The voice for pharmacy compounding | February 7, 2020
|
From APC's President...
More and more, I'm running across compounders who seem to think that
their pharmacy is a member of APC. Maybe, because someone they work with is an APC member, they think the membership must be for their entire store or company.
But APC is an individual membership organization
. We don't offer store memberships (but maybe we should?).
Why am I telling you this? Because if you're reading this, you likely ARE an APC member, and it's likely you work with a bunch of folks who should be APC members and may even *think* they're APC members by virtue of that imaginary "pharmacy membership" ... but they aren't.
I'm asking you to ask them to join us, to support the association that supports their livelihood.
Be our ambassador. Point them to
www.a4pc.org/join
, and let them know that if they join before February 15 and use the code NEWYEAR, they'll get a nice discount on their dues amount.
That's not my only ask this week. I'm also asking you - and your team - to get registered for EduCon2020.
Hear me out. These are tough times for compounding. Your business (and mine) will only survive if we band together, make plans, share ideas, and confront the challenges we face.
EduCon2020 - April 6-9 in Denver - is where we do that, and you need to be there. Your business needs you to be there.
You'll find a registration link below. Please give it some thought. I hope you'll join us.
APC means a lot to our profession. I hate to think where we'd all be without it. That's reason enough to support us, not only with your dues dollars but also with your participation.
Read on for news from the past two weeks ....
President
|
Letter to FDA: Schrader, Yoho have questions about draft GFI #256
PLUS: Hints that FDA will extend the comment period
In a joint letter to FDA this week,
Congressmen Kurt Scrader (OR) and Ted Yoho (FL) posed questions to FDA about the agency's statutory authority to issue draft GFI #256 related to animal compounding:
"GFI #256 is very similar to GFI #230, which was released in April of2015 and rescinded in 2017. In the final appropriations bills for FY2017 and FY2018, Congress included report language expressing concerns that the previous guidance on animal drug compounding, GFI #230, exceeded FDA's statutory authority. Given these concerns and others, we seek clarification on the new draft guidance and ask that FDA extend the public comment period by 90 days to allow for sufficient stakeholder input.
The letter also questions the scientific basis for the requirement in the draft GFI that animal drugs be compounded almost exclusively from FDA-approved manufactured drugs.
The congressmen's interest in the issue is the result of work by APC and its partners to bring concerns about the draft GFI to the attention of members of Congress.
"In coming days, we'll also be collaborating with Wedgewood Pharmacy, PCCA and others to develop a congressional sign-on letter expressing concern about the draft GFI," said APC chief executive officer Scott Brunner, CAE.
Also this week, the American Pharmacist Association and National Community Pharmacists Association joined with APC in asking FDA to extend the comment period on the draft GFI on animal drug compounding.
Read that joint letter here. The American Veterinary Medical Association also wrote to FDA this week requesting an extension. On Thursday, an FDA employee indicated in an email that the extension would be confirmed soon.
"Our clear sense is that FDA will be granting an extension, which will allow for more stakeholder evaluation and input on GFI #256," said Brunner.
APC issued a call-to-action on the GFI this week, asking compounders to offer comments to FDA via a template letter available on APC's grassroots platform. See the link to that letter below.
|
Psst!
Your pharmacy compounding operation
is under fire.
This is no time to stay home with your head down,
doing things the same way you've always done them,
hoping it all works out,
hoping the battles will pass you by.
NO.
It's time
to come together,
to polish your skills,
to discuss ideas,
to equip your team,
to make plans,
to learn what you can do
to protect your compounding operation
and defend your profession.
You can do all of that at EduCon2020.
This year's EduCon2020, co-located with the National Home Infusion Association's Convention at the beautiful Gaylord Rockies Resort April 6-9 near Denver, is
m
ore than just a conference
,
more than just some education sessions and a trade show.
With more than 1300 attendees (including 100+ exhibitors), it will be the biggest pharmacy compounding event of the year. It's where the movers and shakers in pharmacy compounding - pharmacists, technicians, educators, supply chain professionals, even prescribers - will gather to share ideas to take home to put to work in their compounding operation.
It's where issues like regulatory overreach, compounding's ethical challenges, and assuring patient access to custom medications will be grappled with and solutions considered.
You need to be a part of the conversation, so get registered NOW for APC's EduCon2020 ... for the future of your practice.
NOTE:
We'll send you a link to make your hotel reservation after you register for the conference. The special APC/NHIA conference hotel rate is only available until March 6.
|
|
CLICK BELOW to tell the FDA to withdraw animal compounding GFI
New York Times reports on chain pharmacy work environments:
FOR STUDENTS: Foundation now accepting applications
for EduCon travel grants
Do you know a pharmacy student interested in independent pharmacy and compounding? The Pharmacy Compounding Foundation is offering Fund-the-Future grants to pharmacy students to cover travel, accommodations and registration for APC's upcoming EduCon2020
,
April 6-9, 2020 near Denver, Colo.
|
Want to assure APC's continued success? Do these 3 things:
- Help us grow our membership. If you're reading this, you're likely our member. Thank you. But are your pharmacy teammates members? If not, ASK THEM TO JOIN. If they enter the code NEWYEAR at www.a4pc.org/join before Feb. 15, they can save on their annual membership dues. Also, when it's time to renew your APC dues this year, do it timely.
- Invest in One Fund. It fuels our entire advocacy operation. Last year, we fell short of our One Fund investment goal bigtime. That shortfall will affect what we can accomplish in 2020 on a range of issues, from the proposed animal compounding GFI to the USP appeals to bulks lists to legislation on dietary supplement monographs. Please invest in One Fund NOW and help us make-up this shortfall.
- Help support members of Congress who think like you do about pharmacy compounding. Make an investment in COMP-PAC, our political action committee, to help make sure we're heard on issues that matter to your profession.
|
Five APC Benefits that will more than pay for your dues
We offer members-only discounts on a range of products and services that more than cover the cost of your annual APC dues. Here's the list and links:
- The APMS Patient Safety Organization (PSO), helps you put safety at the center of your pharmacy operations. Get a handle on the inherent risks in your pharmacy's workflow and discover opportunities for improvement in a legally protected environment. Find more information here.
- Get $500 off the cost of PCAB accreditation, the gold-standard certification for compounding pharmacies when you use code APC202.
- Save $200 on the registration for CBI's Compounding Compliance Conference. Details here.
- Get a no-cost, no obligation gap analysis of your business and liability insurance coverage via RiskAlert-Rx - a service specially designed to help APC member owners better understand risks of loss, plus you'll get step-by-step solutions to address any deficiencies.
- Get 10% off $500 or more of marketing services from Storey Marketing. (Valid one time per pharmacy owner.)
Don't miss these pre-recorded webinars, ready when you need them:
|
 |
|
|
