Tampa, FL (April 26, 2006) – Pocket drug reference cards produced by USF's Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center are gaining broader usage as a partnership with Walgreens Pharmacy develops.

The three cards, called Antiretroviral Therapy in Adults and Adolescents, Antiretroviral Agents Pediatric Edition, and Post Exposure Prophylaxis and developed at F/C AETC, match current federal guidelines and can be folded and carried in lab coat pockets of Walgreens pharmacists for easy reference.

"Walgreens approached us for an efficient solution to providing the pocket card to all of their pharmacists," said Michael Knox, Ph.D., professor of medicine and Global Health and director of F/C AETC, which operates within the USF Center for HIV Education and Research.

"Our marketing coordinator, Jason Longo, promptly created a special link to an online version, which is updated regularly, and can be printed as needed."

Walgreens announced the drug reference card to 5000 stores and to all management by e-mail, and their "What's New" newsletter included information about the link, which resides on every Walgreens Pharmacy computer (25,000 computer terminals).

Almost 6,000 downloads were recorded by the F/C AETC in the first 100 days and feedback has shown that pharmacists are pleased to have this information available at their fingertips, and have found the card to be a valuable resource, Dr. Knox said.

The F/C AETC also added its "Antiretroviral Agents - Pediatric Edition" to the Walgreens terminals.

More than 20,000 pharmacists and 80,000 technicians are now able to view and print the cards. Walgreens is the largest drug store chain by sales, and second by store count. In 2005, they filled 490 million prescriptions.

- USF Health -

USF Health is the University of South Florida's enterprise of researchers, teachers and clinicians dedicated to improving the full continuum of health. Its core is the colleges of Public Health, Nursing and Medicine, including a School of Physical Therapy, as well as the healthcare delivered by its 450 physicians and more than 100 nurse practitioners. In partnership with its affiliated hospitals, USF Health's research funding last year was $134 million -- more than half of which came from federal sources. Last year, USF health clinicians cared for more than 31,000 patients and oversaw 396,000 outpatient visits.