Your trusted source for facts... where we dissect the evidence behind risky rumors and reveal clinical truths.
This podcast series from TRC Healthcare, the team behind Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,and Prescriber Insights products, is designed to help pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, prescribers, and even patients navigate some of the claims they might see about medication therapy.
Find the video version of this show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trc.healthcare
TRC Healthcare offers CE credit for this podcast for subscribers at our platinum level or higher. Log in to your Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,or Prescriber Insights account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.
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Hot flashes or cool facts… are menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the middle of the rumors? In this episode, Don and Steve turn up the heat on common claims about estrogen therapy and menopause management. Joined by guest expert Sara Klockars, PharmD, BCPS, they separate fact from fiction and share practical tips for clinicians.
🔥 Is HRT the go-to for every patient with hot flashes? 💊 Are bioidentical hormones truly better… or just better marketed? 🩹 Is topical estrogen safer than oral therapy? 🎗 Does hormone therapy raise breast cancer risk… or is the evidence more nuanced?
Bust the hype, and uncover the facts behind these hot-button hormone claims:
All patients with low estrogen levels should use HRT
Bioidentical estrogens are more effective than other estrogens
Topical estrogen is safer than oral options
Hormone replacement therapy causes breast cancer
10% off a new or upgraded subscription with code rvt1026 at checkout.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
Guest:
Sara Klockars, PharmD, BCPS (TRC Healthcare Editor)
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CE Information:
None of the speakers have anything to disclose.
TRC Healthcare offers CE credit for this podcast for subscribers at our platinum level or higher. Log in to your Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,or Prescriber Insights account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.
The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
Are GLP-1 side effects food for thought or just food for rumors? In this episode, Don and Steve dig into the evidence behind the most talked-about risks of GLP-1 agonists, separating clinical truth from rumors and headlines.
🦱 Are these meds thinning waistlines—and hairlines? 🚹 Do GLP-1s cause erectile dysfunction—or could they actually help? 🛑Is holding GLP-1s before surgery a must, or just medical myth?
Our clinical sleuths investigate whether these claims hold up:
GLP-1 agonists can lead to hair loss
Men can develop erectile dysfunction from GLP-1 agonists
GLP-1 agonists increase risk of suicidal thoughts
GLP-1 agonists are associated with blindness
GLP-1's should be held before every surgery to prevent aspiration
Our listeners can get 10% off a new or upgraded subscription with code rvt1025 at checkout.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
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Guest:
Sara Klockars, PharmD, BCPS (TRC Healthcare Editor, Dermatology Specialist)
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CE Information:
None of the speakers have anything to disclose.
TRC Healthcare offers CE credit for this podcast for subscribers at our platinum level or higher. Log in to your Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,or Prescriber Insights account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.
In this episode, hosts Don Weinberger and Steve Small separate fact from fiction about dyes in medications and food.
🚫 Why is the FDA banning certain artificial dyes, and what does it mean for your meds and favorite foods? 💊 Can the color of your pills really affect how you feel about them? 🐀 Why do we talk so much about rats and sewers in this episode?
🌈 Folks are dye-ing to know the truth...let’s find out!
They’ll share research and insights into some interesting claims including:
White tablets or clear solutions don’t have dyes.
Certain dyes can cause adverse effects.
Recent FDA mandates to remove artificial dyes only affect food products.
Pill color can impact patients’ expectations about a medication’s effects.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
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Guest:
Gina Corely, PharmD (TRC Healthcare Editor)
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The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
In this episode, hosts Don Weinberger and Steve Small separate fact from fiction about expired medications.
📅 How are med expiration dates chosen? Is it science or just a guess? ⏳ Can a medication that’s older than the FDA itself… still work? 💊 Are meds no longer effective after they expire?
⏰ It’s time to uncover the truth behind meds that are past their prime!
They’ll share research and insights into some interesting claims including:
Med expiration dates are chosen at random.
Meds are no longer good after their expiration date.
Meds can be toxic after their expiration date.
Expiration dates on meds can be extended.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD
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The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to Pharmacist’s Letter today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools. If you're a student, good news—students can access a free version of Pharmacist’s Letter.
Tackling Tetracyclines
Season 1 · Episode 3
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 • Duration 21:27
In this episode, hosts Don Weinberger and Steve Small separate fact from fiction when it comes to claims about tetracyclines.
🦷 Will doxycycline stain children’s teeth? ☠️ Is expired tetracycline truly deadly? 🐱 What do cats have to do with all this?
🚴♂️ Let’s cycle through the facts!
They’ll share research and insights into some interesting claims including:
Doxycycline should never be used in young kids due to teeth concerns.
Doxycycline monohydrate is better than the hyclate version.
Minocycline can permanently pigment skin.
Expired tetracyclines are toxic.
Tetracyclines shouldn’t be used in pregnancy.
Tetracyclines shouldn’t be combined with milk.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD
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Guest:
Michael Deaney, PharmD, AAHIVP (Clinical Pharmacist, Children’s Hospital Colorado)
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The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
In this episode, hosts Don Weinberger and Steve Small separate fact from fiction about hangover remedies.
