Aparasu Edits New Pharmacy Textbook

'Principles of Research Design and Drug Literature Evaluation' Aims to Enhance Understanding of Clinical Research for Better Patient-care Decisions

UH College of Pharmacy's Rajender R. Aparasu, Ph.D., FAPhA, professor and chair of the college's Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, served as co-editor of new textbook to help pharmacy students and educators develop a better understanding of clinical research, how to evaluate scientific findings and translate evidence to support patient-care decisions.

Published by Jones & Bartlett Learning of Burlington, Mass., "Principles of Research Design and Drug Literacture Evaluation" was co-edited by John P. Bentley, R.Ph., Ph.D., FAPhA, professor of Pharmacy Administration and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. The foreword was written by L. Douglas Ried, Ph.D., FAPhA, editor-in-chief emeritus of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association and professor and associate dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Tyler College of Pharmacy.

The book was born from an identified need for a comprehensive teaching resource to meet the American College of Pharmacy Education's requirement that Pharm.D. students receive a fundamental education in research design, biostatistics and evaluation of pharmacy literature to improve patient care.

"Such comprehensive books are available in other health professions, but not pharmacy," Aparasu said.

Consisting of 21 chapters grouped into three sections, the book covers principles of scientific research with emphasis on clinical designs; fundamentals necessary to understand statistics and to critically evaluate statistical issues in the medical literature; and sources of drug literature, drug literature evaluation techniques, and application of evidence to patient care.

Among the chapter contributors are two fellow UHCOP faculty members: Jeffrey T. Sherer, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS, associate professor, wrote a chapter entitled "Principles of Evidence-based Medicine" and Catherine L. Hatfield, Pharm.D., clinical associate professor and Director of Institutional Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences, penned the chapter on "Basics of Journal Club."

Aparasu previously edited a textbook for graduate students entitled "Research Methods for Pharmaceutical Practice and Policy."