PFOA logo

"To Preserve, Protect and Promote

the Interests of Pharmacy Owners."


April 2020
In This Issue
   PFOA Headquarters Move from St Louis to 
Coral Springs, Fl Complete

Although PFOA moved our main office from Saint Louis, MO to Coral Springs, FL last summer, we kept our phone lines in St Louis active until this time for your convenience.

As of this date, the phone line in St Louis has been disconnected. Our main phone number is now 954-340-5944 Ext 138. This line will be answered by our Administrative Assistant, April Adkin.
 
Our new fax number is 954-827-6379
 
Welcome New Members!

Medicap Pharmacy 8366 Harrisonburg, VA

Morristown Pharmacy
Morristown, IN
 
Las Tunas Pharmacy
San Gabriel, CA

Lincourt Pharmacy
Clearwater, FL

Medicine Shoppe #2171
Eldorado, IL

Medicap Pharmacy
Nyssa, OR

 Yreka Pharmacy
Yreka, CA
 FDA Issues Health Care Provider Information on Antibody Testing


Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that health care providers continue to use serological (antibody) tests intended to identify people who have been exposed to or recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). FDA specifically recommended the following for health care providers:
 
Continue to use serological (antibody) tests, as appropriate, however, be aware of their limitations,
Do not use serological (antibody) tests as the sole basis to diagnose COVID-19 but instead as information about whether a person may have been exposed, and
 
Be aware that not all marketed serological tests have been evaluated by FDA. The agency's authorized tests, including serological tests, are listed on its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) web page.
 
To help ensure that health care providers have access to accurate tests, FDA is working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a  validation project to help identify the most promising serological tests. Providers are encouraged to report any adverse events or suspected adverse events experienced with serological tests via the MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program
Published by NABP
CDC Issues Updated Guidance for Pharmacies During the COVID-19 Pandemic  
 
The CDC recently published an updated guidance for pharmacies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, based on the most recent information regarding safety practices and precautions for the disease.
 
The CDC explained that these guidelines should be applied to all staff in pharmacies so that it is possible to minimize risks to the health of staff and customers and to ensure that pharmacies are able to continuously stay open to support public health.
 
There were 4 major changes made from previous guidelines in the following areas:
  • All people entering a pharmacy should wear a face covering, regardless of whether they present any symptoms. The only exceptions are for children under the age 2 and anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance, as they should not wear cloth face coverings for safety reasons.
  • All pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should wear a facemask while in the pharmacy.
  • Routine clinical preventive services that require face to face encounters, such as adult immunizations, should be postponed and rescheduled.
The other areas of the guidance echoed the previously detailed points by the CDC in prior COVID-19 updates. These points included continuing to:

  • Advise staff who are sick to stay home.
  •  Provide hand sanitizer for customers on counters and sufficient soap and water and hand sanitizer for staff.

  • Encourage prescribers to submit prescription orders over the telephone or electronically place packaged medication on the counter for customers instead of handing it to them.

    Use strategies to minimize close contact between staff and customers and between customers, including observing social distancing guidelines and other safety precautions.
     
    Alana Hippensteele, 
    Published in Pharmacy Times,edited
    PFOA Staff
    Contact Information 
     
       
    David Mayper
    Executive Director
    305-773-5822
       
    April Adkin
    Administrative Assistant
    954-340-5944 x138
    AAdkin @pfoai.org

    Mailing Address
    2900 N. University Drive
    Suite 70
    Coral Springs, FL 33065 

    Wesley Behar
    West Region Sales
    661-904-4939

    Karen Godbold
    Projects Manager
    407-456-3231
    Karen@pfoai.org

    Ronda Hubbard  
    Generics Specialist/Sales
    407-492-8845
    Fax: 270-632-4206

    Patrick Kittoe
    Southeast Sales
    321-506-2769
       
    Al Schuster
    Northeast Sales
    216-409-6597
     
    Bob Sutton
    Vendor Programs/Mid-West Sales
    636-577-7107
     
    Nancy Tataronis
    Vendor Relations/Marketing
    786-556-0007
     
      Jamie Wilbanks
    Inside Sales/Service
    Toll Free: 888-406-7467


     
    As life has certainly changed in the US thanks to COVID-19, it has altered the PFOA staff method of operation. With the sales staff off the road, we have changed practices and in some cases, direction. We are pushing through with the CRM project focusing on verification of information. Within two weeks, we have been able to get half of our membership to respond to material meant to confirm the data we have on file. It revealed some surprising participation increases which we were unaware of. We have also been able to better identify different member contacts as well as a few closures and sales. This effort will allow us not only to have more accurate information for our sales force project but will also allow us to better identify our members' business usages and needs.
     
