doctor’s note or finding distribution centers, which are not widely available. This is potentially life-saving because people will have the antidote nearby in case of an overdose instead of waiting for an EMT to arrive and administer it.”

Anthony Pattin

House Bill 4, signed into law by Gov. John Kasich this month, authorizes a pharmacist or pharmacy intern to dispense Naloxone without a prescription as long as counseling and written education is provided. Opioids can slow or stop a person’s breathing. Naloxone helps the person wake up and continue breathing.

This law comes as the number of opiate-related deaths from prescription drugs and heroin in Ohio continue to climb; since 2000, there has been a 366 percent increase, Pattin said, making it the leading cause of accidental deaths in the state.

This new law will allow for a family member or a friend to get Naloxone for a loved one.

“People should always call 911 in conjunction with taking the antidote, but taking Naloxone as soon as an overdose is suspected is key for survival,” he said.

Despite concerns that making Naloxone more readily available will lead to more drug abuse, Pattin said pilot programs showed that did not occur. Also, Naloxone is safe if taken by someone who is not overdosing.

“This provides opportunities for pharmacists to offer a new service and show our value to health care,” Pattin said. “We have to provide counseling about opiate abuse when someone comes in for this antidote. They just don’t get it and leave.”

To schedule an interview, contact Brandi Barhite at 419.383.5376 or brandi.barhite@utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
FOX Toledo (Aug. 3, 2015)

High school girls will be exposed to careers in the sciences through hands-on activities when they visit The University of Toledo for the fourth annual Women in STEMM Day of Meetings.

The event, which goes by the acronym WISDOM, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Thursday, May 14, on UT’s Main Campus and Health Science Campus. ** Click here for schedule of activities.**

The 160 girls will explore and perform experiments in physics and astronomy, chemistry, biology, engineering, pharmacy and medicine as they learn about science and technology.

The event is hosted by the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the Association for Women in Science, which organizes the exploration day to encourage young women to consider careers in one of the areas offered at the Women in STEMM Day.

“Girls are increasingly interested in science, but unfortunately few women pursue that interest in college or their careers,” said Dr. Isabel Escobar, professor of chemical and environmental engineering, interim assistant dean for research development and outreach for the College of Engineering, and past-president of the Association for Women in Science. “Events like Women in STEMM Day aim to inspire girls to embrace the fun of scientific discovery and encourage careers in the field.”

Students from Toledo Public, Washington Local and Oregon Schools, as well as from the Toledo Islamic Academy and Wildwood Environmental Academy will participate in WISDOM at the University.

The students will spend the day performing activities developed by faculty members in the UT colleges of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Engineering, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Medicine and Life Sciences.

In addition to the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the Association for Women in Science, the event is sponsored by the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women, Marathon Petroleum Corp., and the UT colleges of Engineering, Medicine and Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Media Coverage
The Blade (May 14, 2015)
WTOL 11 (May 15, 2015)

Mission: Possible to introduce students to pharmacy careers

Thirteen high school students from Rogers High School and Notre Dame Academy will participate in laboratory demonstrations, tours, and a student and faculty panel during Mission: Possible on Friday at The University of Toledo.

Laboratory demonstrations will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 11 on the UT Health Science Campus.

Students will create emulsions at 10:30 a.m. in the compounding lab in Health Education Building Room 149, after which they will visit the Plastination Museum at 11:15 a.m. in the Paul J. Block Jr. Health Science Building Room 002. They also will make lip balm at noon in a cosmetic science lab in the Frederic and Mary Wolfe Center Room 019A.

The lab demonstrations will be followed by lunch and a student panel discussion.

Mission: Possible, sponsored by Target, introduces under-represented minorities to careers in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences.

The presidents of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and Battelle Memorial Institute will speak at The University of Toledo’s commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 5.

Pianalto

In the morning ceremony Sandra Pianalto, who has been president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since 2003, will speak to graduates from the colleges of Business and Innovation, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, and Languages, Literature and Social Sciences at 9:30 a.m. in Savage Arena on the University’s Main Campus.

At the afternoon ceremony Jeff Wadsworth, president and CEO of the Battelle Memorial Institute since 2009, will address graduates from the Judith Herb College of Education, Health Science and Human Service and the College of Adult and Lifelong Learning at 2 p.m.

There are 3,041 candidates for degrees, including 886 candidates for doctoral, education specialist and master’s degrees, and 2,155 for bachelor’s and associate’s degrees. Each ceremony will be webcast live on video.utoledo.edu.

