musc

MUSC Breaks Ground on New Pharmacy School

The Medical University of South Carolina recently broke ground on their new College of Pharmacy school in Charleston, South Carolina.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday, April 27 and was led by Dr. William Golod and Dr. Arnold Karig, both of which were previous deans at the university.

The new 24,000-square foot facility will be located on the Horseshoe. It is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Kathy Chessman, a previous student of MUSC’s College of Pharmacy and current professor at the school, is thrilled about the new building. Chessman said, “Dr. Golod said we would be getting a new building back when I was B.S. student at MUSC…The thought of actually breaking ground on a new building and having the construction begin is tremendously exciting…This new facility is a great opportunity to have the quality of our physical appearance reflect the quality of the education experience.”

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MUSC Claims To Need $30 Million From The State

The Medical University of South Carolina says it needs more funding from the state for COVID-19 related testing and research.

In May of this year, MUSC received $25 million in federal relief funds for coronavirus testing. However, less than $7 million of that lump sum currently remains.

At the beginning of September, the CEO of MUSC Health, Dr. Pat Cawley, attended a Senate Finance and Ways and Means committee meeting to ask for more funding stressing that “At the current rate of testing, we’re looking at being able to continue testing for another four, maybe six weeks.”

MUSC is currently conducting 17 percent of all coronavirus testing in South Carolina and is administering advanced diagnostic saliva-based COVID-19 testing. They are also ensuring everyone has access to testing and mobile screening and collection sites have been set up in rural areas across the state. In addition to testing, the new funds would also be used for a potential vaccine deployment.

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SC Aquarium Offering Free Admission For Health Care Workers

In order to honor health care workers that have fought throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Carolina Aquarium has begun a “Healthcare Heroes Month”. Employees of Roper St. Francis, Trident Medical Center, East Cooper Medical Center, and MUSC will receive free admission from Aug. 17 – Sept. 13.

As a means of reserving your ticket, healthcare workers can call (843) 557-3474. Upon the arrival of your designated entry time, proof of employment must be provided at the admissions gate. Friends and family of healthcare workers do not apply for free entry. Those who do not can reserve a ticket here.

While SC continues to fight against Coronavirus, the South Carolina Aquarium will be working at limited capacity. Tickets must be purchased online (or via phone). Face masks are also required for all those entering the building ages 3 and up. Safety is a top priority at the Aquarium, as the staff wants to offer assurance to all guests. Hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the building, and elevator access is limited to one family at a time. For more specific guidelines, please visit the SC website.

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MUSC To Begin Trials For Possible COVID-19 Antibody Treatment

The Medical University of South Carolina is welcoming volunteers to join their study in creating a COVID-19 antibody treatment. Their ideal test subjects are folks who have previously tested positive for Coronavirus, while not needing to be hospitalized. This SC study is solely available by the providers at MUSC.

As for details of the research itself, some participants will receive a supplement of SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies, while others will receive a placebo. Trial manager Amanda Cameron believes they won’t have any trouble finding volunteers for such a study. “Our previous COVID inpatient studies all enrolled much faster than anticipated because the spread has been so significant.”

As SC case numbers climb to over 91,788, it’s likely they’ll have a large pool of people to select from. The funding for the MUSC research comes directly from the federal government’s $450 million contract with Regeneron. If successful, the Food and Drug Administration has given the okay for its future treatment.

MUSC plans to carefully select their participants in order to achieve the most accurate results. The screening process will be quite selective as the search for a COVID-19 treatment continues.