Q: When a doctor fills a prescription for pills, they give you 30 when there’s 31 days in most months. February has 28 days, which gives you two extra pills, but you still come up short. Why don’t they fill it for 31 days?
—Judy Brooks, Mableton
A: It's so commonplace for doctors to write prescriptions for 30 days that pharmaceutical companies are packaging pills that way, Matthew Perri, a professor of clinical administrative pharmacy at the University of Georgia, told Q&A on the News. "It's a huge problem, I admit," he said. The key is to communicate with your doctor and insurance company and "making sure they understand what you need," said Perri, who added that most pharmacies would fill up to a 90-day supply. "Nobody ever has to go without doses," he said.
Q: On the last frame of the credits for “The Big Bang Theory,” there is a white background, black writing and a long epistle written in first person. What is it? It changes with each episode.
—Pat Brannon, Duluth
A: Those are called vanity cards and they're something producer Chuck Lorre has been running at the end of his most recent shows, including "The Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men," "Mike and Molly" and "Dharma & Greg." They can be about anything and are posted at his website -- www.chucklorre.com -- where they can be sorted by show. Several vanity cards included his comments on former "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen and his escapades.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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