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Shorter antibiotic courses are becoming the norm—but that raises an important question we hear all the time:

Can patients stop antibiotics early once they start feeling better?

In this BONUS mailbag episode of Rumor vs Truth, we step outside our regular format to answer a single listener question submitted through our fan mail audio line. Hosts Don Weinberger, PharmD and Steve Small, PharmD revisit antimicrobial stewardship and bring back infectious‑diseases pharmacist Dr. Madeline King to break down what the evidence really tells us.

Together, they discuss:

• Why antibiotic durations have shortened over time
• Whether stopping early increases the risk of resistance
• Why “feeling better” doesn’t always mean the infection is resolved
• When stopping early might be reasonable—and why that decision should still come from the prescriber
• How pharmacists and clinicians can frame these conversations with patients

No CE credit is available for this bonus episode.
CE credit is available for our full episode on antimicrobial stewardship.

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🎧 Related Episode (CE Available)

• Rumor vs Truth: Antimicrobial Stewardship
  (Are we overusing antibiotics?)
  🎧Listen: https://rumorvstruth.buzzsprout.com/episodes/19034041
  ▶️ Watch: https://youtu.be/L8m1g9Tq6Sw

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TRC Healthcare Editor Hosts

• Steve Small, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP, CNSC
• Don Weinberger, PharmD, PMSP

Guest

• Madeline King, PharmD, BCIDP

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Clinical Resources:

• Toolbox: Antimicrobial Stewardship
• FAQ: Antibiotic Therapy: When Are Shorter Courses Better?

🏷️ Our listeners can get 10% off a new or upgraded subscription with code rvt1026 at checkout.

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Send us Fan Mail

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

Antimicrobial stewardship is everywhere—but best approaches are still debated.

In this episode, Don and Steve separate fact from fiction around antimicrobial stewardship - taking a closer look at how antibiotics are used in everyday practice—and where common beliefs may fall short.

• 🦠 Does antimicrobial stewardship actually reduce antibiotic resistance?
• ⏱️ Are shorter outpatient antibiotic courses—like 5 days—enough for most common infections?
• 💊 When does the choice of antibiotic, route, or mechanism really matter?

To answer those questions, we’ll narrow the spectrum of rumors and uncover the truth about these claims:

• Stewardship isn’t reducing overall antibiotic resistance
• Most outpatient infections only need 5 days of antibiotics
• IV antibiotics are better than oral options
• Bactericidal antibiotics are better than bacteriostatic ones

🏷️ 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

Guests:

• Madeline King, PharmD, BCIDP
• John Turtle, PharmD, MBA

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CE Information:

For the purposes of disclosure, Dr. Madeline King reports a relevant financial relationship with Shionogi (speakers bureau for cefiderocol).

The other speakers have nothing to disclose. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

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.

Claim Credit

Resources:

• Toolbox: Antimicrobial Stewardship
• FAQ: Antibiotic Therapy: When Are Shorter Courses Better?
• Chart: Urinary Tract Infections
• Chart: Antibiotics in Pregnancy and Lactation
• FAQ: Managing Beta-Lactam Allergies
• Chart: Considerations for IV-to-PO Conversions

Send us Fan Mail

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

AI is fast.
AI is fluent.
AI is confident.

But is it clinically trustworthy?

🤖 AI can generate answers in seconds.
But good healthcare decisions require more than speed.

As AI tools become more accessible across healthcare, the line between assistance and authority is starting to blur.

Don and Steve put artificial intelligence under the microscope—cutting through hype to examine how AI is actually performing in healthcare today.

They tackle the questions healthcare professionals are already facing:

🧠 Which clinical tasks can AI reliably support—and which still require human judgment?
⚠️ Is it actually helping clinicians — or quietly creating new risks?
📋 When AI gives a medical answer, how often is it accurate… and how often is it confidently wrong?
🎓 How should AI be used (or limited) when training the next generation of clinicians?

