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Health & Fitness

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RETIREMENT LIVING

"Mom's happy
and enjoying her
new lifestyle."

Know Your
Medicines

When dad died, I watched
helplessly as my fun-loving,
outgoing mom stayed home
most nights. When she visited
The Park at Trowbridge,
she quickly saw residents
interacting and enjoying
their time together.

Tips for assuring you are getting
what you are paying for.

Judith Doner Berne

Special to the Jewish News

y

ou should know what you
are putting into your body,
the lively director of phar-
macy affairs for the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration told a lunchtime
gathering at Knollwood Country Club
in West Bloomfield on a brisk late-
November afternoon.
"You know the names of your cos-
metics and your skin creams," said
Dr. Ilisa Bernstein, a Southfield native
whose parents,
Michael and Margo
Goldman, brothers
Jeffrey and Kevin
Goldman, sister-in-
law Staci and twin
sister Dr. Nancy
Cutler, all of West
Ilisa Bernstein Bloomfield, were
among the attendees.
"It's so important
that you know your medicines as well."
Bernstein, a graduate of Southfield
High School who holds a doctor of
pharmacy degree from the University
of Michigan and a law degree from
American University, presented the
serious issue of "Your Medicines: Are
you Getting What You Paid For?" in
enjoyable fashion.
The event, which brought the wife
and mother of three in from Rockville,
Md., where the FDA is based, was part
of the "Food for Thought" series of
programs sponsored by the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
Women's Department.
"You should carry a list of the
medicines you take Bernstein said.
It should also explain what each pill
looks like, dosage, directions for use,
when you began taking it, why you
take it and who prescribed it.
"We all read the nutrition informa-
tion on food;' she said, "but how often
do we read the information on drugs.
There's scary stuff in there; but it's
good, important information."
Buying drugs from unreliable
Internet sites that may be giving you
inferior or counterfeit medicines is

a huge concern, she said. The lure of
cost savings may prove otherwise.
Fraudulent Internet sites that
feed off our quest for lower-priced
Canadian drugs can lure the unsus-
pecting, Bernstein said. "It may appear
that the drugs are coming from
Canada when they actually are coming
from China and South America, which
have different standards.
Safe Web sites, she said, must be
located in the United States, licensed
by a state pharmaceutical board,
have a licensed pharmacist available
to answer questions and require the
buyer to have a doctor's prescription.
"Look for the VIPPS seal (Verified
Internet Pharmacy Practice Site).
Those are legitimate — the seal can't
be counterfeiter
So shop smart, she said. "If you're
paying for drugs and they're not work-
ing or they're not genuine, that's the
most expensive drug in the world."

Generics Just As Good
Go generic whenever possible,
Bernstein urged. "Our brand name
drugs are the most expensive in the
world. Our generics are the cheapest.
"People often can save money if
they get generic drugs right around
the corner:' she said, noting that the
big box stores can offer huge savings
on certain generics.
"The system for regulating generic
drugs is just as rigorous as for brand
name drugs:' Bernstein said. "Once the
brand name comes off patent protec-
tion, the price keeps coming down and
down. That's a place to save money"
"Why doesn't everybody get gener-
ic?" an audience member asked.
"There's a lot of skepticism out
there Bernstein said. And occasion-
ally, certain drugs, even if they've
come off patent protection, aren't
interchangeable.
"Why are certain drugs accepted
in Europe but not here?" was another
question.
"The FDA is currently working with
Europe and Japan to harmonize the

Medicines on page A44

We knew Mom was fully
settled when she stopped
keeping up with her TV
soap operas. She leaves
for breakfast at 8:30 and
sometimes doesn't return to
her apartment until evening

Join us for our

For more information
or to visit, call
The Park today!
(248) 352-0208

Mom's building new
memories and meeting
new friends. My sister and
I are happy knowing Mom's
involved and enjoying
life again.

Arnie S.

—

son of resident Edith S.

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December 13 • 2007

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A43

