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The voice for pharmacy compounding | November 6, 2020

In this issue

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From the President

Shawn Hodges
APC President

Dear ,

"Ask your co-workers to join APC!"

Come on, y'all: give to OneFund!"

"Why haven't you invested yet in CompPAC?"

It may sometimes seem like I do nothing in this column but nag you, mostly about those things above. No doubt, APC's need is great and ongoing. And yes, it's always my intention to convince you to act -- so that together we can help protect and defend pharmacy compounding.

But it occurs to me that I should also remind you about what's going well with your association.

Despite concerns about membership recruitment and retention, despite our daily scavenger hunt for additional funding to support our work, APC is thriving.

We've re-emerged over the past 12 months as a credible voice for pharmacy compounding and an influential advocate for your business and the patients you serve. We've taken a proactive, leadership role in challenging BUD restrictions in the new USP chapters, combatting the threat to cBHT, and challenging FDA's authority to regulate animal compounding. And we've got impressive plans for elevating your profession -- from the possibility of a consumer-focused media campaign to consideration of an APC platform for collecting patient-reported outcomes on cBHT and pain creams, just to name a couple. Making it happen is an engaged volunteer board of directors; smart selfless committee volunteers; a scrappy, committed staff team; and about 30 corporate patrons whose support sustains us.

No, all is not perfect in pharmacy compounding, but APC is just getting started.

Thank you for being a member, for enabling all the good we're doing. Stick with us. Please.

Read on for this week's news....

Yours In Health,
Shawn

 

 

You can reach Shawn at shodges@innovationcompounding.com.

Stay out of trouble with these two upcoming webinars

Can you compound peptides?

You're too beautiful for prison -- that's why you need to learn The Truth about Peptide Compounding with APC's newest live CE webinar.

You've probably seen marketing emails and how-to courses touting compounded peptides. You may have been asked to do it by prescribers. But when -- if ever -- is it legal? FDA has explicit rules that restrict what 503A pharmacies can compound and dispense, and you do not want to be on the wrong side of the law.

What does the science say? What does the FDA say? What does the law say?

PCCA's Matt Martin and attorney (and FDA/DEA expert) Karla Palmer have the answers. They're teaching The Truth about Peptide Compounding on December 2, from 2:00 to 3:00 EST. Don't take the chance. Register today.

Peptide Compounding 

 

 

Do you know the right way to handle e-prescribing -- in compounding?

Paper prescriptions are well on their way out, so your e-script knowledge needs to be 100 percent up to date.

NCPDP Script 2017071 is the 800-pound gorilla of electronic prescribing, and you'll want to know it backwards and forwards. APC's new live webinar, E-Prescribing in Compounding, will help you do just that.

Taught by pharmacy compounding technology expert (and CEO of ElectricLab Software) Michelle Wong, PharmD, E-Prescribing in Compounding will teach you why 2017071 applies to you, how to use it best, and how it can help you collaborate with prescribers to enhance continuity of care.

E-Prescribing in Compounding is Tuesday, December 15, from 2:00-3:00pm EST. A mere $55 for APC pharmacist members; $30 for students or techs. Non-members pay $75. Gives 1 hour of ACPE-accredited CE.

Go to A4PC.org/escripts to register today!

2020-12 E-Prescriptions-Social 

VOTE: APC elections close in one week

The deadline for submitting your vote for APC board members is coming fast -- balloting closes in one week, on November 13, 2020. All eligible voters should have received an email with a link to the ballot. (If you haven't received your email, or have other questions, drop a note to info@a4pc.org.)

You can find the list of candidates at A4PC.org/2021board.

Compounding supporters win races

Congrats to APC member Diana Harshbarger (TN-1), who will become the first compounder in Congress with her victory Tuesday. (Buddy Carter, GA-1, currently the only pharmacist in Congress, was reelected as well.)

And congrats to Alabama pharmacy owner Jerry Carl on winning Alabama's 1st district seat! We were happy to be among his supporters and we look forward to working with him in Congress.

These are the kinds of compounding-friendly faces that APC -- and, more importantly, CompPAC, supports.

Coming up

November 13 -- Board of Directors balloting closes.

December 2 -- Live CE webinar: Learn the Truth about Peptide Compounding; 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST

December 8 -- 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

December 15 -- Live CE Webinar: E-Prescribing in Compounding; 2:00 to 3:00 pm EDT

ICYMI

We've hit the 2000 mark for testimonials about the effectiveness of cBHT (from patients, prescribers, and compounders). That sounds like a lot, but we need more! The more testimonials we have for each congressional district, the better, so please continue to spread the word: Go to A4PC.org/cbhtandme and tell us your story!

Great piece from two University of Maryland pharmacists you should check out: "Skip the doctor and head to the pharmacist for a vaccine"

Reminder: EduCon 2021 will be virtual (following the lead of NHIA, with whom APC shares the space). The event will still be sometime in early May, and we'll be announcing details shortly.