💧 Does drinking water actually help prevent symptoms? 🤕 Is acetaminophen safe for hangover headaches?
🔨 Let’s hammer out the facts!
They’ll share research and insights into some interesting claims including:
Consuming fluids before, during, or after drinking will curb hangovers.
Having beer before switching to harder drinks can prevent hangovers.
Acetaminophen should be avoided after drinking.
Some natural products can be used for hangovers.
“Hydration clinics” are a hangover cure.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD
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The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to Pharmacist’s Letter today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools. If you're a student, good news—students can access a free version of Pharmacist’s Letter.
Juicy Interactions
Season 1 · Episode 1
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 • Duration 16:49
In this premiere episode, hosts Don Weinberger and Steve Small separate fact from fiction about medication interactions with fruit juices.
🍊 Does that morning grapefruit really matter with your medications? 👍 Are some juices beneficial?
🍹 Let's squeeze out the truth!
They’ll share research and insights into some interesting claims including:
You shouldn’t drink grapefruit juice with certain statins.
There are other meds that interact with fruit juices.
Juices can affect the absorption of ADHD stimulants (Adderall, etc).
Sildenafil may be affected by more “exotic” juices.
Fruit juices are actually good for certain meds.
TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD
Guest:
Gina Corley, PharmD (TRC Healthcare Editor)
The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to Pharmacist’s Letter today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools. If you're a student, good news—students can access a of Pharmacist’s Letter.
Natural Cold and Flu Remedies
Season 1 · Episode 11
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 • Duration 31:45
Is your favorite cold fix fact—or folklore? In this episode, hosts Don and Steve team up with special guest Jeff Langford, PharmD, from TRC’s NatMed team, to bust the biggest myths about natural remedies for cold and flu. Together, they dig into the roots of popular remedies—from pharmacy shelves to grandma’s kitchen—to uncover what’s backed by evidence.
🍯 Is honey for cough a sweet solution or just a sticky myth? 🫐 Elderberry syrup: flu fighter or fruity fad? 🌱 Are homeopathic flu remedies backed by science?
Get ready for the verdict on these popular claims:
Vitamin C and zinc can shorten cold symptoms.
Honey is effective for cough.
Elderberry can treat the flu.
Homeopathic products, such as oscillococcinum, can prevent or treat the flu.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
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Guest:
Jeff Langford, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP (Managing Clinical Editor at TRC Healthcare for NatMed)
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CE Information:
None of the speakers have anything to disclose.
TRC Healthcare offers CE credit for this podcast for subscribers at our platinum level or higher. Log in to your Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,or Prescriber Insights account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.
We loved our conversation with Dr. Jayson Chalmers, DDS so much that we’re sharing the full, never‑before‑heard interview. It goes deeper than our last episode “Dental Dilemmas” on the history of fluoridation, chemistry, dosing, safety signals, and what clinicians should actually recommend.
** No CE credit for this bonus episode. (CE returns with our next regular episode on cold & flu.) **
What you’ll learn:
How fluoride prevents cavities (the hydroxyapatite → fluorapatite story)
Where the 2025 JAMA Pediatrics metaanalysis on fluoride exposure and children’s IQ fits (signal vs causality; exposure thresholds; study bias).
Practical guidance on OTC (~900 ppm) vs prescription (5000 ppm) toothpaste and counseling tips for kids and high-risk adults.
Community water fluoridation: historical context (Grand Rapids), outcomes, and how programs are tuned to ~0.7 mg/L today.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
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Guest:
Jayson Chalmers, DDS
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The clinical resources related to this podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
In this episode, Don and Steve separate fact from fiction about meds and oral health.
💊 Could your favorite mouthwash be more “spirited” than you think? 😬 Can a key medication for opioid use disorder quietly sabotage your smile? 🦷 What really happens when you put aspirin on a toothache—relief, or regret?
Ready to brush up on the facts and drill down to the truth? No need to sugarcoat it, our myth-busting pharmacist duo (and a special dentist guest expert) are here to rinse away the rumors and polish up the evidence!
Claims:
Fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes are harmful.
Alcohol-based mouthwashes should be avoided with metronidazole.
Patients need prophylactic antibiotics before most dental visits.
Putting aspirin directly on a tooth can help cure a toothache.
Sublingual or buccal buprenorphine is linked to tooth decay and cavities.
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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts:
Stephen Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP
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Guest:
Jayson Chalmers, DDS
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CE Information:
None of the speakers have anything to disclose.
TRC Healthcare offers CE credit for this podcast for subscribers at our platinum level or higher. Log in to your Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter,or Prescriber Insights account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.
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The clinical resources mentioned during the podcast are part of a subscription to Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber Insights:
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to Pharmacist’s Letter today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools. If you're a student, good news—students can access a free version of Pharmacist’s Letter.
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to Pharmacist’s Letter today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools. If you're a student, good news—students can access a free version of Pharmacist’s Letter.
