September 2025

Welcome to the latest Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin. We examine key issues in health care and how our academicians, practitioners and scientists drive progress, while also sharing updates from UB’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to highlight the outstanding work of our community.

“The best way to ensure we can support and mentor our future pharmacists and research scientists is to make sure we are reviewing and discussing what is currently happening in the dynamic and ever-changing world we live in.”

And so, it has come to this. Earlier this week federal officials announced — definitively, but without compelling evidence — that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy increases the risk of autism in children. The statement, issued by individuals with abundant authority but little relevant expertise, has prompted new clinical guidance: physicians are now being directed by the Commissioner of Food And Drugs to caution patients to minimize the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. In addition, manufacturers of this well-studied drug — with its excellent safety profile when used as directed —will be required to include similar warnings on the label.
 
There is much that could and should be said about the autism community and their families. Profound autism, which affects a small percentage of those diagnosed on the spectrum, presents unique challenges. Yet countless autistic individuals have contributed greatly to the arts, literature and sciences. Each life has distinct and intrinsic value. I am not an expert on neurodivergence, however, and will leave deeper commentary on that subject to others.
 
What I will focus on is the profound danger facing public health in the United States: the erosion of trust in science. This danger did not suddenly appear; it has been advancing, quietly but steadily, for years. It began, perhaps, with the repeated denigration of expertise, with the term “elite” becoming a pejorative. More recently, institutions long entrusted to safeguard health — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and others — have at times been portrayed as inept, inefficient, or even corrupt. These attacks, aimed not only at individuals and institutions but at knowledge itself, have eroded public confidence in even the most basic public health guidance.
 
The risks are real. Reduced federal investment in biomedical research, coupled with growing skepticism toward the pharmaceutical sector, threatens to slow the discovery and development of new therapies that are essential to individual and community health.
 
It is time — indeed, well past time — for those of us in and around the health professions to say loudly and clearly: enough. For those of us in the academic health sciences, this means ensuring our students understand and can articulate the value of evidence-based health care.
 
We must be able to explain the importance of identifying the actual underlying causes of disease, the actual factors influencing their severity and course, and the scientific methodologies that allow us to develop safe and effective therapies.
 
We must reject, forcefully and consistently, the misinformation and scientifically discredited ideas that continue to distort public discourse — misinformation exemplified by the current national conversation about autism.
 
We must emphasize that devoting resources to scientifically discredited ideas, such as the vaccine–autism link, impedes real progress in understanding and treating these complex conditions and offering relief to patients and their families.
 
Because of our school’s historic role in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences, we must help lead this effort. If not us, who? If not now, when?

Warm regards,
Gary M. Pollack, PhD '84
Dean and Professor

Okere appointed Division Head for Outcomes and Practice Advancement

Arinze Okere, PharmD, MS, MBA, BCPS, BCCP, has been appointed division head of the Division of Outcomes and Practice Advancement in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, effective Sept. 2, 2025. He will also hold academic rank as a clinical professor. As division head, he will play a key role in shaping the division’s future, fostering collaboration among practitioners, educators and researchers working together to implement and assess innovations in health care delivery and learning.

SPPS joins UB's new mobile health clinics serving Western New York

UB’s new mobile health units, Health on Wheels, are hitting the road to deliver screenings, education and essential health services to underserved neighborhoods across Western New York. Pharmacy students will be part of multidisciplinary teams providing care directly in the community, working alongside peers from UB's health sciences schools. Under faculty supervision, they’ll gain hands-on experience while helping reduce barriers to care for local residents. 

Babina brings Narcan and awareness to Pharmacy Building

Karina Babina, PharmD '26, is passionate about reducing overdoses through Narcan access and education. With support from SPPS, UB departments and the Erie County Department of Health, she led a multi-year project and secured funding to install life-saving Narcan kits alongside existing automated external defibrillator stations throughout the Pharmacy Building. In addition to expanding Narcan access, she launched free on-campus training programs with the health department that certify participants as Narcan trainers, empowering them to raise awareness in their own communities. 

Take the next step in your pharmacy career with advanced training at SPPS. Join us at our upcoming postgraduate training showcases to connect with us and learn more about available residency and fellowship programs.

SPPS alumni are invited to join the Dean's Alumni Ambassadors program and make a lasting impact on the next generation of pharmacists. Mentoring is flexible, rewarding and managed through UB's exclusive Connect-A-Bull platform, allowing you to choose a time commitment that fits your schedule.

Featuring APhA's Pharmacy Based Immunization Delivery — Live Program and our new home study activity, Pharmacist Dispensing of Self-Administered Hormonal Contraceptives Pursuant to the New York State Standing Order, which satisfies the NYS education requirement for pharmacists.

Join UB alumni experts from across the globe as they share professional insights and advice during Webinar Wednesdays. Engage in upcoming webinars along with past sessions.

Show your #UBTrueBlue spirit by sharing UB Pride photos, videos and stories!

Thank you for reading our September 2025 edition of the Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin. Please stay in touch! Send us updates on your own personal and professional accomplishments by filling out our alumni update form. 

Regards,
Gary Pollack, PhD '84
Dean and Professor