Pennsylvania Pharmacist January/February 2016

Pennsylvania January/February 2016 z Volume 97 z Issue 1

The official publication of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association

Join us for the

PPA Mid-Year Conference January 29-31, 2016!

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PPA Board of Directors PPA Officers: President: Donna Hazel, R.Ph President-Elect: Eric Pusey, R.Ph, CDE First Vice President: Nick Leon, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP Immediate Past President: Eric R. Esterbrook, RPh

Our Vision

Pennsylvania pharmacists will be recognized, engaged, and fairly compensated as health-care providers.

Regional Directors: Central: Ellen Nastase, RPh Northeast: Tom Franko, PharmD, BCACP Northwest: Nickolas Kernich, PharmD Southeast: Mark Lawson, PharmD, MBA Southwest: Lauren Simko, PharmD Practice Directors: Academia: Roshni Patel, PharmD Chain Pharmacists: Cory Krebs, R.Ph. Community Independent Pharmacists/LTC: Martin J. Kendra, R.Ph and Chuck Kray, R.Ph Health System Pharmacists: Rick Demers, R.Ph, MS FASHP Manage Care/Industry/Government/Other: Julene Vidic, RPh Associates: Todd Eury Student Pharmacists: East: Hamad Juboori West: Madison Adams PPA Office Staff: CEO: Patricia A. Epple, CAE pepple@papharmacists.com Ext. 3 Program Manager: Sara Powers spowers@papharmacists.com Ext. 2 Government Relations Manager: Donald L. Smith, III Ext. 6 dsmith@papharmacists.com Communications Coordinator: Danielle Adams Ext. 1 dadams@papharmacists.com Membership Coordinator: Ashley Robbins arobbins@papharmacists.com Ext. 5 Bookkeeper: Mia Bostic mbostic@papharmacists.com Ext. 4 PPCN Executive Manager: Brandon Antinopoulos ppcn@papharmacists.com Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 (717) 234-6151 Fax: (717) 236-1618 www.papharmacists.com ppa@papharmacists.com Pennsylvania Pharmacist (ISSN 0031-4633) is the official publication of the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Association d/b/a Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and is published every other month, six times per year. Annual subscription is $100 for nonmembers; for members it is included in the annual dues.

Editorial information should be addressed to the PPA address listed above. Peer reviewed articles accepted according to the stated guidelines available from PPA. Editorial Board: Hershey S. Bell, M.D.,M.S.,FAAFP, Chair Kim Coley Stephanie Smith Cooney, PharmD. Bernard Graham, PhD. Brian S. Plager, RPh., MBA Associate Editor: Danielle Adams Editor/Manager: Pat Epple Designed and Published by: Graphtech Sarah DiCello, Publications Manager (717) 238-5751 x118, sarah@thinkgraphtech.com

Our Mission

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, as the leading voice of pharmacy, promotes the profession through advocacy, education, and communication to enhance patient care and public health.

Pennsylvania MAGAZINE

Departments

President’s Message................................................................................... 3 Calendar of Events..................................................................................... 5 Campus Checkup.................................................................................... 24 Government Relations Update.................................................................. 28 New Members.......................................................................................... 43

Features RX and the Law.......................................................................................... 6 Editorial Review Board................................................................................ 8 Member Profile: Elizabeth McCartney PharmD............................................ 9 Pharmacy Spotlight.................................................................................. 10 Financial Forum........................................................................................ 12 PPA Legislator Profile: Dave Hickernell...................................................... 14 Student Profile: Hamad Juboori................................................................ 16 Student Profile: Terry Pak.......................................................................... 18 Pharmacy Crime....................................................................................... 20

Journal Popular Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss: An Update........................ 22

Association News Affiliated County News.............................................................................. 30 Call for Award Nominations...................................................................... 32 PPA Welcomes New Staff Members......................................................... 33 PPA Rotation Reflection............................................................................ 34 Call for Nominations for PPA Officers and Board of Directors.................... 36 PPA 2016 Mid-Year Conference............................................................... 38 PPA Rotation............................................................................................ 40

For Advertising Information: Alexis Kierce, Account Manager (717) 238-5751 x119, alexis@thinkgraphtech.com Pharmacist State Board of Pharmacy Members: Gayle A. Cotchen, PharmD., MBA – Institutional Rob Frankil – Independent Community Janet Hart – Chain Community Theresa M. Talbott, R.Ph. – Chain Community Mark J. Zilner, R.Ph. – Independent Community Board of Pharmacy Meeting Dates: January 12, 2016 February 16, 2016 March 15, 2016 April 19, 2016 On the Cover: Photos from the Mid-Year Conference 2015. Attend the conference this year and join in the fun!

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DISCLAIMER — The opinions of the authors reflected in this publication do not necessarily reflect PPA’s official position on an issue.

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Departments

Donna Hazel, R.Ph PPA President 2015–2016

Message from the President H appy New Year to you, the PPA membership, and your families. I hope you all had a great Holiday season.

WOW 2016. With the New Year, there is new momentum in some of our key legislative issues. The Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Registration and Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC) Transparency bill now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives.

Also, we are planning PPA Legislative Day. We must continue to work to carry on the positive energy we’ve created. Keep watch for the date and plan on attending.

I hope everyone is planning to attend. There is always school pride when we play along with the yearly Patient Self-Care Championship (OTC) game. I wonder what school will win this year? You never know if your school team may ask you for help with a question, so be there and be ready...

Hopefully, we all made a New Year’s resolution for ourselves and our profession. I know I did. As a pharmacist, one of my yearly resolutions is to continue to live by the oath of a pharmacist.

