Lufkinite has 'formula' for success
By 
BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Fred Poage may only be 23 years old, but he's already made a name for 
himself among mathematicians and medical technicians.
Poage, who graduates from Stephen F. Austin State University in nine 
days, has developed a mathematical formula for calculating exactly how 
much of the drug Xigris a patient should receive.
And the formula is such a hit, 
it's being used by physicians 
and medical technicians 
worldwide.
Xigris, developed by the Fortune 500 company Eli Lilly and Company, treats patients 
who suffer from severe sepsis. Sepsis occurs when bacteria in the bloodstream 
develop toxins so that the immune system attacks the body's own organs and tissues 
in order to fight off the poison in the blood. Sepsis is the 10th-leading cause of death 
in the U.S. with approximately 215,000 deaths a year recorded, according to 
www.sepsis.com.
Poage, who is a Certified Pharmacy Technician at Woodland Heights Medical Center 
in Lufkin, decided to work on developing a formula for measuring the drug when a 
co-worker complained to him one day about how long it took to measure out the drug. 
Knowing that Poage was about to receive his bachelor of arts degree in mathematics 
and science, the co-worker suggested he try and come up with a formula to make the 
process easier.
"One of the pharmacists had an order that he had to do, and it took him a little while,"
Poage said. "He asked if I'd be interested in -- on my own -- figuring out the
calculations."
According to Poage, before he developed the calculator for it, technicians would 
spend anywhere from half an hour up to a whole hour trying to get the measurements 
just right.
"Using this calculator, it takes less than a second," Poage said.
It took Poage a month, working on it off and on, to come up with the formula, which 
uses mathematical and numerical analysis along with advanced calculus. Other than asking his SFA professors for a little advice, 
Poage did all the research and calculations on his own. He tried to contact Eli Lilly and Company, the developer of the drug, but 
was unsuccessful.
"I did it without any support or any influence from Eli Lilly and Company," Poage said. "I tried asking them about it and got no help 
whatsoever."
Poage was recently recognized by the Math Association of America and will tentatively be featured in the August issue of "Drug 
Topics", a publication for pharmacists.
Poage said it's really nice to be recognized for his work. His formula, which is now being used all around the world, prompted a 
physician from Germany and physician from Portugal to send him e-mails complimenting him on it.
"It's a very humbling experience," Poage said.
However, even with all of the recognition Poage has gotten, he still has not heard from Eli Lilly and Company, which disappoints 
him a great deal.
"I just wish that it was taken more seriously by Eli Lilly and Company," Poage said. "I wish they would give some kind of response 
to it."
Attempts to reach representatives from Eli Lilly and Company for comment were unsuccessful.