    We have increased our electronic outbound reach to membership. Emails, social media postings, and outbound phone calls have all been key to keeping in touch with our members. We have been distributing pertinent information on COVID-19 related subjects. The staff meets in weekly webcasts as a staff and a sales staff which allows us to keep focused on activity and training.
     
    On the vendor front, the vendor committee voted to accept the Ananda virtual warehouse program. We have been meeting with the Ananda staff and will be launching this program shortly.
     
    Our staff is actively reviewing applicable PPE offerings for our membership and looking for appropriate COVID-19 testing opportunities. We are also looking for testing set up for our members for COVID-19 antibody and antigen tests. This also has us working with our members to verify or get CLIA waivers so they can perform testing.
     
    P&L wise, the group has been positive through the first quarter but certainly not as robust as last year. April should show some nice income due to the increase in sales experienced by the members from the COVID-19 bump in March. Travel expenses should be considerably less as the sales staff is not on the road and multiple trade shows have been canceled.
     
    It is critical that PFOA stays relevant during this time and uses our time wisely. We will be looking to help the member through this COVID-19 crisis and make sure we are prepared for the next steps once they arrive. I want to thank you, the pharmacy owners, your staff, and your families as independent pharmacy is involved in healthcare at this time.
     
    Yours Truly,
    David Mayper
    Lawmakers Seek to Eliminate DIR Fees as Part of COVID-19 Relief Efforts

    Lawmakers are seeking to eliminate DIR fees as the coronavirus pandemic continues straining small business, independent community pharmacies.
     
    One hundred fifteen members of the U.S. House of Representatives are supporting a bipartisan push to include language permanently prohibiting pharmacy DIR clawbacks by pharmacy benefit managers in future coronavirus relief packages. 
     
    A letter , led by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Doug Collins, (R-Ga.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
     
    The letter stated, "We must keep pharmacies open during this crisis. Pharmacy DIR reform has strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. We ask for these reforms to be enacted now and hope that Members of Congress will not overlook the critical need to ensure the sustainability of pharmacies during this public health emergency."
     
    A National Community Pharmacists Association analysis released last week found that 66% of independent pharmacies are experiencing such negative cash flow issues as DIR fees, decreasing reimbursement and coronavirus-related expenses. That means pharmacies are paying more for inventory and clawback fees, which makes it difficult to stay in business, NCPA said.
     
    "Independent pharmacies are stepping up to help their communities through the coronavirus crisis," NCPA CEO Doug Hoey said. "They are expanding home delivery zones, putting their own health and safety on the line, continuing to provide a paycheck to thousands of workers - quite literally, they are doing more with less as PBMs claw back funds and reimburse prescriptions below the pharmacy's cost."
    NCPA noted that half of pharmacy owners reported paying more than $10,000 in pharmacy DIR fees since March 1. If this pace continues, the average independent pharmacy will be on track to have over $100,000 clawed back in the next 12 months.
     
    "The majority of neighborhood pharmacies are already experiencing negative cash flow issues and, for their efforts to help through this pandemic, will get a big bill months from now as PBMs come calling for DIR fees," Hoey said. "Eliminating these fees and reining in PBMs has never been more vital if pharmacies are to continue operating now and when this emergency passes. Our continued thanks to those policymakers who understand this and are fighting for PBM reform."
    By Sandra Levy, Published in Drug Store News
    The Top 10 Drugs Losing U.S. Exclusivity in 2020

    Each year, drugmakers face costly losses of exclusivity for big-selling old medicines, forcing them to continually develop and launch new drugs as they strive for growth. While some major brands like Lyrica and Herceptin lost exclusivity last year-with more expected for the coming years-2020 will feature the introduction of important new generics, as well.
     