I will hold myself and my colleagues to the highest

Our Mid-Year Conference this year: “The Future of Pharmacy: Connect, Collaborate, Care” January 29 - 31, 2016 Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center

principles of our profession’s moral, ethical and legal conduct… is just another key point of the oath I would like to share.

I believe as the star rate system states, we, as pharmacists, will have to conduct ourselves in the best interest of our patients. Our PPCN board is working hard to continue the growth we had in 2015 and further that in 2016.

Another resolution I made (and I ask each of you to do the same) is to contribute both to our PAC and PPA foundations. The support both of these receive from our membership helps the organization to grow. I personally do the monthly credit card deduction which is really easy for me.

Also just a reminder to all, please visit the Facebook page and to read our blog. We are always looking for writers for the blog.

See you all at Mid-Year.

Donna Hazel, R.Ph PPA President 2015–2016 z

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Departments Thank You to Our Corporate Partners These companies support PPA activities throughout the year.

Calendar of Events January

DIAMOND LEVEL

29–31

PPA Mid-Year Conference, The Future of Pharmacy: Connect, Collaborate, Care — Harrisburg, PA

29

Foundation Board of Directors Meeting

31

PPA Board of Directors Meeting

March

PLATINUM LEVEL

4–7 5

APhA Annual Meeting — Baltimore, MD PA Reception @APhA Annual Meeting

April 16

GOLD LEVEL

19–22

Duquesne Law Review AMCP Annual Meeting — San Francisco, CA

May 12

SILVER LEVEL

Foundation Board of Directors Meeting

12–13

PCP Law Review

14–17

NABP Annual Meeting — San Diego, CA

19

PPA Board of Directors Meeting

July

BRONZE LEVEL

23–27

AACP Annual Meeting — Anaheim, CA

For additional events including webinars, CE opportunities, and PPA committee meetings, be sure to see our Calendar of Events on the PPA website!

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Features

and the Law

By Don. R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph., J.D. This series, Pharmacy and the Law, is presented by Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company and your State Pharmacy Association through Pharmacy Marketing Group, Inc., a company dedicated to providing quality products and services to the pharmacy community.

Delivering the Prescription A lot has been written about quality processes in the dispensing function and many good ideas are out there; the Two Dosage Unit rule, shelf talkers, NDC checks, etc. But one thing that isn’t often talked about is getting the right prescription to the right patient. All of the safety and quality processes go for naught if the prescription is given to the incorrect patient.

Consider these two examples.

Tom Smith comes into Anytown Pharmacy to pick up his wife’s prescription. In the will-call bin with her prescription was also one for Ron Smith. The technician thought Tom had said Ron and assumed that the second prescription was his. She gave Tom both prescriptions. The error was discovered when Tom returned home.

Paul was making a delivery for City Pharmacy one afternoon and pulled into a driveway shared by 101 and 103 Main Street. Mary was standing in the driveway. “You got here just in time; I’m headed out for my doctor’s appointment.”

Paul ignored his normal protocol at the insistence of the patient.

He gave the prescriptions to Mary who left for her appointment.

Paul discovered later that the prescriptions were for a patient who lived at 103, but Mary lived at 101.

Many times pharmacists don’t think about the actual hand-off to patients. They would be surprised to learn what happens at the delivery point. For example; patients step forward when someone else’s name is called, patients or staff hear names incorrectly, patients with the same or similar names appear at the pharmacy

at the same time, or patients in the same extended family with the same name utilize the same pharmacy. Unfortunately, claims history tells us that these patients are very likely to take the medications that they go home with or get delivered to them. This occurs even when their name isn’t on the label, they have never heard of the drug or their own doctor’s name is not on the prescription. Also unfortunately, juries are less inclined to place blame on the patient for these sorts of mishaps. Fair or not, the responsibility

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Features falls on the pharmacy to get the right medication to the right patient. A number of solutions are available.

Previous articles have extolled the value, to both the patient and the pharmacist, of patient counseling. This article won’t repeat all of those benefits, but patient counseling is an effective tool to discover errors at the time of delivery. But patient counseling is not always needed or required, so we need other tools.

Asking the patient to produce identification and requiring the staff to review prior to handing over the medications is one method. Others have asked the patient for a second identifier to differentiate patients with similar names; address, phone number or social security number. This has to be done as discreetly as possible to protect the patient’s privacy. It

is also helpful to ask additional questions of persons picking up others’ prescriptions; what is their relationship to the patient or ask some of the secondary identifiers above. Delivery drivers should never deviate from their protocols and should verify the address and identity of the patient when delivering medications. Date, time and to whom the medications were delivered should all be documented.

Most of the time, delivery to the patient is not a problem, so little attention is paid to it.

But, ignoring this step of the dispensing process creates a weak point in the pharmacy’s overall quality initiative. History shows us that patients will take whatever medication is given to them, even when it makes no rational sense to do so. It is essential that this final step in the dispensing process gets

the same attention as other steps in the process. Once the medication is in the wrong hands, it is impossible to predict the outcome. © Don R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph., J.D., is General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Risk Management & Compliance at Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company.

This article discusses general principles of law and risk management. It is not intended as legal advice. Pharmacists should consult their own attorneys and insurance companies for specific advice. Pharmacists should be familiar with policies and procedures of their employers and insurance companies, and act accordingly. z

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Features

Editorial Review Board Dear Members of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, Is something exciting or innovative happening in your pharmacy, practice, or employment setting that you want to share with others? Are you involved in projects that other pharmacists can learn from to improve the quality of care in Pennsylvania? Do you just want to scratch the itch of having your ideas about pharmacy published?

On behalf of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Pennsylvania Pharmacist, I would like to invite you to become part of an effort designed to further the profession of pharmacy in the Commonwealth. It is an effort that was created to place the Pennsylvania pharmacy profession front and center!

The Journal of the Pennsylvania Pharmacist, established as part of the Pennsylvania Pharmacist magazine in 2012, is now accepting submissions for publication on a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to, pharmacy practice innovations, practice-based research, patient and pharmacy education,

community engaged scholarship, entrepreneurship, and health care policy. Articles detailing practice experience, case studies, original research, commentaries or letters, review articles and student/resident projects will all be considered for publication Articles will be peer-reviewed in a process led by the editorial board and involving pharmacists and others within the profession from across the state and from a wide variety of settings. The editorial board will work with authors throughout the review process to enable publication of as many articles as possible.

Once accepted, abstracts will be published in the Pennsylvania Pharmacist with a link to access the full article online. The articles will be archived online in what will eventually be a searchable database.

In addition to seeking contributions for publication from all corners of the Commonwealth, we are also looking for peer-reviewers. If you have interest/expertise in a specific area of pharmacy practice, administration, or advocacy, why not consider becoming a peerreviewer? Our expert editorial

board will assist you in the review process. PPA keeps a database of all potential reviewers. When an article comes up for review, you will be contacted with a request to be a reviewer. Reviewers are asked to assess a maximum of two articles each year and will have four weeks to conduct their review.

If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, please complete the submission form found at http://www.papharmacists. com/?page=Peer. The form is in the first paragraph at the bottom of the page under “Call for Peer Reviewers.� Please return the form to Danielle Adams dadams@ papharmacists.com at PPA. I look forward to your involvement with the Journal of the Pennsylvania Pharmacist as an author and/or peer-reviewer.

Together we will create added excitement about this great profession in Pennsylvania and beyond!

Hershey S. Bell, MD, MS, FAAFP Chair, Editorial Board and Dean, LECOM School of Pharmacy Erie, PA z

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Features

Member Profile Elizabeth McCartney, PharmD Contributed By: Jamie Shepherd, PharmD Candidate 2016, LECOM Pharmacy/Practice Site: Assistant Professor at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Sayre Health System and Primary Drugs Education: University of Pittsburgh Class of 2013

What made you choose the profession of pharmacy? In high school I had a shadowing requirement. My mom was a nurse and suggested that I shadow a pharmacist that she had a good relationship with. I really enjoyed shadowing her in antibiotic resistance, even though that isn’t my focus now.

What made you decide to join PPA? I didn’t join PPA until my later years of pharmacy school.

I wanted to join an organization that was a little smaller, so I could see the inner workings of an organization. I realized that PPA was a great place to see what an organization can do for you as a student and as a pharmacist.

After I graduated, I really started enjoying the conferences. Now I get the chance to catch up with old classmates and meet new people.

How has being a PPA member helped you professionally?

PPA has been a great help to my profession, especially with networking and seeing the opportunities available to students and pharmacists.

What was the most memorable experience of your career?

When I first started practicing at Sayre Health System, I was helping manage patients with diabetes. One day, a physician who I had been working with on a patient with uncontrolled diabetes came running excitedly into my office because that patients’ HbA1C dropped significantly. It was really rewarding to see how a physician appreciated my recommendations for medication therapy management. That physician has since consulted with me on other patients and helped develop other programs in conjunction with pharmacy.

What is the most important

piece of advice you would give a new pharmacist on their first day of work? Get to know everyone you work with, whether it is a cashier at the front end or another pharmacist. Also, know what they do every day. If you know who a person is and what they do, you can see why that person made a decision or what they may be feeling. If you show them that you care, they will be more likely to help you in the future.

From which single individual did you learn the most in your life and why? I would say my residency director at the University of Pittsburgh, Melissa McGivney.

She taught me as a student at Pitt and always encouraged me to pursue a residency. She later became my residency director with Pitt/Giant Eagle. I really appreciate everything she taught me and how she has shaped the way that I practice pharmacy and patient care.

If you were stranded alone on an island, what three medications would you take with you and why? Definitely Prozac for the hard times of being alone on an island. I should probably add metformin because I’ll be eating a lot of fruit and will need to control my sugar and Coppertone SPF 30 to protect my skin. z

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Features

Pharmacy Spotlight Sloans’s Pharmacy: Giving Back to the Hometown Community

By Matthew Veli, PharmD Candidate 2016, Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy Sloan’s Pharmacy is a wellestablished independent community pharmacy located in Central Pennsylvania. Equipped with a caring and innovative staff of pharmacists and technicians, Sloan’s has enjoyed over 75 years of serving patients in and around Elizabethtown, PA. Currently Sloan’s pharmacy includes five different stores, Sloan’s Mount Joy, Elizabethtown, Manheim, Mountville, and Norlanco pharmacies.

Sloan’s Pharmacy owners Jake Sherk, R.Ph. and Tim Zuch, R.Ph. have worked at Sloan’s Pharmacy their entire lives. Though they did it ten years apart, they both took the same general path to becoming owners of Sloan’s Pharmacy.

Jake was hired as a pharmacy technician at a young age, and then went on to get his pharmacy degree at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP). He was immediately hired as a pharmacist at Sloan’s Elizabethtown pharmacy in 1984, by then owners Ben Piersol and Lamar Stutzman.

Jake and Tim first met when Tim was in search of a job in high school. Tim’s father had previously coached Jake in basketball, and

ultimately Jake ended up hiring Tim to work as a pharmacy technician in 1987. Tim followed in Jake’s footsteps by becoming a pharmacist and also accepted a job at Sloan’s Elizabethtown location.

Jake and Tim worked together for 12 years before the opportunity arose for them to partner up in buying Sloan’s franchise in 2006.

Innovation in practice has always been a staple of Sloan’s Pharmacy going as far back as founder G. Walter Sloan. In the late 1940’s, he installed an air conditioner and became the first store in the community to have that kind of comfort for his customers. Continuing on this path, Sloan’s Manheim Pharmacy opened up one of the first drive thru pharmacies in Central

Pennsylvania in the 1990’s.

More recently, Sloan’s Norlanco pharmacy opened its doors in 2005, which included a robotic filling system. The robot includes medications from the top 200 prescribed list and offers a fast and accurate way to fill prescriptions.

Other unique and patientfriendly services offered by all five Sloan’s stores include: prescription mail delivery service, an online health center, medical supply options, and loyalty card benefits. Often patients have to travel long distances to find the proper medical supplies they desire, but Sloan’s offers a wide

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variety of options including canes, wheelchairs, walkers, diabetic supplies, braces, bathroom features, and even medical beds.

The online health center is particularly useful to patients, as it includes a symptom evaluator that is specific to age, gender, and body part. The system generates relevant information for the patient to read in order to understand what may be going on with their body, as well as when the symptom is alarming enough to need to go see their doctor. There are also multiple tools in the health center including BMI, calorie burner, target HR, IBW, nutritional need, and waist to hip calculators for their patients to utilize.

Community involvement has always been important to those at Sloan’s. Jake has been involved in his community in multiple ways.

In the past he has refereed soccer games, coached youth baseball teams, and was very involved in the swim club in the area. He also spent a lot of time with the Lancaster County Pharmacist’s Association (LCPA) where he was a board member. This encouraged him to get involved with many legislative issues, advancing the field of pharmacy and PPA. He continues to stay in touch with his state and federal representatives in

order to push important pharmacy issues that he is concerned about.

Jake also takes student pharmacists from his alma mater, PCP, who are on their IPPE community rotations.

Furthermore, he is currently participating with his church men’s group, where he is a mentor and continues to stay in touch with people on a spiritual basis.

Jake had some great advice when it came to owning or opening an independent pharmacy. First, he said when owning a pharmacy it is important to embrace change. “Times are always changing, so change with it.” Pharmacy has come a long way since G. Walter Sloan opened the first Sloan’s Pharmacy, and many pharmacies have closed since that time due to being left behind in the advancing field of

Tony Hayslip, ABR/AREP 713-829-7570 Tony@RxBrokerage.com

pharmacy. In regards to opening a new independent pharmacy he fully believes in today’s market that it can still be done with hard work and using your head. He specifically said to make sure that you know the community, as well as research what is going on in the community, before just opening a pharmacy anywhere. z

Ernie Zost, RPH 727-415-3659 Ernie@RxBrokerage.com

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Features

Financial Forum 2015: A Time for Patience

By Don. R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph., J.D. This series, Financial Forum, is presented by PRISM Wealth Advisors, LLC and your State Pharmacy Association through Pharmacy Marketing Group, Inc., a company dedicated to providing quality products and services to the pharmacy community.

Don’t let the market’s jumps rattle your commitment to staying invested.

What the market does today, it may not do tomorrow. That may seem elementary, but there are days, weeks, months, and even years when that investing lesson is ignored. Wall Street started 2015 with pronounced volatility, and in the opening six weeks of the year, investors were again reminded why patience is so important.

What did investors do in January? Sell. The S&P 500 lost 3.10%. Discouraging news items bred pessimism: deflation was coming to Europe, world demand for oil had peaked and prices would never come near $100 again, the slowdown in Europe and Asia would soon unravel America’s economic comeback.

An old market belief dictates that the opening month of a year sets the tone for the rest of the year.

Clear implication: 2015 equals bad market year. Sell, sell before it is too late.1 What did investors do at the start of February? Buy. The S&P 500 gained 3.03% in the first trading week of the month (and it 1 ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_monthly_ return [2/9/15]

had advanced 2.64% in the 30 days ending February 6). Encouraging news items bred optimism: the European Central Bank unveiled an asset-purchase program extending into 2016 to fight deflation with a scope matching QE3, oil prices began to rebound sharply, assorted earnings pleased Wall Street. Clear implication: 2015 might not be so bad. Buy the dip.2, 3 What’s the takeaway here?

Don’t panic. Don’t let a down January lead you to put off your annual IRA contribution or trim your per-paycheck retirement plan deferrals. What ground stocks lose, they may quickly regain.

For the record, 2014 provided the same lesson in patience.

January 2014 saw the S&P 500 fall 3.56%. February 2014 brought a 4.31% gain. The S&P went on to go +11.39% for the year. Perhaps its 2015 performance will mimic this.1,3 History is no barometer of future stock market performance, but it can be illuminating with regard to how stocks have 2 markets.on.nytimes.com/research/markets/ usmarkets/usmarkets.asp [2/6/15] 3 online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022quarterly_gblstkidx.html [12/31/14]

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Features overcome the “January effect” – a bad January does not necessarily lead to a lousy year. In fact, here is the real eye-opener: during 19892014, the S&P finished up for the year 75% of the time after a loss of 2% or greater in January, with an average annual gain of nearly 8% in those market years. In fact, only twice in the past quarter-century has a bad January presaged a bad year for the index (2000, 2008). In 2009, it lost 8.57% in January and went +35.02% for the rest of the year. In 2003, it gave up 2.74% for January, then went +29.94% across the next 11 months. This illustrates that on Wall Street, anything can

happen – and that includes good things.4 Stay patient & stay invested.

The last couple of years have been notably placid for U.S. stocks. Entering February, the S&P had gone more than 1,200 days without a correction. That lulled some investors into a comfort zone, to the point where they overreacted to significant (but in no way aberrant) stock market fluctuations.5 Patience is a virtue for the long-term investor trying to build wealth for retirement and other future objectives.

4 investing.com/analysis/75-of-the-time,%27down%27-january-good-for-s-p-500%27syearly-close-240337 [1/31/15] 5 tinyurl.com/kw8ue3b [1/31/15]

Already, this stock market year has highlighted its value. The Federal Reserve may elect to raise interest rates and the strong dollar may persist for some time, but those factors may not hold back the bulls in 2015 any more than many others have since 2009.

Pat Reding and Bo Schnurr may be reached at 800-288-6669 or pbh@berthelrep.com.

Registered Representative of and securities and investment advisory services offered through Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/ SIPC. PRISM Wealth Advisors LLC Continued on page 41

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Features

PPA Legislator Profile Dave Hickernell State Representative, R-Lancaster Representative Hickernell is a member of the Pennsylvania Community Pharmacy Caucus.

What are the key issues you would like to see addressed this session? I would like to see a resolution to the state budget impasse, along with pension reform and property tax relief – both of which are issues constituents consistently tell me they want addressed. I also have a number of pieces of legislation pending that are personal priorities of mine, such as improving foster children’s quality of life, helping to prevent elder abuse, and reducing drunk driving by enacting alcohol management training for all servers of alcohol.

Tell our members a little about your background and why you are a legislator? Prior to being elected to the House of Representatives, I was the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts for three years. That was my first job as an elected official. Before that, I worked as a staffer in the state House of Representatives for 18 years. Prior to college and starting my career in public service, I spent

some time working in the tourism industry right out of high school.

For about a year-and-a-half, I was employed at the Lancaster Host Farm Resort, where I worked in the tennis pro shop, scheduled court times, and taught tennis lessons.

I made the decision to run for state representative in 2002, because of my strong desire to serve the public and to help people. I also felt my representative at the time wasn’t adequately representing the district and the priorities of the people in it. Believing it was time for a change in leadership, my family and I made the decision that I should become a candidate for state representative in the 98th District. I am serving my seventh term in the House and currently chair the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee.

How do you see pharmacy and its role in health care evolving in the future? Pharmacists are an integral part of our health care system and public policy should reflect that. Pharmacists develop close relationships with patients just as physicians do, and patients rely on their expertise and knowledge of current medicines

to assist them in caring for their health.

Over the past few years, the health care environment has changed drastically and continues to evolve toward more coordinated, cost-effective, and teambased care. In response, the role of pharmacists has continued to expand to include more direct patient care, such as primary care and disease management services.

This has provided new opportunities for pharmacists to deliver services, such as medication management, medication reconciliation, preventative care services, and collaborative care models, to improve overall patient health.

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What is your advice for pharmacists about the political process? Get to know your legislator and talk to him or her before some problem or emergency arises where you might need their help.

When you have a crisis is not the first time they should be hearing from you. You might want to invite your legislator to take a tour of your business so that he or she can see what you do and understand what your needs and challenges are long before you might have to ask for assistance.

I have a very close relationship with my local pharmacist and we speak frequently, and he never hesitates to contact me throughout

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Features

Student Profile Hamad Juboori Education and Expected Graduation Year: Temple University School of Pharmacy, PharmD Candidate 2017 Internships: Pharmacy Intern at Kindred Hospital-Havertown Member since: 2013

Why did you choose to become involved in PPA? I became very interested in politics while I was getting my undergraduate degrees. This was not exclusively pharmacyrelated, but after learning about several politically motivating topics in healthcare that need changing, PPA seemed like the perfect fit. Because PPA was newly established at Temple, I was able to expand our scope and hope to

branch out with other schools in Philadelphia and on the eastern side of Pennsylvania.

What is your favorite experience you have had since studying pharmacy? My favorite experience since starting pharmacy school had to be helping to organize the Provider Status Campaign at Temple. During the spring semester of 2015, the chairs of the SPPA and Student Political Action Network joined forces to provide information about Provider Status for pharmacists to the student body. We worked tirelessly for about a week to obtain signatures for the APhA petition to support Provider Status and ultimately ranked number one in the country for most signatures in support of the petition. This was a very gratifying experience and reminded me of why we are doing this.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? That’s very hard to say.

I’m still narrowing down which direction in pharmacy I would like to go. My recent electives have influenced me to pursue a career in public health. If I do go in that direction, I hope to work within the federal government or FDA to help develop legislation that will expand healthcare and promote the well-being of all Americans.

I’m also very interested in clinical

pharmacy. In that case, you might find me working in a local hospital. I understand that these fields are totally different but that’s the beauty of pharmacy; there are so many fields to choose from.

What has been your favorite rotation/internship/pharmacy related job you’ve been on and why? My favorite rotation had to be warfarin and smoking cessation counseling within Temple Hospital.

I quickly learned that people want to be counseled on how to take their warfarin but not so much on quitting smoking. It is a major public health issue but engaging them on a personal level definitely helped. Working closely with patients and answering their questions helped to apply what I have learned and absolutely helped me grow as a healthcare professional.

What advice would you give first year pharmacy students?

Find your niche. When I began pharmacy school, I had no idea where I wanted to go, what specifically I wanted to do, or even what options I had available.

I knew my interests and let them guide me. My advice is to take leadership positions in areas that you find interesting and learn from it. Learn if it’s right for you; if not, move on. Once you find your niche, things just fall into place. z

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Features

Pharmacy Crime: A National Wake-up Call and Response The theft of prescription narcotics from pharmacies is a problem that has grown over the past thirty years, gaining national attention in 2010 with the declaration by the CDC that the prescription drug abuse had reached epidemic proportions.

Driven by a change in how health care was delivered, the trend shifted from a focus on treatment to one of prescriptions. With the advent of the new millennium we saw changing attitudes about the use of narcotic medications and an aggressive promotion by the pharmaceutical industry. Within that first decade, the number of people abusing prescription drugs jumped from 3.8 million to 7 million from 2000 to 2010 (DEA).

Diversion of narcotics to feed the national addiction was occurring at every step of the process, from drug design, to manufacturer and how the end user obtained and used the narcotics. On the front lines of the problem were the pharmacies who felt the ramifications in break-ins, armed robberies, diversion by employees, and administrative costs required to deal with ensuing regulatory requirements.

The response at the federal and state level was significant, with newer ways to track distribution, aggressive law enforcement action and spending (the DEA currently devotes over 50% of its resources on prescription narcotics), drug take back programs, physician

education and drug monitoring programs. Unfortunately, measures to address the abuse and dependency behind the problem of prescription abuse lag well behind steps taken to limit access to drugs. Those needing to feed their habits are finding it difficult to obtain drugs from physicians, friends and relatives.

Many avenues used by criminals to obtain the drugs have been closed. As the supply dries up, street price increases (or in some parts of the country, heroin use grows) and both the addicts

and criminals find other ways.

Walking into a pharmacy with a gun, or throwing a rock through a window does not require a lot of thought or preparation, but it will provide easy access to the current drugs of choice. When criminals look for the big score and do plan, the returns for them and costs to Pharmacists Mutual and our member companies can be significant.

In our own experience at Pharmacists Mutual, our understanding of the problem and our efforts to educate, underwrite and manage claims have resulted in an almost 30% reduction in frequency. While we have been able to hold the line on total costs as well, we are seeing increases in average costs of individual crimes.

With the declaration of an epidemic in 2010, Pharmacists Mutual was asked to speak at multiple pharmacy associations.

Over time, these requests have fallen off as government, pharmacy association, boards of pharmacy and other organizations have developed guidelines, checklists and other resources to help pharmacists manage the problem. Every pharmacy in the country now has ready access to general information about the problem and things they need to do to control it.

Going forward, our ability to serve our member companies depends on how well we understand what is happening

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Features and the development of targeted solutions to specific issues. We need to continue our efforts to stay abreast of loss trends, patterns of criminal activity and crime prevention technologies designed to minimize the cost of burglaries and robberies and improve criminal apprehension rates. In particular, armed robberies are a growing threat that presents some unique challenges.

Background Since the Centers for Disease Control branded prescription drug abuse as an epidemic in 2010, extensive measures have been taken across the country to attack the supply side of the equation by making it harder for drug seekers to obtain narcotics. These measures include prescription drug monitoring programs, tracking prescription dispensing and ordering patterns, education and changes in how narcotics are prescribed. While these measures are gaining ground, the number of addicts and the demand for drugs has not corresponded to increased limitations on supply. In some parts of the country, heroin use has replaced prescription drugs.

In most of the country however, those looking for prescription narcotics continue to turn to pharmacies. Rather than legitimate prescriptions, the need is often filled by taking the drugs forcefully by breaking in when the store is closed, by threat of physical harm to employees and customers when the store is open, or through employee diversion. Unfortunately, suspicious circumstances

surrounding burglaries are often tied to employee involvement.

Costs to the pharmacy can be significant. Nationally, costs associated with burglaries and robberies are in the tens of millions annually. Beyond what the pharmacy pays in deductibles and potentially higher premiums, pharmacies must often invest thousands in improved security.

Reports to the DEA, Board of Pharmacy, Insurance Company, police, suppliers and others can be extremely time consuming, and if the crime is serious enough to cause the store to be closed, the pharmacy can also experience cash flow interruptions. In some cases, the most significant costs are the intangible feelings of vulnerability and fear that accompanies armed robberies.

Pharmacists Mutual’s Response Pharmacists Mutual invests in providing members with education and tools to help them understand the nature of pharmacy crime, and what they can do to protect themselves. We educate associations and buying groups, publish advice in Risk Management Newsletters and RM Intel Articles, and post tools and resources on our website. We participate in NCPA’s “Protect Your Pharmacy” crime prevention efforts and presented at the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in 2014.

What we know about pharmacy crime is built on understanding what our members go through every day. We collaborate with experts across the country to learn

Crime presentations National Rx Drug Abuse Summit Oklahoma Pharmacists Association Kentucky Pharmacists Association North Dakota Pharmacists Association Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Philadelphia Association of Retail Druggists Utah Pharmacists Association Wyoming Pharmacy Association American Pharmacy Services Corporation Rx Plus Idaho State University University of Wyoming University of Charleston School of Pharmacy about pharmacy crime prevention techniques and technology, and in 2014 we began working with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) to share opportunities to control this problem.

A key to learning about what we need to focus on is understanding how crimes are committed and patterns of activity. Over the past 5 years, we have been developing and Continued on page 41

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Features

Student Profile Terry Pak

By Lindsey Wenger, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy PharmD Candidate, 2016 Education and Expected Graduation Year: Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. Candidate, 2016 Member since: September 2012

What made you choose the profession of pharmacy? I have two cousins who are pharmacists and their responsibility as healthcare providers is patient focused; however, their environment of work is completely different.

My one cousin is an ID clinical pharmacist who teaches at a school of pharmacy in Arizona. My other cousin is the pharmacy director at a hospital in California. What attracted me to pharmacy is the many different avenues pharmacy

has to offer to improve patient care. Over my years in pharmacy school, my interest in what career path I choose has changed but it is exciting to know that I have many different options available.

