Many of the medicines we depend on to treat disease—and even to save our lives—pose potentially serious risks along with their benefits. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that about 40,000 deaths yearly in the United States may be attributable to the side...
Appearing on a segment of The Dr. Oz Show, Nancy Nkansah, PharmD, gave millions of TV viewers key tips on avoiding drug interactions as well as errors in the filling of their medications.
UCSF scientists are studying key drug transporters that play roles in drug absorption and elimination. Shown here: OCT2 and others in the membrane of cells in the kidney tubules (at right). The urine collecting tubules interface with capillaries (at left) to remove substances such as medications and environmental toxins from the blood.
To reduce the risk of toxic drug interactions, UCSF's Kathy Giacomini, PhD, and colleagues are screening thousands of prescription drugs, testing how much they inhibit key proteins in kidney and liver cell
