PharCast

"We are using the tools. We just haven't defined the rules. "In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of technology and regulation in Alberta pharmacy practice. We explore the reality that AI is already deeply integrated into workflows—reading ECGs, predicting non-adherence, and supporting clinical decisions. However, without a proactive regulatory framework, pharmacists are left with full liability for these tools without clear guidance on what "reasonable oversight" actually looks like.Key Topics Discussed:The Reality of the Counter: How tools like M.S. (with over 1 million clinical services delivered) are changing community practice.The Liability Dilemma: Analyzing the ACP’s current stance on member responsibility for AI outputs and the resulting "patient safety gap".The Proactive Framework: Candidate Ahmed Abdelfattah’s plan to bring tool vetting, liability clarity, and CQI+ integration for AI errors to the ACP Council.Competence vs. Automation: Redefining where the pharmacist ends and the algorithm begins. "The future of pharmacy will be shaped by whoever shows up to define it." This episode is a call to action for every Alberta pharmacist and technician to advocate for standards that keep pace with technology.Cast Your Vote: April 2 – May 7, 2026, via myACP. Platform: www.fattah.info

Hi Colleagues,We are in the final stretch of the 2026 ACP Council Election. If you haven't had a chance to vote yet, I want to leave you with one final thought. Alberta pharmacy has seen incredible Scope Expansion, but many of us are feeling the weight of Scope Exposure.We are taking on more responsibility than ever—prescribing, assessing, and diagnosing—but often without the standardized clinical frameworks and liability guidance we need to stay safe. Added responsibility requires added protection.Why your vote matters right now:No More Districts: For the first time, your vote isn't restricted by geography. Every pharmacist and technician in Alberta chooses the future of our council together.The "Every Counter" Perspective: I have practiced where you practice—in chains, hospitals, independent clinics, and rural relief across 10+ Alberta communities.A Unified Team: This year, you vote for both a pharmacist and a technician councillor. Let’s lead as one integrated team.How to vote (Takes 2 minutes): Log in to myACP with your credentials.Click the Election Link on the homepage.Choose your candidates.Voting closes May 7 at 4:30 PM MT.I practiced where you practice. I will represent where you practice.Thank you for your support,Ahmed AbdelfattahClinical Pharmacist | ACP Pharmacist Councillor 2 Candidate www.fattah.info

This year marks an important shift in how we shape the future of pharmacy in Alberta. With the removal of district-based elections, the ACP Council election is moving toward a more unified, province-wide model of representation.What does this mean?It means your voice carries equal weight—no matter where you practice. It means candidates are stepping forward to represent the profession as a whole, not just a geographic region. And most importantly, it means we have an opportunity to strengthen collaboration, consistency, and shared vision across Alberta.As we move into ACP Election 2026I am Ahmed Abdelfattah — clinical pharmacist, PharmD, EMBA, APA, and founder of Leduc Clinic Pharmacy, one of Alberta's first independent pharmacist walk-in clinics.I have practiced in every setting that exists in Alberta — chain, independent, relief across 10+ communities, hospital, public health, and pharmaceutical industry across three countries. I am the Councillor who has stood behind your counter.In this video:— The biggest change to ACP voting in history: districts are gone— Every regulated member now votes province-wide for any candidate in Alberta— Why I am running and what I will do if elected— My four commitments: walk-in clinic framework, CCP reform, rural lens, CQI+ just culture— How to vote on myACP between April 2 and May 7, 2026If you are a regulated ACP member — pharmacist or pharmacy technician — I am asking for your vote.Voting opens April 2 and closes May 7, 2026 on myACP. Takes 2 minutes.Full platform: www.fattah.info

The 2026 Alberta College of Pharmacy Council election introduces the most significant change to pharmacy governance voting in the college’s history — and most pharmacists and pharmacy technicians don’t know about it yet.In this episode, we break down exactly what changed, why it matters, and how to cast your vote.What we cover:— Why geographic voting districts have been eliminated for the first time— How the old system worked: 5 pharmacist districts, 2 pharmacy technician districts, vote only in your geography— What the new system means: one province-wide election, every regulated member votes for any candidate in Alberta— The expanded ballot: for the first time, every voter chooses both a pharmacist AND a pharmacy technician candidate— Who is eligible: all clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians — chain, independent, hospital, rural, urban — across Alberta— The 2026 voting window: April 2 (8:00 AM MT) to May 7 (4:30 PM MT)— How to vote in 3 steps via myACPThis year, 7 pharmacist candidates are running for one seat. Your vote has never reached further — and it has never mattered more.I am Ahmed Abdelfattah — clinical pharmacist, PharmD, EMBA, APA, and founder of Leduc Clinic Pharmacy, one of Alberta’s first independent pharmacist walk-in clinics. I am running for ACP Pharmacist Councillor 2. I practiced in every setting you practice in — and I will govern for every setting you practice in.Full platform and voting information: www.fattah.info

According to GLOBOCAN 2018, prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. In Canada, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). 24,600 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 20% of all new cancer cases in men in 2022. On average, 67 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day. It is the third leading cause of death from cancer among men in Canada. 4,600 Canadian men are expected to die from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2022. On average, 13 Canadian men die from prostate cancer every day. Today we are discussing the precision medicine controversy concerning patient optimization and selection in mCRPC with HRR mutation gene following progression on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Incorporating PARP inhibitors into routine prostate cancer management in patients with limited treatment options is promising. However, some factors to consider in Choosing the Right Patient, concerning the associated mutated gene, such as BRCA/Non-BRCA. Thanks so much for your time, and I am looking forward to hearing from you...! "PharCast" is a podcast interested in exploring and pushing the boundaries of science and medicine, which results in better treatments, a better health system, and better health for everyone. It explores both emerging trends in pharmacy and ground-breaking science.

Over the last two months, I have had the opportunity to work in an acute psychiatric hospital. This allowed me to gain more experience and discover new therapeutic areas, specifically bipolar disorder. It was an excellent opportunity for me to work with and learn from some of the most experienced clinicians, and one of the subjects I found particularly interesting was the controversy surrounding "The risk-benefit profile of second-generation antidepressant medications in bipolar depression regarding their efficacy and risk of mood-switching." This medical controversy starts with the fact that the available evidence regarding the value and risks of antidepressant treatment in depressive polarity is extremely limited and many of those studies are outdated, short duration with a small number of patients included. Additionally, several trials were methodologically flawed due to increasing the risk of bias (lack of randomization, did not include most available antidepressants and high levels of heterogeneity in the meta-analyses). According to Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments CANMAT 2018, bipolar disorder is a complex, recurrent mood disorder with significant morbidity and mortality, that affects 1–2% of the population, It is characterized by mood swings and energy fluctuations. In most cases, it is characterized by recurrent episodes of major depression and manic or hypomanic episodes.  Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. Some patients experience not only more depression but up to triple the time depression relative to hypomanic…! Bipolar disorder is formally divided into several categories: bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar disorder induced by medications/substances/other medical disorders, as well as categories for patients who do not meet the usual criteria As part of my clinical practice, I regularly encountered patients with bipolar disorder who were misdiagnosed with major depression due to the nature of the bipolar disorder. Typically, those who first experience the illness in their teens start with an index episode, which is typically depression. As a result, they experience several major depressions before experiencing their first manic episode.  In the treatment of depressive episodes, antidepressants are used as adjunctive treatment to mood stabilizers. However, there are concerns about antidepressants' efficacy, as well as the potential for them to induce hypomania or mania.