How did your experiences shape your career? Being part of pharmacy organizations such as PPA and APhA has taught me leadership and ignited my passion for pharmacy. When I am at school I sometimes develop tunnel vision and academics is my only focus.

However when I attend PPA and APhA conferences, it reminds me why I chose this profession which is to improve patient-care. Learning from other student pharmacists has shaped my career as a student. It is exciting to learn about a program another student pharmacist has implemented at their school which motivates me to bring that similar concept to my university.

Why did you choose to become involved in PPA? When I started pharmacy school I knew I wanted to be active in the profession. I thought one of the best ways to be active is to be involved with an organization at the state level. PPA offers educational and legislative opportunities. I was able to put together a medication safety presentation for the elementary

students. This project helped develop my leadership, clinical, and the organizational skills to successfully host the event. I was also involved in the GRASP program.

Would you recommend joining PPA to other students and why? Yes, students need to be aware of current events that are occurring in the profession. Being a part of PPA helps streamline resourceful tools to stay current about pharmacy. Additionally, PPA plays a major role in legislation; therefore, if change needs to be implemented they are a resourceful tool to initiate the change.

How has being a PPA member helped you professionally?

PPA has so many amazing opportunities for student pharmacists to develop and grow their leadership in pharmacy.

There are seven pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania and being part of PPA is an avenue to connect with the other schools of pharmacy. PPA has helped me grow professionally because I am able to meet and collaborate with other students.

When you aren’t working where can you be found? I am a foodie. I enjoy going to new restaurants and the trying new foods so living in Philadelphia helps feed into my cravings. z

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Journal

Popular Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss: An Update for the Pharmacist Dana Manning, PharmD, R.D, LDN Corresponding Author Dana Manning, PharmD, R.D, LDN Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University Email: dana.manning@wilkes.edu None of the authors involved in this paper have any conflicts of interest, including but not limited to: consulting fees, paid expert testimony, employment, grants, honoraria, patents, royalties, stocks, or other financial or material gain that may involve the subject matter of the manuscript.

Keywords: Weight loss, dietary supplement, conjugated linoleic acid, raspberry ketone, green coffee bean, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), garcinia cambogia, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

Abstract Increasingly, patients are turning to dietary supplements to help them lose weight and often rely on pharmacists to help them

make decisions about which supplements may be effective and safe for use. This review examines information available about the efficacy and safety of current popular over the counter dietary supplements for weight loss, including conjugated linoleic acid, raspberry ketone, green coffee bean, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), garcinia cambogia, and epigallocatechin-3gallate (EGCG). A recommendation

for advising patients on the use of these supplements is also presented.

Background Obesity is one of the most prevalent and pressing health problems of our time. Recent statistics indicate that more than one-third of the population is obese or overweight.1 Awareness of the health risks of obesity are ever increasing and are

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Journal communicated to the population by health professionals and a multitude of media outlets. Social and popular media platforms have become increasingly prolific and often act as inaccurate sources of information about obesity and weight loss, specifically about supplemental products for weight control.

The pharmaceuticals available for weight loss have changed dramatically in recent years, with the removal of some agents from the market due to unacceptable risks (most recently sibutramine in 2010) and the introduction of several newly approved products: QsymiaÂŽ (phentermine-topirimate) and BelviqÂŽ (lorcaserin).

Pharmaceutical agents remain expensive and difficult to obtain for many patients, including those who do not clinically qualify for pharmacologic treatment but desire assistance in their weight loss efforts. Although diet restriction and exercise remain the gold standard for the treatment of obesity and are ultimately beneficial to patients’ health beyond any weight loss they may produce, they require behavioral changes which many patients may find challenging. Patients often turn to over-the-counter and herbal products marketed as weight loss supplements with little information on the safety and efficacy of the active ingredients. Additionally, there is little regulatory oversight of herbal and dietary product effectiveness claims, which leaves patients without reliable information about how to use these supplements safely and effectively.

Weight loss supplement options for patients are rapidly evolving.

One of the most widely distributed and effective dietary supplements, ephedra, was taken off the market in 2004 due to the associated health risks.2 Because of the overall dearth of effective and safe prescription products, several novel herbal supplements have gained popularity in the last few years. Popular television shows and social media have directly promoted specific products, leading to a spike in interest and sales.

Pharmacists serve as critical sources of unbiased, evidence-based information for consumers, and are often asked for advice on the safety and efficacy of these products.

It is imperative that pharmacists utilize current, scientifically accurate information to guide their recommendations to patients and remain aware of the current dietary supplements trending in popularity with consumers.

Objective The purpose of this article is to provide up to date, evidencebased recommendations on the safety and efficacy of currently popular over the counter herbal and dietary supplements marketed for weight loss.

Methods Products of interest were identified by examining the content of popular websites, news media, and social media sites.

Pharmacy and nutrition clinicians in various practice settings (community practice, ambulatory care) were queried to determine

substances about which they have received questions. Substances that have gained popularity and attention in the past 5 years were of particular interest, as it is likely that many practitioners may be seeking updated evidence on them.

Popular and recently publicized supplements were chosen for the focus of this review. Published articles and abstracts were identified using MEDLINE (1966 - July 2014), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Natural Standards Database. Searches were limited to articles published in English, and the focus of this review was new evidence available since 2005.

Older evidence was considered for supplements if more recent evidence was not available.

