I feel the electronic information highway connecting all healthcare specialties for patient information will be a boon to the practice of medicine, including pharmacy. The more information available, the better off the patient will be.
Veigh Sumers, PH’XX, Sales Manager, NDCHealth, Indianapolis, IN

It is my opinion that the most significant developments making headlines today revolve around stem cell research. The miraculous possibilities for cures or improvements to devasting conditions are yielding some remarkably positive results in studies and research being done around the world. I believe that the pharmaceutical industry will need to keep pace with this research to provide the medicinals necessary to support stem cell in vivo usage for medical conditions that are deemed appropriate for stem cell implantations.
Alan L. Sisson, PH’ 71, Medical Consultant

I think pharmacy will come to the point where all medications are produced in transdermal patches. This will give pharmacists the time they need to properly consult with our patients.
Gary Levine, PH’ 84

I think the biggest impact in the community pharmacy world will be prescriptions coming to the pharmacies from the prescribers electronically. This will eventually make paper prescriptions and all their imperfections go away.
Rod Patterson, PH’82, Pharmacy Recruiter, Vons/Safeway Pharmacies, Arcadia, CA

I believe that genetics will be the most technological impact. If drugs can be developed to be genetically effective against diseases, to offer resistance or to cure, then that will give medicine an advanced tool that we do not have at this time. I can see that as the number one advancement in our industry.
Tom Stites, PH’73

The development of faster and more stable LAN and WWAN wireless devices will have a significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry over the next five years. Such devices and services will cause the dissemination of pharmaceutical services to become much more mobile to customers, patients, and professionals alike. Additonally, as such services become more mobile they also become more accessible to a larger consumer base in a potentially real-time environment. Thus, patient and professional alike will be able to constantly receive and review medical and insurance information in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Troy Groetken, PH’XX, Partner, McAndrews, Held and Malloy, Ltd., Chicago

I think the computer technology will advance to a higher level and we shall see Doctors using a hand palm unit to pick the drugs needed with proper directions and patients name etc directly to Pharmacies---eliminating errors--saving much needed time in the process. Also Pharmacies will be able to directly contact doctors for questions--refill authority etc. All this via the computer systems with new programs. Faxes are used now in great amounts and this will simply be an extention of that.
Bob Scharr PH’57, Retired

Zeroing in on cancer cells, for cures(?) while not damaging the good cells.
Morton Gamerman, PH’52, Retired District Manager for Schering-Plough Corp., Sarasota, FL

Electronic prescribing and Satellite pharmacies. Both are certain to change not only the competitive landscape but more importantly, the service components of our practices.
Richard J. Hartig, PH’XX, C.E.O., Hartig USA Drug Stores, Dubuque, IA

I believe that the Automated Medical Record, computerized physician order entry and bar coding of medications are technological advances that will have the most impact on the industry in the next five years. I am interested in seeing what effects they will have on pharmacy practice and safety.
Rajasree Kuruvilla, PH’XX, United Hospital, Pharmacy Practice Resident, Saint Paul, MN

With every technological advancement, our job becomes easier. We are beginning to see prescriber-direct emails coming into the retail chains. Not only are we alleviating the error factor of doctors' handwriting, we are creating a safer environment for all of us: patient, doctor and pharmacist. Gone will be the days of illegible handwriting and phony prescriptions from drug-seeking patients. The lines of communication will be safer and the lawsuits will hopefully diminish, not to mention the increase in the pharmacy's efficiency.
Gretchen Beltzhoover Troha, PH’XX, pharmacy manager, Osco Drug, Shorewood, Illinois

As someone who works in the biotechnology field, I feel strongly that our approach to cancer therapy will dramatically change over the next 5 years due in part to biotechnology innovations and increasing knowledge of genetic mutations. We have already seen the onslaught of "targeted therapies" which use monoclonal antibodies to trigger ones own immune response or interefere with receptors. This technology combined with our increasing ability to identify genetic mutations (and their associated risk factors) will make cancer therapy more patient-specific in the not-too-distant future.
Anna Purdum, PH’XX, Genentech, Medical Science Liaison, Santa Monica, CA

I think the advancement in the field of nanotech, will be important.
Carl Bruihler , PH’XX, Retired, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

The electronic medical record, computerized physician order entry, and web-based reporting/access of/to health information for patients and practitioners.
James A. Piper, PH’XX, Pathology Associates of Central PA. Harrisburg, PA