Honesty/Ethics Ratings Drop for Pharmacists; Profession Remains in Top Five
Americans still think highly of pharmacists in terms of honesty and ethical standards, but less so in 2017 than the year before. Here’s why Gallup pollsters think those ratings dropped.

Probiotics, Xylitol Gum Not Helpful for Pharyngitis
Pharmacists have some bad news for patients looking for nondrug relief for sore throat. Probiotics and xylitol gum are not as helpful as some past studies have suggested. Find out what a new randomized, controlled trial says about the effectiveness of those products.

Metformin Doesn’t Cause Poor Outcomes in Pregestational- Diabetes Pregnancy
The good news is that a common diabetes drug does not appear to create higher risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with pregestational diabetes. The bad news is that the underlying disease appears to be the culprit. Here is more information.

Team Efforts Work Better for Reducing Hypertensive Patients’ BP Levels
Two, three, or more heads are better than one when trying to treat hypertension, according to a new study. Here’s why the comparative effectiveness review suggests that physicians shouldn’t go it alone.