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The voice for pharmacy compounding | August 20, 2021

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From APC’s President

Our solid foundation

Michael Blaire, RPh, FIACP
APC President

For almost 20 years, the Pharmacy Compounding Foundation has been supporting the mission of APC, providing funding for education and scientific programming and research. For example, since 2005, the foundation has awarded more than $275,000 for studies researching compounded preparation potency and stability and outcomes of treatment with compounded medications. Likewise, the foundation's Fund-the-Future program awards grants to pharmacy students to attend APC's Compounders on Capitol Hill and EduCon events. And, thanks to our friends at Pharmacist's Mutual Insurance, the Pharmacy Compounding Foundation will award up to two $2,500 scholarships in 2022 to pharmacy students who have demonstrated commitment to a career in pharmacy compounding.

Most recently, the PCF funded an independent analysis of the original NASEM report, "The Panel Put Policy-Making Before Patient Need," written and published by the Berkeley Research Group. This report, available on Compounding.com, indicates that NASEM's entire review of compounded hormones was flawed and biased to produce a conclusion before the work even began. Its importance to our advocacy efforts in support of cBHT cannot be overstated. Additionally, the foundation plans to fund a $100,000 "advertorial" campaign in STAT, a daily newsletter for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis.

The work PCF does to fund compounding education, research, and leadership development has a direct impact on your compounding business. But PCF cannot do what they do without your help. Nominations for positions on the 2022 Pharmacy Compounding Foundation Board of Directors are being accepted through August 31, 2021. Get involved!

Likewise, if you plan on attending Compounders on Capitol Hill this year, be sure to sign up for the PCF Fundraising event "Moonlight and Monuments." The foundation depends on financial support from our members, so consider making a contribution. The best part is, it's tax-deductible. In the battle to protect and promote pharmacy compounding APC leads the charge, but it is the PCF that supplies much of the special weaponry needed for success.

Michael Blaire is APC’s president, but his day job is vice president for government and regulatory affairs at Wedgewood Pharmacy in Scottsdale, Arizona. You can reach him at mblaire@wedgewoodpharmacy.com.

This Week

A snapshot you won’t want to miss

Earlier this year, APC worked with the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Business Research (CBR), polling 19,000 compounders across America about their businesses: prescriptions, employment, outsourcing, demographics, concerns, and more.

We received replies from every geographic and practice area, and the result is the most detailed profile of pharmacy compounding in years.

What do they compound? How much? Where are they licensed? What benefits do they offer employees? And more.

It paints a clearer picture than we’ve ever had — one we can share with policymakers, patients, and media to inform them about the profession.

We’ll be releasing the finished report, "A Snapshot of Pharmacy Compounding in America," in mid-September. And on September 15 we’ll be hosting a town hall briefing — open to all — with CBR’s Dr. Lance Gentry giving an overview of the results.

Join us via Zoom: Wednesday, September 15, from 4:00 to 5:00 EDT. It’s free and open to all, but registration is required: A4PC.org/snapshot.

Stand up for yourself (and your business)

If you're not willing to come to DC to advocate for your compounding practice, who will? Join compounders from around the country to meet lawmakers face to face at Compounders on Capitol Hill, November 2–3. Register now!

Where is the World is Scott Brunner?

On Wednesday it was Austin, Texas, and a visit with pharmacist Andy Ruiz at Stonegate Pharmacy (left). They talked about some cool R&D work the Stonegate team is involved in (and, of course, Andy renewed his APC membership).

Then it was off to Lamar Plaza Drugstore, also in Austin, where he visited with Ashley Nolan (right). They're former APC members, they do a fair amount of compounding, and he's hopeful they may just renew!

Short Takes

How good is the U.S. drug supply chain? The FDA just released the latest report (24-page PDF). It’s got charts and graphs and text breaking down complaints, warning letters, alerts, etc., by drug type, region, and what was wrong. (It’s actually more interesting than it sounds.)

Attention, Connecticuters (Connecticutians? Connecticutios?): UConn SoP’s certificate program, "Your Pathway to Astounding Sterile Compounding" (for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) is coming up — the live training is Thursday, August 26 on the Storrs campus. Click for details and registration.

The Mississippi Board of Pharmacy is looking for a new compliance director. The application deadline is August 30, 2021, and more information is available at bit.ly/BOPComplianceDirector.

Are you willing to serve? Both APC and the Pharmacy Compounding Foundation are accepting nominations for their boards of directors. Are you ready to step up as a pharmacy leader? For info on APC’s Board of Directors' seats visit A4PC.org/2022board. For info on the foundation’s board’s seats, visit A4PC.org/foundationboard.

Do you feel lucky? Don’t count on luck: Learn the risks to your computer systems and how to protect yourself. New CE from APC: “Modern-day Cyber-security Threats to Pharmacies,” on Oct. 26.