Category Archives: Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals

Deadly CRE Invasion!

Posted on October 8, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

In last week’s blog I discussed “superbugs”, a term given to bacteria that evolve to become resistant to some of the most commonly-used antibiotics. Drug resistant bacteria are a growing concern among healthcare professionals and the causes are partially related … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Antibiotic Overuse, Antibiotic Resistance, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Antibiotics in Agriculture, Blog Trends, Blogging, Carbapenem Resistant Bacteria, CDC Plan to Prevent Superbugs, CRE, CRE Prevention, CRE Tool Kit, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Drug Resistant Carbapenem Bacteria, Lethal Bacteria, Over-Prescribing of Antibiotics, Patient Therapy Outcomes, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Plot Ideas and Where They Come From, Superbug Epidemic, Superbugs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Super Bugs = Super Killers

Posted on October 1, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

We perceive bacterial infections to be little more than a nuisance—with the simple fix of taking an antibiotic for a few days and then we’re back to feeling one hundred percent. Fortunately, that’s usually the case. Certain bacteria, however, are … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Antibiotic Overuse, Antibiotic Resistance, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Antibiotics in Agriculture, Blog Trends, Blogging, CDC Plan to Prevent Superbugs, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Misuse of Drugs, MRSA, Over-Prescribing of Antibiotics, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Prescribing Practices, Superbug Epidemic, Superbugs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

THALLIUM – The Poisoner’s Poison!

Posted on June 18, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

It’s not often that I come across a method to kill a character in a novel with delightful efficiency and flair, but thallium is one of those chemicals. Thallium is a bluish-white metal that, in pure form, is odorless and … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Murder, About Writing, Acute Poisons, All About Murder, Biological Warfare, Bioterrorism, Blogging, Bloodless Death Scene Writing, Bloodless Death Scenes, Characteristics of Killing, Characteristics of Murder, Drug Poisoning, Drugs For Murder Plots, How To Write A BloodLess Murder Scene, Ideas for Murder Scenes, Instruments of Death, Interesting Murder Weapons, Killing a Villain in a Novel, Murder Weapons, Neurological Poisons, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Plotting Murder Scenes, Poisons Used to Murder, Prescription For Murder Blog, Radioactive Thallium Poisoning, Thallium Poisoning, Thallium Used to Murder, The Poisoner's Poison, The Science of Murder, Tools for Murder, Ways to Murder, Writing Death Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ignoring Doctor’s Orders – A Common Practice!

Posted on April 16, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

Have you ever gone to a doctor for a medical problem, had that physician prescribe a medication, but then ignored the doctor’s instructions and didn’t get that prescription filled? If your answer is “yes” to that question, then your action … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Blogging, Cost of Ignoring Doctor Orders, Deaths Related to Therapy Non-Compliance, Drug Error Prevention, Drug Errors in The Elderly, Drug Misadventures, Economic Impact of Therapy Non-Compliance, Generic Drug Safety, Generic Drug Use, Generic Drugs, Generic Drugs in the US, Medication Therapy Non-Compliance by Physician Types, Misuse of Drugs, Non-Compliance in Medication Therapies, Non-Compliance to Physician Orders, Non-Compliance to Prescription Therapies, Non-Compliance with Medication Therapies, Patient Therapy Compliance Issues, Patient Therapy Outcomes, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Drug Safety, Prescription Fill Practices in the US and Canada, Prescription Fill Rates, Prescription Fill Rates in the US and Canada, Prescription Prescribing Practices, Prescription Trends, Reasons for Medication Therapy Non-Compliance, The Pharmacy Profession, The Practice of Pharmacy, Types of Medication Non-Compliance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Medication Shortages Continue To Plague the US

Posted on March 12, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

At one time or another, we may have gone to a doctor to receive help with a medical condition. More often than not the medical issue has been resolved when the physician writes a prescription for some wonder drug. You … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Blog Writers, Blogging, Cheap Generic Drugs, Chemotherapy Supply Shortage Issues, Drug Shortages in the US, FDA and Drug Supply Shortages, Generic Drug Safety, Generic Drugs, Generic Drugs in the US, IV Medication Supply Issues, Medication Safety Issues, Medication Shortages in the US, Pharmaceutical Shortages in the US, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Trends, Reasons for Medication Shortages in the US, Shortages in the US Drug Distribution Chain, The Pharmacy Profession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

When a Murder Is Not Really a Murder!

Posted on February 26, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

Yes, the title messes with my mind also. When someone dies at the hand of another, that’s labeled a murder. Sure, there are various degrees of murder—ranging from intentional to unintentional with legal terms such as 1st degree, 2nd degree, … Continue reading →

Posted in A Non-Murder Plot, About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, About Writing, Administering Baclofen to Mimic Death, Administering DMT To Mimic Death, All About Murder, All About Writing, Baclofen, Baclofen for Near Death Experience, Baclofen Overdose, Blog Writers, Blogging, Bloodless Death Scene Writing, Bloodless Death Scenes, Botanical Murder Weapons, Defining Murder, Dimethyltryptamine, DMT Overdose, Drugs For Murder Plots, Drugs That Mimic Death, Drugs Used For Murder, Drugs Used for Near Death Experiences (NDE), Killing a Villain in a Novel, Murder is Defined, Murder Weapons, Murder With Drugs, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Plot Development, Plotting Murder Scenes, Tools of Murder, Walking Dead in Writing, Writing Death Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Post-Antibiotic Era

Posted on January 29, 2014 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

In late 2013 the Centers for Disease Control released a report on the escalating lethal threat of antibiotic resistance—specifically, the increasing number of bacterial infections that are resistant to conventional antibiotic therapy. The antibiotic resistance problem is complex and the … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Antibiotic Discovery Void, Antibiotic Overuse, Antibiotic Resistance, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Antibiotics in Agriculture, Attack of Bacteria, Blogging, CDC Plan to Prevent Superbugs, CRE, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Flesh Eating Bacteria, Ineffective Antibiotic Therapy, MDR Bacterial Strains, Misuse of Drugs, MRSA, Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Trends, Superbug Epidemic, Superbugs, The Post Antibiotic Era, The Top Global Risk of 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Flowering Plants – Beautiful But Deadly

Posted on December 11, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

As many of you know, I write about MURDER, MAYHEM and MEDICINE.  It’s the focus of my website, and the novels I’m writing always contain a healthy dose of each. With years of experience as a clinical pharmacist prior to … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, About Writing, All About Murder, Blogging, Botanical Murder Weapons, Drugs For Murder Plots, Drugs From Oleander Plant, Drugs Used For Murder, New Drug Discoveries, New Drug Research, Oleander Plant, Oleander Poisoning, Oleandrin, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Plant Poisons, Tools of Murder, Yuletide Short Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Medication Errors – A Killer

Posted on November 27, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

As a follow-up to its landmark report, To Err Is Human, the Institute of Medicine (of the National Academies) has determined that medication errors are a serious public health risk and that the risk remains a widespread and growing threat. … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Blogging, Drug Error Prevention, Drug Errors in The Elderly, Drug Misadventures, Medication Safety Issues, Pharmacist Errors, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, The Pharmacy Profession, The Practice of Pharmacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Flesh-Eating Horror

Posted on October 30, 2013 by James J. Murray, Fiction Writer

Since tomorrow is All Hallows’ Eve, commonly called Halloween, I thought some extra horror was in order.  I won’t bore you with what you already know about Halloween: that it’s the eve of All Saints’ Day in many Christian religions … Continue reading →

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, CRE, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Flesh Eating Bacteria, Halloween Blog, MRSA, Necrotizing Fasciitis, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Zombie Wannabe | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments