North Carolina Association of Pharmacists 2021, Issue 2 of 12 ncpharmacists.org
E-News ENews
Advancing Pharmacy. Improving Health.
General News NCAP Partners with NCPA Truth Campaign In January the NCAP Board of Directors approved a partnership with the National Community Pharmacy Association to run a campaign on the truth about pharmacy benefit managers. Over the past year, in a number of states, including North Carolina, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents PBMs, has run negative ads against local community pharmacies. This month NCPA and NCAP Executive Director Shelton worked on press releases as part of a targeted truth campaign to refute the claims that PCMA has made. Stay tuned for more to come, including materials provided by NCAP to help you get your patients involved in our PBM legislation and the Truth Campaign.
NC DHHS Updates Quarantine Guidance
This month the NC DHHS COVID-19 website was updated to include the CDC’s quarantine guidance for those who have had a COVID-19 vaccination. Specifically, people who have been fully vaccinated and meet certain criteria do not need to quarantine. Click here to review these criteria, as well as other quarantine guidance.
Pfizer Submits Data Proposing Revised Vaccine Storage Requirements
Pfizer has submitted new data to the
US FDA demonstrating the stability of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine when stored at -25C to -15C, temperatures more commonly found in pharmaceutical freezers. The data sent to FDA is to support a proposed update to the EUA Prescribing Information, which would allow for vaccine vials to be stored at these temperatures for a total of 2 weeks, as an alternative or complement to storage in ultra-low temperature freezers. Read the Pfizer press release here.
ACIP Recommends Changes for Adult Immunizations in 2021
The February 12th issue of the MMWR contains a summary of changes for a number of vaccines as recommended by the FDA Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the 2021 Adult Immunization Schedule. Vaccine-specific changes include new or updated recommendations for influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, pneumococcal, meningococcal, and zoster vaccines. Click here for more information.
ASHP Publishes Two Landmark Reports On February 16th, ASHP announced the publication of The 2021 ASHP/ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Forecast Report and the Vizient Pharmacy Network High-Value Pharmacy Enterprise Framework, both of which address the future of pharmacy departments in hospitals and health systems, as well as the importance of expanded roles for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Epidolex Descheduled Under NC Controlled Substances Act
The NC DHHS Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services completed rulemaking to deschedule Epidolex, as of March 1, 2021. The amended rule removes “approved cannabidiol drugs” from Schedule V.
More Troubling News Regarding Opioid Overdose Deaths
The CDC released a report this month on Trends and Geographic Patterns in Drug and Synthetic Opioid Overdose Deaths in the U.S. from 2013-19. Overall, deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone increased 1040%, and psychostimulants increased 317%. North Carolina was included among 24 other states where there was a significant rise in drug overdose deaths involving psychostimulants.
US HHS Delays Safe Harbor Protections Rebate Rule
Due to a court injunction, the effective date for removal of safe harbor protection for drug rebates and certain point-of-sale reductions in price and pharmacy benefit manager service fees has been postponed until January 1, 2023. Click here for more information on this rule.
Academy Forum & Committee News
NCAP Leaders Receive Training The chairs and chairs-elect for each of our academies, as well as our student and new practitioner forums completed training this month on NCAP’s member engagement tools, which include elec-
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tronic committee portals for each of the leadership teams, e-lists for members, and online community forums for member posts and discussions. To access these tools, use your member log-in and from the ‘welcome [member]’ page, click on ‘My Community’ and ‘Community Forums’.
Don’t forget to select your network when updating your profile.
NCAP Members: It’s Time To Check & Update Your NCAP Profile
Most of our new member engagement tools are tied to the information in your member profile. If you have not checked your profile in recent weeks, please take a few minutes to log-in using your member username and password. From the member welcome page click on ‘My Profile’ and scroll to review each field. Please note you must click the ‘edit’ button to open the fields to add or change information. Members may select to be a part of one of our networks as well as our new practitioner forum, if applicable. In addition, members may select to participate in one or more practice academies. (see example right)
Resource Development Committee
NCAP Board of Directors reactivated the Resource Development Committee to work on a number of charges in 2021. Currently the committee is partnering with a team of public health students from Campbell University to update our COVID-19 Testing toolkit and to organize our COVID-19 vaccination content. The committee is also exploring the ability for NCAP to expand on our career /employment resources for members. The committee will work throughout 2021-2022 to identify and prioritize new resources for partnership or development by NCAP. If you would be interested in serving on this committee, please contact Angie Broughton at angie@ncpharmacists.org.
Practice Advancement News
Please note: to select more than one academy, you need to hold down the ‘command’ key on a Mac; or the ‘control’ key on a PC.
The APhA Immunization Certificate Program was a sucess! YES! The VOTES ARE IN, and in the infamous words of Tony the Tiger, participants found NCAP’s first 2021 virtual APhA Immunization Certificate Training Program none other than GRRREAT!!!!
Don’t miss out on your chance to join us in the next offering scheduled for March 19th, 2021. CLICK HERE for more information and how you can reserve your spot today!
Free CE! Free CE! Free CE! Something we all enjoy! Pharmacists are one of the most trusted and accessible healthcare resources positioned to provide services that protect
patients against the negative effects of opioids.
NCAP is pleased to sponsor an evening of FREE CE to help pharmacists in exploring strategies they can use in mitigating risks and keeping their patients safe. Multiple offerings are available to meet with your scheduling convenience. Won’t you join us? For more information and registration details visit “First Do No Harm” (memberclicks.net)
High Point Student Pharmacist first to finish Student Pharmacist Opioid Stewardship Certificate Training in 2021! “Thank you for allowing me to participate in something that really gave me the opportunity to make a difference in the community!”
Colton Troxler
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NCAP extends its congratulations to Colton Troxler, Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate - Class of 2022, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy - High Point University. Colton is the first student in 2021 to complete the Opioid Stewardship Certificate Training for Student Pharmacists. Student pharmacists actively seeking their Opioid Stewardship Certification are charged with putting their learning into practice by designing and implementing an opioid “outreach campaign” to educate, improve, and or advance opioid safety practices. In January 2021, Colton partnered with Caring Services in High Point, NC to develop opioid educational brochures along with Naloxone flyers to share with patients in their clinic. Great JOB Colton!
On behalf of NCAP, it is us who THANKSYOU!
Technician News NCAP Technician-Related Task Forces During this year, NCAP will be running two important task forces related to pharmacy technicians. The first will be used to plan and produce technician specific continuing education programming. The group will also be instrumental in helping NCAP host a profession-wide, virtual conference for pharmacy technicians practicing in North Carolina. The second task force will be devoted to exploring technician work force issues. Pharmacy technicians and pharmacists who have an interest in helping with either of these initiatives please email Angie Broughton at angie@ncpharmacists.org.
PTCB Certificate Programs
Already PTCB certified, but looking to further develop yourself as a pharmacy technician, then you may want to check out the certificate programs offered by PTCB: Medication History Certificate,
Technician Product Verification Certificate, and Hazardous Drug Management Certificate. Click here for more information.
Partner News
Partner of the Month This month we acknowledge our long-standing and ongoing partnership with the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety. APMS provides one portal for medication safety and quality reporting needs for community and compounding pharmacies. APMS helps maintain compliance, increase patient safety, and reduce operation costs.
FDA News The following are excerpts compiled from daily FDA news regarding new approvals, posted during the month of February 2021. Peginterferon Beta-1a
Biogen’s Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a) has received FDA approval as an intramuscular injection for treating relapsing multiple sclerosis. The approval was supported by data demonstrating an 18% reduction in injection site reactions when compared with subcutaneous administration, previously approved for the treatment of MS, by the FDA, in 2014.
Evinacumab-dgnb
FDA granted approval of Regeneron’s Evkeeza (evinocumab-dgnb) as an adjunct to other LDL-C lowering drugs for treating homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a rare inherited disorder associated with early atherosclerosis.
Trilaciclib
FDA approved G1 Therapeutics’ Cosela
(trilaciclib), an injection, for reducing the frequency of chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression in adults with extensive small cell lung cancer. The drug is the first therapy in its class approved for this indication.
Sacubitril/valsartan
FDA approved an expanded indication for Novartis’ heart failure combination therapy Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan). The approval allows for the drug’s use to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization in adults with chronic heart failure, and notes the benefits are most evident in patients with below normal left ventricular ejection fraction.
Announcements
NCAP is currently seeking residency program directors for multiple needs. If you are an RPD and would be interested in any of the following opportunities, please email Angie Broughton at angie@ ncpharmacists.org. • Chair the Residency Conference Planning Committee • Serve on the Residency Conference Planning Committee
• Assist with activating the RPD network via our online member engagement tools
February 28 Original deadline for applications for the NCAP Executive Fellowship will be extended until March 23rd.
March 19 Deadline for award nominations. Nominate that ‘hits it out of the park every time’ colleague. Click here for more information and to place your nomination.
March 21 Live Stream Sunday CE –Topic—NCAP Advocacy Update. Click Here for more information and to pre-register (Free for NCAP members). April 8 NCAP to host a forum on Medicaid Transformation to Managed Care.
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The event will be virtual from 6-8pm and attendees will hear from Medicaid Director and the Pharmacy Directors for each of the MCOs. The forum will also provide time for Q/A with the speakers. Save the date. Registration to open soon.
Event News Your NCAP staff is excited to bring you lots of opportunities to learn, expand your scope of practice and rack up those very important continuing education hours. We started the year off by holding our first APhA Immunization Certification Program of 2021 this past Friday, February 19. Pharmacists play a crucial role in keeping our communities healthy. NCAP is proud to be involved in assisting North Carolina pharmacists become certified immunizers. On Sunday, February 21, we hosted our first live CE webinar. The topic was “COVID-19 Vaccine Plan: Current Status, Challenges, Successes and Next Steps” presented by Dr. Amanda Fuller Moore, Pharmacist, Division of Public Health for NC Department of Health and Human Services. We have lots of amazing programming planned for you this year. In addition to our monthly webinar series we have our virtual Convention, student programming, Residency Conference and more. Keep checking the Events section on our website, www.ncpharmacists.org, for details and to register for events. See below the dates for upcoming events.
March 19
NCAP-APhA Virtual Immunization Certification Program
March 21
NCAP 2021 Advocacy Agenda: What Every Pharmacy Professional Should Know
April 18
Resiliency in Challenging and Turbulent Times
May 2
A Care Transition Model
June 6 – 9
NCAP’s 2021 Virtual Convention
July 18
Diabetes Care Initiative
August 15
Pharmacy Law Topic
September 19
New Drug Updates Part I
October 17
New Drug Updates Part II
Stay tuned! More events to come.
NCAP Annual Meeting to Hold its 6th Annual Poster Session! The NCAP 2021 Annual Convention will be presented in a virtual format June 6 – 9 and will host its 6th annual poster session. Presenting a poster at NCAP is an excellent opportunity to share your research with pharmacy practitioners all around the state! Selected abstracts will be published in the North Carolina Pharmacist: The Official Journal of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists. Submissions by practitioners, students, and residents are welcome!
Details of when and how the poster session will be presented will be advised to all authors of the posters chosen for presentation when they are notified their work has been selected. Categories:
• Original Research: Clinical or educational research appealing to an audience of pharmacy professionals in North Carolina. May include health services, pharmacotherapy, medication safety, or patient outcomes. Abstract Headings: Objective, methods, results, conclusions • Quality Improvement Evaluations: Assessments of quality improvement measures such as medication use evaluations or process improvements. May include ideas and practices new to system, or practice setting. Abstract Headings: Objective, methods, results, conclusions
• Case Report or Series: Description of a unique patient case or series. May include novel indication, dose or administration of a medication. Abstract Headings: Introduction, case (s), discussion
Word Count: 300 words (excluding author names and title)
Abstracts describing ongoing research will be considered with partially completed data. Descriptions of planned research without any data will not be accepted. Abstracts will be evaluated based on readability and organization, relevance, and potential impact to pharmacy practice. Please submit your name, your credentials, and your abstract to Mindy Parman mgparman@gmail.com. Deadline: April 12, 2021. Status of submissions will be communicated to authors by April 30, 2021.
Abstracts will be printed as submitted in the North Carolina Pharmacist: The Official Journal of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists. Edits to abstracts cannot be made after submission.
NOTE: Poster presenters MUST register for the Convention for the day of presentations. There will be no discounted registration, honorarium or speaker fee. CLICK HERE ABSTRACT EXAMPLE
Congratulations 2021 Pharmacy Graduates!
We wish you the best in this final semester of your pharmacy education. NCAP has an online course available to help prepare you to sit for the NC Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam. Click here to register for the course. Be sure to enter on the form the address you want us to mail your study guide.
Publication Corrections Contact Rhonda at rhonda@ncpharmacists.org
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