All posts by Scott Gavura

Scott Gavura, BScPhm, MBA, RPh is committed to improving the way medications are used, and examining the profession of pharmacy through the lens of science-based medicine. He has a professional interest is improving the cost-effective use of drugs at the population level. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Toronto, and has completed a Accredited Canadian Hospital Pharmacy Residency Program. His professional background includes pharmacy work in both community and hospital settings. He is a registered pharmacist in Ontario, Canada. Scott has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Disclaimer: All views expressed by Scott are his personal views alone, and do not represent the opinions of any current or former employers, or any organizations that he may be affiliated with. All information is provided for discussion purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for consultation with a licensed and accredited health professional.

If you feel better, should you stop taking your antibiotics?

A recent paper suggests that patients would be better off stopping antibiotics when they feel better, instead of completing the entire amount prescribed. Could this approach reduce antibiotic overuse and the risk of widespread resistance?

/ September 21, 2017

Cancer, vitamin supplements, and unexpected consequences

Not only do B-vitamin supplements not protect you from lung cancer, they may significantly raise your risk of cancer.

/ September 7, 2017

Statins beat supplements

Red yeast rice supplements have poor quality control and there's no clear evidence they do anything beneficial. So why take it?

/ August 24, 2017

Is something better than nothing? The many ineffective ways we treat nocturnal leg cramps

While leg cramps won't kill you, they can make you miserable when you are trying to sleep. There's not much evidence for effective treatments, and there are far more proposed treatments than there is evidence.

/ August 10, 2017

Are drug expiry dates really a myth?

Are drug expiry dates just an industry ploy to keep you buying new bottles of medicine?

/ July 27, 2017

Australian review: Get homeopathy out of pharmacies

An independent review of Australian pharmacy practice has recommended that homeopathic products be kept out of pharmacies.

/ July 13, 2017

Adrenal fatigue: A fake disease (updated)

“Adrenal fatigue” is not a real medical condition, but some claim it is real and that medicine is ignoring it. What does the science say?

/ June 29, 2017

A closer look at penicillin allergies

While many people believe they may be allergic to penicillin, few actually are. The consequences may be serious.

/ June 15, 2017

A closer look at generic drugs

In the struggle to contain growing healthcare costs, generic drugs have the potential to save millions. What gives us confidence they are equivalent to brand-name drugs?

/ June 1, 2017

Anti-inflammatory drugs and heart attacks: How real are the risks?

A new study provides more evidence that anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen cause small but real increases in the risk of heart attacks.

/ May 18, 2017