[Survey of Label Information of Foods with Function Claims].

The consumption of health food products, such as Foods with Function Claims, has grown in Japan. Significant information, such as possible side effects or drug interactions, are expected to be described on the packaging to help consumers to make an informed choice about products. In this study, we checked the items described on the packaging of Foods with Function Claims containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Salacinol/Fagomine/Neokotalanol, or Varyl-Tyrosine/Lactotripeptide. We found that the label information on the package have issues that need to be addressed; for example, the description about a warning for concomitant use with antithrombotic drugs was found in only 29.7% of EPA and/or DHA containing products (44 out of 148). Providing information for safe usage of products to consumers is pivotal. Therefore, improving product labeling, and further pharmaceutical support in case of taking health foods, should be considered.

[Questionnaire Survey on Collaboration with Medical Facilities/Nursing Home Care Facilities at Community Pharmacies].

Construction of regional inclusive care system is being promoted and pharmacists are required to implement multidisciplinary collaboration in order to provide appropriate pharmaceutical care to patients. However, there are few studies on collaboration between medical facilities and community pharmacies. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey of community pharmacies in Gifu City, which assessed the experience and attitudes regarding collaboration with other medical facilities. The survey items are: I. Participation in regional care meetings, II. Case discussion conferences, III. Joint workshops/study conferences, IV. Community service, V. Sharing information through medical cooperation network, and VI. Accompanying community pharmacists at home medical care. For the implementation of collaboration, the percentage of "not implemented" were as high as 70% or more in II, IV, V and VI. Regarding the attitudes toward collaboration, more than half of pharmacies answered that they wanted to implement in all items. In the comparison by the number of pharmacists, pharmacies with two or more pharmacists had significantly higher implementation ratios than pharmacies with one pharmacist in IV and V. Regarding the attitudes toward collaboration, pharmacies with two or more pharmacists had significantly higher ratios of considering implementation than pharmacies with one pharmacist in I and VI. Based on the results of this survey, there were many items that were not implemented as collaboration with other medical facilities at community pharmacies. However, many community pharmacies are planning to collaborate with other medical facilities in the future.

[Survey of the Distribution of Community Pharmacists Using Government Statistics].

　In Japan, within the background of a progressively aging society, a community general support system is gradually being established. Under this system, community pharmacists are expected to expand their activities in local communities. Here, we surveyed the distribution of community pharmacists in Japan by using government statistics. We found that there are 153 towns/villages without community pharmacists, which is about six times the number of towns without physicians (26 towns/villages). The number of community pharmacists per 100000 population was correlated with the population of the municipality. There was a significant difference in the number of community pharmacists per 100000 population between depopulated and non-depopulated areas. A multiple regression analysis revealed that population, financial capability index, and number of physicians per 100000 population were positively associated with the number of community pharmacists per 100000 population in a given municipality. We hope that the survey provides useful information about future issues facing community pharmacy in a community general support system.

Cryogenic Fluorescence Localization Microscopy of Spectrally Selected Individual FRET Pairs in a Water Matrix.

We prepared a pair with a visible-absorbing donor dye and a near-infrared fluorescing acceptor dye. The donor and the acceptor were covalently linked close enough for Förster resonance energy transfer to occur. Under cryogenic conditions at 1.7 K, we observed the fluorescence excitation spectra of the individual pairs in a water matrix. We tested one rhodamine, two Bodipy, and one carbopyronine derivatives as the donor. Among these donors, Bodipy derivatives show the narrowest spectral width of the individuals with respect to the ensemble width. Thus, Bodipy dyes were favorable as the donor for the spectral selection of individual pairs. At 1.7 K, from the several Bodipy-acceptor pairs in the diffraction-limited volume, an individual pair was selected by the fluorescence excitation spectrum of the donor. The spectrally selected pair was localized using the near-infrared fluorescence of the acceptor.

[Survey of Description on Package Inserts of OTC Drugs].

　The "self-medication tax deduction" system began in Japan in January 2017, allowing people to encourage the use of OTC drugs. Package inserts contain important information for consumers regarding their use. In this study, we first checked whether the items, as required in the notifications of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, are described in the package inserts of cold remedies and analgesic antipyretics in OTC drugs. The descriptions of almost all packages checked in this study were based on the notifications, but those of a small number of them were not. Next, we examined the description of the items, unrequired in the notification, but worthy for proper use of drugs; e.g., the description of prohibition for use by "patients with severe hypertension" in case of ibuprofen-containing products, and the description was found in only seven of 180 products. Manufactures should make package inserts along with notifications, including the description for proper use of drugs.

[Adverse Event Trends Associated with Over-the-counter Combination Cold Remedy: Data Mining of the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database].

OTC combination cold remedies are widely used in Japan. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the adverse event profiles of OTC combination cold remedy based on the components using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database. The JADER database contained 430587 reports between April 2004 and November 2016. 1084 adverse events associated with the use of OTC combination cold remedy were reported. Reporting odds ratio (ROR) was used to detect safety signals. The ROR values for "skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders", "hepatobiliary disorders", and "immune system disorders" stratified by system organ class of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) were 9.82 (8.71-11.06), 2.63 (2.25-3.07), and 3.13 (2.63-3.74), respectively. OTC combination cold remedy containing acetaminophen exhibited a significantly higher reporting ratio for "hepatobiliary disorders" than OTC combination cold remedy without acetaminophen. We demonstrated the potential risk of OTC combination cold remedy in a real-life setting. Our results suggested that the monitoring of individuals using OTC combination cold remedy is important.

Adverse Event Trends Associated with OTC Analgesic and Antipyretic Drug: Data Mining of the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database.

OTC drugs play an important role in self-medication. OTC analgesic and antipyretic drugs are widely used in Japan. The present study aimed to survey the components of OTC drug package inserts for analgesic and antipyretic drugs and to evaluate the adverse event profiles using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database (JADER). The JADER contains 430587 reports from between April 2004 and November 2016; a total of 750 reports of adverse events resulted from the use of OTC analgesic and antipyretic drugs. The safety signals were detected by the reporting odds ratio (ROR). The ROR values for "Skin & subcutaneous tissue disorders", "Immune system disorders", and "Hepatobiliary disorders" stratified by system organ class of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) were 7.58 (6.56-8.76), 4.25 (3.51-5.14), and 2.35 (1.93-2.85), respectively. OTC analgesic and antipyretic drugs containing allylisopropylacetylurea (AIAU) exhibited a significantly high reporting ratio of "Skin & subcutaneous tissue disorders" compared with the drugs without AIAU. No difference in the reported incidence of "Hepatobiliary disorders" was found between the drugs with or without acetaminophen. Our results suggested that it was important to monitor patients who use OTC analgesic and antipyretic drug containing AIAU; in particular, careful attention should be paid to skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders.