The voice for pharmacy compounding │ 15 December 2023

This edition sponsored by PCCA

May the compounding gnomes sprinkle your holidays with joy and cheer!

Thank you, APC members, for all you do to make a difference in patients’ lives. All of us at PCCA send you our warmest wishes for a holly jolly season and a prosperous new year.

From our Board Chair

Your unrelenting desire to do right by your patients

As we prepare to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another, it seems like a natural time for us all to reflect on what we accomplished in 2023. But rather than list APC’s accomplishments for 2023 (and there were a lot of them), I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge what drives all of us, and all of you, to do what we do.

Behind every goal reached or milestone achieved this year, both at APC and within your own practices, there was a spark inside each of us that inspired us to work harder, smarter, and longer to reach those goals. And I have a strong suspicion that for all of you, that spark has something to do with providing the best possible care to every last patient whose life benefits from the use of a compounded medication. It’s the reason we do what we do.

So as each of you proudly look back on and celebrate your accomplishments for 2023, and as you enthusiastically look forward to achieving even higher goals in 2024, please don’t lose sight of the most important thing to take pride in – your unrelenting desire to do right by your patients.

It has been a privilege for me to have served as the 2023 chair of APC’s Board of Directors. I am grateful for the support each of you have provided to APC this past year, and I look forward to a new year of continued engagement and support from APC members. But most importantly, I want to say thank you for having that “spark” that drives your tireless commitment to our patients and our industry.

— Anthony

Anthony Grzib is VP of quality and compliance, state-regulated pharmacies at Wedgewood Pharmacy in Swedesboro, New Jersey. You can reach him at agrzib@wedgewoodpharmacy.com.

ICYMI

Last chance for 2023 tax-deductible donations

The Pharmacy Compounding Foundation is the charitable arm of APC, providing funding for compounding education, research, and leadership development. The work we do has a direct impact on your compounding business and career. Won’t you make a (tax-deductible) one-time or monthly contribution? You can also call the PCF office at (281) 933-8400 or email Jen Petska at jennifer@a4pc.org to make your gift.

We are also engaged in a fight to protect patient access to compounded hormones. By investing in our Compounding the Joy of Living media campaign, you ensure we have the resources to educate members of Congress about this threat to millions of patients. You also help raise awareness among doctors and other prescribers that they and their patients may soon lose access to vital therapy. Invest here.

This week’s news

First pharmacy onboarded with APC credit card processing GPO

Christmas has come early for pharmacy owner Jack Korbutov. Korbutov’s pharmacy, The Art of Medicine in Philly, is the first APC PFM to be onboarded in a group purchasing deal with Worldpay that can cut credit card swipe fees by 50 percent or more. APC partnered with The Processing Brokerage to negotiate the best credit card processing rates for our industry. Best of all, the buying group plan gets even lower in price as more pharmacies participate.

Here’s the catch—you have to be a Pharmacy/Facility Member to participate.

For more information on the GPO—or on becoming a PFM—reach out to Jason Dunn at jason@a4pc.org.

Introducing: New prescriber education tools on cBHT threat

We’ve got some new tools especially designed to help you educate and inform prescribers about the threat to compounded hormone therapy, designed for you to utilize in your sales toolkits and in-person visits. If you would like to add your pharmacy logo prior to printing, APC can provide you with the Adobe Photoshop files—reach out to Allie Jo at alliejo@a4pc.org to request them. There are several other resources in the toolkit you can use for your patients, too, both print-ready files and digital assets.

APC files amicus in Lilly case against Revive RX

APC filed an amicus brief in the Eli Lilly v. Revive RX case in the Southern District of Texas last week. APC PFM ReviveRx is one of the compounding pharmacies that has been accused by Eli Lilly of “unauthorized drug manufacturing” under state laws. APC’s amicus informs the court about the proper role of pharmacy compounding when a drug is in shortage. It also asserts that shortage drug compounding is specifically authorized in both federal and state law and is not drug manufacturing.

Revelation, Empower commit as Diamond-level APC sponsors

Revelation Pharma and Empower have joined Medisca as Diamond-level corporate patrons for 2024.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of Empower and Revelation Pharma as Diamond-level patrons,” said APC’s Scott Brunner. “Their 2024 support is rocket fuel that will help boost our advocacy efforts on behalf of pharmacy compounders and the patients they serve.”

2024 is the first year APC has offered a $100,000 Diamond-level corporate patron package.

In addition, Fagron will also increase its support for APC in 2024 from a Silver-level $25,000 sponsorship to a $60,000 Platinum-level sponsorship.

“Thanks much to Andy and the Fagron team for this much needed vote of confidence and new funding for APC,” said Brunner. “We value the expertise they bring us as much as we do the financial support.”

Short Takes

Notice anything different about our logo recently? After three years of working through paperwork and red tape, the tagline “Compounding the Joy of Living” has (finally) been approved as a registered service mark owned by APC.

We’ve updated our semaglutide/shortage drug compounding statement. The revised statement addresses concerns we’ve seen in news reports about the absence of clinical trials and supposed increased medication administration errors related to compounded semaglutide.

Revelation Pharma launches a pharmacy residency—one of the first of its kind—focused on compounding: There are two positions available and the application deadline is January 16. Share with anyone you know who may be interested.

CVS, Kroger, and Rite Aid share medical records without warrants. A Congressional investigation found that three of the seven largest pharmacy chains tell staff to process law enforcement demands in-store and share patient records immediately upon request.

From the FDA Law Blog (it’s a good one!): Prescribing red flags and suspicious controlled substance orders: Current cautionary tales

Federal PBM reform progress: H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives Monday night. Kudos to NCPA and APhA for their leadership in shepherding the bill through and for working to keep PBM issues in front of members of Congress.

It’s about time: Missouri launches a prescription drug database to help doctors spot opioid addictions. Compounders who ship controlled substances into the state, take note—this applies to you, too.

Incoming APC Board Chair Tenille Davis and CEO Scott Brunner are in Las Vegas this week for a board meeting and A4M's Longevity Fest. They took some time today to visit some local attractions, including Hoover Dam.