Then they put the evidence behind these claims to the test:

• AI will fully replace healthcare professionals
• Using AI improves patient safety
• AI generated medical answers are more accurate than humans
• Healthcare students should use AI

🏷️ Our listeners can get 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

Guests:

• Vickie Danaher, PharmD
• John Turtle, PharmD, MBA

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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.

Claim Credit

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Clinical resources:

• FAQ: Artificial Intelligence in Pharmacy Practice
• Checklist: Responding to Med Errors
• Toolbox: Resources for Discussing Medical Misinformation
• Article: Weave AI Into Your Plan for Precepting Learners
• Toolbox: Preceptor’s Guide

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Send us Fan Mail

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

Hair today… gone tomorrow? Don and Steve are combing through the claims to find out what really works. In this episode, they separate fact from fiction about hair loss treatments, tackling everything from minoxidil and finasteride to natural remedies and trending techniques.

💊Does oral minoxidil really outperform topical versions?
🧴Is topical finasteride genuinely a safer workaround, or do the same systemic side effects still sneak through?
🌿Are “natural” options like rosemary oil and saw palmetto actually regrowing hair… or just regrowing rumors?

Bad hair days meet bold claims — and our hosts are on the case. Strands, studies, and “so‑called solutions”… they pull out the magnifying glass to uncover the clinical truth.

They’ll share research and insights into some eyebrow‑raising claims, including:

• Oral minoxidil is more effective than topical versions for hair loss.
• Topical finasteride doesn’t have systemic side effects seen with oral tablets.
• Combining topical minoxidil with oral finasteride may be more effective than using them alone.
• Saw palmetto and rosemary oil are effective for hair loss

Plus, they tackle a trio of quick-hit myths—from family “in-hair‑itance” to grooming habits...and even a surprising pet danger.

Our listeners can get 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:

• 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.

Claim Credit

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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:

• Chart: Treatment and Prevention of Hair Loss
• Article: Get to the Root of Male Pattern Baldness Treatments

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Send us Fan Mail

*****

📣 New Podcast!📣

🌱Natural Medicines: Evidence in Practice

Evidence, not hype. Concise, clinician‑ready guidance on natural medicines and integrative care. Episode 1: GLP‑1s & Nutrition is live now!

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Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

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.

Claim Credit

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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:

• FAQ: Managing Vasomotor Menopause Symptoms
• Chart: Menopausal Hormone Therapies
• Article: Elinzanetant: Emerging Therapy for Menopausal Hot Flashes
• Chart: Managing Genitourinary Menopausal Symptoms
• Chart: Characteristics of Transdermal Patches (US)

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Send us Fan Mail

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

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.

Claim Credit

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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:

• Chart: GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Interactive Comparison Chart
• Chart: Treatment and Prevention of Hair Loss
• FAQ: Managing Erectile Dysfunction
• Chart: Perioperative Management of Diabetes

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Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or Text: 988

https://988lifeline.org/

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Send us Fan Mail

*****

📣 New Podcast!📣

🌱Natural Medicines: Evidence in Practice

Evidence, not hype. Concise, clinician‑ready guidance on natural medicines and integrative care. Episode 1: GLP‑1s & Nutrition is live now!

*****

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.

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.

Claim Credit

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Clinical Resources:

• Chart: Managing Cough and Cold Symptoms
• Chart: Managing Seasonal Allergies
• NatMed Pro

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10% off a new or upgraded subscription with code rvt1025 at checkout.

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🌿🎙New show from today's guest: Natural Medicines: Evidence in Practice🎙🌿

• 🎧 Trailer + Follow on Apple Podcasts
• 🎧 Trailer + Follow on Spotify

Send us Fan Mail

*****

📣 New Podcast!📣

🌱Natural Medicines: Evidence in Practice

Evidence, not hype. Concise, clinician‑ready guidance on natural medicines and integrative care. Episode 1: GLP‑1s & Nutrition is live now!

*****

Email us: rumorvstruth@trchealthcare.com

The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Find the show on YouTube by searching for ‘TRC Healthcare’ or clicking here.

Learn more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com.