Pharmaceutical Researcher

Pharmaceutical Researcher

drugstr

Central, NJ

Male, 61

I have worked as a drug discovery scientist for over 30 years performing experiments to help identify novel chemical compounds for their potential in treating diseases in the areas of infection, inflammation and cardiovascular disorders. I have a good familiarity with the entire process from discovery to safety to clinical trials and even marketing. Ask me about the business of Big Pharma. I’m happy to comment on any and all hot-button issues. My opinions are quite often not pro-business.

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Last Answer on October 29, 2020

Best Rated

I recently heard of a drug called etorphine and realized it is the extreme version of trazadon and so I was wondering is there a way to dilute it enough so that it could be used to help people with insomnia?

Asked by Zach over 5 years ago

These two drugs are not chemically related. Both have sedation as a side effect of their modes of action. Trazadone is an antidepressant. Etorphine is a powerful synthetic opiate significantly more potent than fentanyl. It's considered too dangerous to be used in human medicine. In veterinary medicine its use often requires reversal with an antidote. Thus, it's not practical as a treatment for insomnia.

I was accepted into a 6 year straight Pharm.D. program right out of high school, and I am hoping that I can use this degree to become a research scientist. Will a Pharm.D. satisfy my career goal?

Asked by Nitin almost 10 years ago

Sorry for the late response. I hope you're doing well and enjoying the program. I think that your training would prepare you well for your goal. I have seen Pharm. D.s working at all levels, but I must say that research leadership tends to be composed mainly of PhDs and MDs. Still, your success will depend entirely on your skills and ambition. Good luck!

Hey hon I heard the CDC updated the numbers to where only 9,000 died of COVID-19 is this true or is this another bazaar conspiracy theory?

Asked by May over 5 years ago

This is not a pharma question.No numbers have been changed. Evidently, a CDC report on comorbidities was the source of this misinformation.

which solute is most effective at lowering freezing temps sucrose, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, aluminum chloride

Asked by Mark g over 5 years ago

This is not a pharma question and I’m not expert in colligative properties, however, my understanding is that freezing point depression is a function of the molality of a solute in a solution. The molality represents the total number of dissolved particles. You’re obviously familiar with this since your list includes compounds of increasing molal potential. I submit that based on molality, aluminum chloride would be best so long as the solution was fairly dilute. While the others nicely dissolve in water, AlCl3 reacts with water and forms HCl, a dissolved gas. In a concentrated solution some of the HCl would degas and thus lower the molality reducing the freezing point depression. So if your goal is a several degree drop, choose CaCl2. It’s a safer bet.

Why do some doctors prescribe meds knowing it’s dangerous

Asked by Jim over 5 years ago

Every drug carries risks of side-effects which are sometimes dangerous. Doctors are responsible for determining whether the curative value of a prescription outweighs these risks. A competent physician does this with full knowledge of the drug profile and an intimate knowledge of the patient’s condition. A drug manufacturer applies to the FDA for permission to market a drug for a particular indication by submitting clinical evidence proving safety and efficacy. A drug may have more than one indication in its ‘label.’ Doctors are free, however, to prescribe drugs ‘off-label’ for a condition not specifically approved by the FDA. There may be published reports to support this or the doctor may have had good results with similar agents. They do this at their peril, though. They may be liable for injury. Doctors are human and may be subject to pressure from patients, drug companies, politicians, or criminals to prescribe in a way that is not in the best interest of their patient or worse, to support the dangerous and illegal trafficking of narcotics. So to answer your question, doctors may succumb to various pressures to use their power to prescribe in ways that may cause harm, thus violating their oath.

Have you seen a lot of suspicious deaths in your line of work?

Asked by Jessie over 5 years ago

No I haven't. I never worked with patients nor am I aware of any one dying from an adverse event while on a drug that I was involved in developing.

What type of mask is best to wear? When should we wear them? And do you wear them?

Asked by Snnd over 5 years ago

Again, not really a pharma question. The CDC recommends a mask with two or more layers of breathable fabric. Wear one anytime you're around people not in your household. I wear inexpensive, disposable, 3-layer surgical masks available online.