“We are honored to have such accomplished professionals as Sandra Pianalto and Jeff Wadsworth at this celebration of academic achievement,” UT President Lloyd Jacobs said. “These individuals know well the value of higher education and have gone on to do incredible things within their professions and as productive members of their communities. They are both positive role models for our graduates as they move forward in the next chapter of their lives equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills taught by our wonderful faculty.”

Wadsworth

Pianalto will receive an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration and Wadsworth an Honorary Doctor of Engineering. Also receiving an Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science is Robert Savage, a distinguished UT alumnus and co-founder of the Savage & Associates insurance and financial management business in Toledo.

Pianalto began her career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland in 1983 as an economist in the research department. In 20 years, she ascended to assistant vice president of public affairs, vice president and secretary to the board of directors, first vice president and chief operating officer and finally president and CEO — a position she’s held for 10 years.

Her professional success comes directly from her understanding of the importance of education. The daughter of Italian immigrants who came to America more than 50 years ago, Pianalto had helped them study for their United States citizenship examinations as a third-grader.

Pianalto went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Akron University and The George Washington University.

Wadsworth is president and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, which is the world’s largest nonprofit research and development organization. Formed in 1925 in Columbus, Battelle has developed the Xerox machine and a number of innovations in medical technology, telecommunications, environmental waste treatment, homeland security and transportation.

Savage

Before his current position, Wadsworth led Battelle’s Global Laboratory Operations business where he oversaw the management of six national laboratories of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center.

Wadsworth earned a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in metallurgy from Sheffield University in England. The University also awarded him a Doctor of Metallurgy degree in 1991 for his published work and received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 2004.

Savage, who will receive a UT Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science, received his bachelor’s in business in 1959 from the University and was awarded in 2003 the Gold T Award, the highest honor for UT alumni.

A generous alumnus, he gave in 2006 a $1 million donation that was the catalyst for a new, state-of-the-art center for students in the College of Business and Innovation: The Savage & Associates Complex for Business and Learning Engagement, which opened in 2010.

Savage was a member of the UT Board of Trustees for nine years and trustee for The University of Toledo Foundation for nine years.

The UT colleges that will hold individual commencement ceremonies are:

• College of Nursing, 1 p.m. Friday, May 3 in Savage Arena.
• College of Engineering, graduate commencement ceremony 5 p.m. Friday, May 3 and undergraduate commencement 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, both in Nitschke Auditorium.
• College of Law, 10 a.m. Saturday, May 4 in Student Union Auditorium.
• College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4 in Savage Arena.
• College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 2 p.m. Friday, June 7 in Stranahan Theater.

Media Coverage
The Blade (April 30, 2013)
The Blade (April 30, 2013)
The Blade (May 6, 2013)
The Blade (May 6, 2013)
The Blade (May 10, 2013)

How well do you know your pharmacist? The American Pharmacists Association is encouraging you to get to know the folks behind the counter a little bit better, and The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is helping to drive that message.

During October, the organization is advocating that everyone “know your pharmacist, know your medicine” as part of American Pharmacists Month.

“The most satisfying part of becoming a pharmacist is knowing how much you will help the patient,” said Sarah Milkovich, a fifth-year pharmacy student at The University of Toledo. There couldn’t be anything more rewarding in the world than putting all that difficult schooling you went through to use.”

According to Dr. Christine Hinko, professor and associate dean for student affairs for the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, UT is taking the lead on making sure UT pharmacy students are well- prepared for the ever-changing field.

“Nationally, pharmacists are becoming more involved in comprehensive patient care with a new focus on medication therapy management, or MTM,” said Hinko. “That means that the pharmacist has the ability to assess the patient’s drug therapy and develop a medication action plan to assure compliance, safety and efficacy. Educating the patient is a key component. Our curriculum is designed to develop these MTM skills in our student pharmacists.”

UT offers a residency program that allows pharmacy students real- world experience, giving them the patient- centered experience before they land a job. Opportunities like the Community Pharmacy Residency Program equip residents to provide services to diverse patient populations, collaborate with other healthcare providers as part of an integrated team, and develop and provide high- quality, patient- focused care.

For four consecutive years, the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has offered a Student Leadership Retreat. This year 40 students participated in an all -day program that included an analysis of their interpersonal communication style and a team building exercise on an outdoor challenge course. “We’re very proud to offer these kinds of unique opportunities to our students who are aspiring to be effective leaders in their profession,” said Hinko. “We are helping to build on their individual strengths and skills, which is vital to their professional development.”

For more information on American Pharmacists Month, visit www.pharmacist.com.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 26, 2012)