    Truvada, Gilead's HIV drug that's been in the news a lot lately, is set to top the list. The drug pulled in $2.6 billion in the U.S. last year, and under a patent deal with Teva Pharmaceuticals, it'll face new generics in September.
    Meanwhile, Gilead is locked in a dispute with the U.S. government on HIV prevention patents on the medicine.
     
    Aside from Truvada, 2020's top U.S. losses of exclusivity include medications from Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Eli Lilly and others. They're drugs already facing new generics under year-end 2019 launches, plus those expected to lose exclusivity later in the year. The list totals some $8 billion in 2019 U.S. sales. 

    Down the line, many in the industry are tracking the 2023 downfall of AbbVie's Humira protection. The drug is so important to AbbVie that the drugmaker inked a massive buyout in Allergan to help prepare for that patent cliff. Roche's Lucentis and Novartis' Gilenya might also face generics or biosims soon, but those copycats don't seem likely in 2020 as of now.
     
    Biogen's Tecfidera and Amgen's Enbrel have also dodged immediate competition, thanks to win  at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and in  federal court , respectively. And Takeda's Dexilant is set to face competition sometime in the coming years, but Endo  says  the terms of its patent settlement with the Japanese drugmaker are confidential. 
     
    With patent lawsuits, settlements, FDA setbacks and other constantly changing factors, it's impossible to predict generic entry in many cases. This report is intended to be a point-in-time look at likely losses of exclusivity based on public filings, company statements and FDA records.  
    The top 10 drugs losing U.S. exclusivity in 2020
    ·         1. Truvada
    ·         2. Afinitor
    ·         3. Chantix
    ·         4. NuvaRing
    ·         5. Forteo
    ·         6. Atripla
    ·         7. Ciprodex
    ·         8. Kuvan
    ·         9. Risperdal Consta
    ·         10. Proair HFA
     
    By Eric Sagonowsky , published in Fierce Pharma
    Have You Signed In to Our New Website?  

    The new PFOA website includes vendor information and industry news. 

    The Members Only section provides rebate information specific to your store(s). 

    Currently, PFOA sends out email notifications of rebate information from our major vendor partners. At some point, PFOA may eliminate these notifications and provide the information to you on our website. 

    Please sign into the Members Only section of www.pfoai.org
    to get access to information for PFOA members.

    If you encounter any difficulties with your sign in, please email rhubbard@pfoai.org
    PFOA logo
    PFOA
    Board of Directors

    President:
    Todd Pendergraft
    todd@bafamilydrug.com

    Vice President:
     Doug Coyle

     Treasurer:
     
        Larry McIntosh 
    Larry@PharmaxPharmacy.com

    Secretary:
    Phil Rigsby
    256-536-1910
    phillip@huntsvillecompounding.com

    Gabriel Guijarro
    936-634-3006
    grgrph@gmail.com

     Eric Pusey
    rprp3@aol.com

    David Spence
    979-665-6395
    wdspence1@gmail.com

    Ty Stout
    661-717-1814
    tystout@eltejonpharmacy.com
      
    John Zuzack
    jdzuzack@gmail.com

    Non-Voting Board Members:

    Dirk Andrepont
    337-948-7703

    Gaye Moseman
    910-617-8549

       
    PFOA-MS
    Board of Directors

    President:
     Doug Coyle

    Vice President:
    Gabriel Guijarro
    936-634-3006
    grgrph@gmail.com
     
    Secretary: 
    David Cole
    610-539-7282
     
    Treasurer:
    Phil Rigsby
    256-536-1910
     
     
    PFOA-MC
    Board of Directors
     
    President:
    Eric Pusey
      
    Treasurer:
    Bobbie Barbrey
    919-345-8736

    Secretary:
    Gene Windom
    407-773-1102
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    Pharmacy Franchisees and Owners Assn
       
    (FPN) Federation of Pharmacy Networks
     
           (NCPDP) National Council for Prescription Drug Programs
       www.ncpdp.org  
     
            (NCPA)  National Community Pharmacists Association
        www.ncpanet.org 

    (NABP) National Association of
    Boards of Pharmacy

    (NASPA) National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations

      Pharmacist E-Link