The voice for pharmacy compounding | October 9, 2020

THIS EDITION SPONSORED BY PCF

In this issue

• From the President 
• Need to know:
  • Tricare update call this week
  • APC officer & director slate announced
  • Blaire critiques FDA's MOU with states
  • cBHT Town Hall Call set for October 22
  • Hot upcoming CE
  • Schedule a congressional pharmacy visit, will ya?
• Coming up: Upcoming events and courses

From the President

Shawn Hodges
APC President

Dear ,

I've mentioned before that the work APC does on your behalf is largely funded from just a handful of sources -- dues revenue, individual gifts to OneFund, conference/event revenue, and corporate support -- and they're all essential to our ability to do what we do.

But the support of one of those sources -- our corporate patrons -- has a profound, positive multiplier effect. Because our corporate patrons not only provide financial support to APC. They provide personnel for our committees, communication services for our messaging, consulting to our staff and volunteer leaders, and boots on the ground in our Washington, DC lobbying efforts.

What I'm trying to say is, their support isn't just fuel for APC's efforts. It's rocket fuel.

I'm deeply grateful to the following 2020 APC Corporate Patrons, and I hope you are, too. This coming week, take a sec and shoot an email to some of these and thank them for all they do for your alliance -- and for your profession.

Read on for this week's news.

Yours In Health,
Shawn

You can reach Shawn at shodges@innovationcompounding.com.

Tricare update call this week

Learn the latest

We've got pretty good news to report on the TRICARE compounding recoupment front, and we've scheduled a (final?) briefing call to tell you about it. It's Wednesday, October 14 at 4:00pm EDT. Free to all, but registration required: Click here to register with Zoom 

APC officer & director slate announced

Watch for your ballot

On October 23, APC voting members will receive their 2021 Board of Directors election ballots by email. Here's the slate of candidates up for election:

President-elect (automatic): Dave Miller (Keystone Pharmacy, Grand Rapids, MI) will assume the post

Vice President: Anthony Grzib, Wedgewood Pharmacy, Swedesboro, NJ (unopposed)

District III: Kathleen Kane, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL; Philip Smyth, Medisca, Lebanon, OH; Chad Thompson, Tri-State Compounding Pharmacy & Kunkel Medical, Loveland, OH

District IV: Ryan Hollingsworth, FountainRx, Mohawk, TN; Tara Thompson, Innovation Compounding, Kennesaw, GA

District VI: Gina Besteman, Women's International, Deerfield, WI (unopposed)

District VII: Tenille Davis, Civic Center Pharmacy, Phoenix, AZ; Masoud Rashidi, Innovative Compounding Pharmacy, Folsom, CA

All ballots must be cast by 11:59pm on November 13, 2020.

Thanks to our 2020 Nominating Committee: Jennifer Burch (chair), Shawn Hodges (president), David J. Miller (vice president), Stephanie Chacon, and Cheri Kraemer.

Blaire critiques FDA's MOU with states

APC President-elect Mike Blaire recently participated in a Food and Drug Law Institute panel discussion about the FDA's MOU with states. His remarks -- "A Victim's Perspective" -- do a good and thorough job contextualizing and critiquing the MOU.

Here's a snippet; you can click here to read the entire column.

Despite numerous comments from many patient organizations and pharmacy groups, FDA has failed to recognize the distinction between dispensing to a specific patient versus wholesale distribution. Under the MOU, FDA redefines distribution to include patient-specific dispensing, a definition that is in conflict with state pharmacy practice laws, the NABP Model Pharmacy Act and all other drug related federal regulations promulgated by FDA, DEA and CMS. According to a recent article from Frier Levitt, at least 20 states have indicated that they would not sign the MOU, many because of this definitional issue.

cBHT Town Hall Call set for October 22

APC Town Hall Briefing on the Threat to cBHT

On October 22 from 3:00 - 4:00pm EDT, APC will host a free briefing for the compounding community on the potential FDA threat to compounded hormone therapy.

• What we know
• What we're doing
• What you can do to help

Click here to register in advance for this webinar.

Hot Upcoming CE

Build Your Business by Developing an Inside Sales Team

It's easier than you think!

Join APC on October 27 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EDT for our hot new CE webinar. You'll learn how improving sales can also improve patient care: You can drive compliance and offer 'companion items' that may improve their therapy or quality of life.

Learn not only how to incorporate your technicians, but how to work with outside sales representatives, too. You'll be taking notes like crazy with these practical and easy-to-implement steps.

"Build Your Business by Developing an Inside Sales Team - It's Easier Than You Think!" is a mere $55 for APC pharmacist members, and only $30 for technician or student members. Register today! 

Schedule a congressional pharmacy visit, will ya?

You know what you should do? Schedule a pharmacy visits with your member of Congress between now and the end of the year. (Not sure what to say? APC can supply you with talking points and advice on conducting the visit -- contact APC's Scott Brunner for the latest talking points.

Some tips:

1. It's a great relationship-building opportunity.
2. Do it during recess periods, when they're home.
3. Invite them early -- four to six weeks out.
4. Give a tour and share your challenges.
5. Take pictures and send to your local newspaper (and to APC!)

Coming up

October 20 -- Pharmacy Technician Day: Please celebrate both enthusiastically and responsibly.

October 27 -- Live CE Webinar: "Build Your Business by Developing an Inside Sales Team -- It's Easier Than You Think!"; 2:00 to 3:00 pm EDT

November 17 -- Live CE Webinar: "State and Federal Regulation of PBMs: Legislative and Regulatory Efforts to Open the Black Box of PBMs and Bring Transparency and Equity to Independent Pharmacies."; 2:00 to 3:00 pm EDT