Research Pharmacy Team
The Research Pharmacy Team is an assembly of experienced and credentialed pharmacy personnel, primary and supporting, who work to serve the needs of Investigational Drug Trials clinical drug trials within the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.
Dr. Jennifer Patuszynski, PharmD, BCACP
Pharmacist, Program Manager
Laura Pawlowicz, CPhT
Research Pharmacy Technician
Research Pharmacy priorities are to ensure:
- familiarity with and ongoing training for all institutionally supported/approved protocols
- proper dispensing of study drugs
- accurate pharmacy drug trial record maintenance. Some of the records maintained during the conduct of approved trials include drug accountability and temperature monitoring logs, records for the receipt, storage, dispensing, and disposition of all study medications, documentation of approvals and participant consent.
The Research Pharmacist evaluates participant records for the existence of exclusionary conditions or medications, as applicable, at the time of enrollment and/or study drug dispensation. In addition, the CPS will monitor response to drug therapy with special emphasis on study medications and their interactions, as well as recommend changes in drug therapy as needed to study investigators.
The Research Pharmacist is directly supported by the Research Pharmacy Technician, who works as the primary research pharmacy record liaison and point of contact for study drug order preparation prior to final review.
The Research Pharmacist participates in the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Research and Development (R&D) as a voting member and consults with investigators and other members regarding investigational drugs and their use. In addition, they provide information on the chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics of investigational drugs.
Together, the Research Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician are core components to proper implementation of clinical drug trials at this facility.