Search terms were combinations of the following keywords or MeSH terms: weight loss, obesity, supplement, herbal, botanicals, conjugated linoleic acid, raspberry ketone, green coffee bean, human chorionic gonadotropin , garcinia cambogia, and epigallocatechin-3gallate. Peer reviewed, published studies were selected if they met the following criteria: randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, included humans as subjects, and evaluated either a single substance or a combination product but examined each substance individually. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews were also included. Animal studies were examined if no or few human studies met the aforementioned criteria. Studies were excluded if they evaluated substances only in combination or examined Continued on page 42

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Departments

Campus Checkup Duquesne University Contributed by: Michaela Palermo, Communications Ambassador Duquesne University PPA Chapter has had an active naloxone and the newly established standing order in semester thus far. For American Pharmacists Month, Allegheny County. the student chapter attended Duquesne University The remainder of our time this semester is focused Health and Wellness Fair. Many organizations in Mylan on planning the Duquesne OTC Competition which School of Pharmacy participated in this educational will take place in January 2016. Competition winners outreach event. Duquesne PPA shared a tent with will have free registration to PPA Mid-Year in January Generation Rx (APhA-ASP committee). We presented 2016. Overall, it has been a great semester! z a poster and brochures informing the public about

Jefferson College of Pharmacy Contributed by: Matthew McGuire, Communications Ambassador At The Jefferson College of Pharmacy we have been winners; this group actively encouraging student pharmacist involvement. of current P2s will During the month of October, we challenged our be a great team student pharmacists to speak with their neighbors, to represent JCP family members, fellow train riders, etc. about what at PPA’s Mid-Year. they believed the role of a pharmacist within the In the future, we healthcare community to be. This was important for plan to implement us to generate awareness outside of our professional a podcast series network, which we believe we improved the that will be perspective of several individuals. We recently held helpful for student our on-campus OTC competition, which had a great pharmacists to get policy updates, drug discoveries, turn out for participants (7 teams) and audience and information relevant to pursuing their future members. The “The AdVillians”, consisting of Kerry career sector. z Lenzi, Ashley Maister, and Clairissa Cruz, were the

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Departments

LECOM Contributed by: Emily Petrak, Director PPA and APhA have been hard at work during the months of October and November to promote pharmacy in our local community. APhA/PPA hosted the annual rotating health fairs that took place at various Rite Aids in Erie. Students stood near the pharmacy with displays discussing various subjects such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, immunizations, and more! Members of the community seemed interested in these topics and often stopped by to see what we had to say. Also, to promote American Pharmacists’ Month, both Erie and Bradenton campuses each took a picture of students conjunctively forming the acronym APhM (American Pharmacists’ Month). Along with these activities, P1-P3 students attended the PPA Annual Conference in the beginning of October. LECOM had a team compete in the Achieving Independence competition, and LECOM won the PPA Public Awareness Award!

During the month of November, students were

encouraged to donate jackets and other various winter wear to a local church’s coat drive hosted by PPA and APhA. The collection was successful, and students volunteered in December to go down to the church and help package up these items. APhA/ PPA also gathered together to take a circled picture of students to support Diabetes Awareness Month.

Lastly, PPA is running a membership drive raffle to promote students to join PPA before the Mid-Year Conference. One winner will be drawn to receive fullreimbursement for their membership! z Continued on page 26

A larger PPA, is a stronger PPA so...

TAKE FIVE TO GIVE FIVE Participate in PPA’s latest contest to help our association become even stronger! Send the names and emails of FIVE potential PPA members to arobbins@papharmacists.com and be entered to win a prize.

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Departments

I’m Graduating this Spring, my Checklist: Attend PPA Annual Conference Attend PPA Mid-Year, present a poster, and network Register for the Law Review Renew as a Resident or New Practitioner Member Put my PPA activities on my CV/Resume

Philadelphia College I’m Graduating of Pharmacy

this Spring, my

Contributed by: Ada Wu, Communications Ambassador The PCP attendees of the PPA Annual 2015 collaborated with pharmacists and students to share an empowering weekend. They brought lessons learned in time for the Katy’s Kids event at Christian Cornerstone Academy. Members educated students about the importance of medication safety since medication is often confused for candy to children.

We hosted another event where students were provided an opportunity for a photo shoot to proclaim their love of pharmacy with the “Share your WHY” campaign. Students were able to express their passion for the profession using customizable handheld signs while having a picture taken against a colorful backdrop. z

Checklist:

Attend PPA Annual Conference

Attend PPA Mid-Year, present a poster, and

University networkof Pittsburgh

Register for the Law

Contributed by: Laura Yost, Communications Ambassador The University of Pittsburgh PPA chapter is diving into the holiday season with a toy drive for Matilda H. Theiss Child Development Center. Matilda Theiss provides early childhood mental health programs for kids with behavioral and psychiatric disorders or those at high risk of developing such disorders. We are also hosting a poster presentation informational session for students interested in presenting at the PPA Mid-Year Conference in January. z

Review

Renew as a Resident or

New Practitioner Member

Put my PPA activities on my CV/Resume

Graduate!

Graduate!

Sign up for PREP

Sign up for PREP

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Departments

Temple University Contributed by: Jennifer Nguyen, Communications Ambassador A joint general body meeting with APhA was held Year Conference was brought to attention as a great in mid-November. At the meeting many opportunities weekend to network, present a poster, and participate were presented for PPA members to get involved; in the OTC competition. Our chapter plans to hold such as getting published in the Pharmacists Care an OTC competition at the school and will take place blog. PY1 and PY2 students are being paired with after winter break when we’re all feeling refreshed PY3 students to help write blog posts on a desired and excited for the future of pharmacy. z healthcare topic. healthcare topic. The 2016 PPA Mid-

Wilkes University Contributed by: Kristen Lopatofsky, Communications Ambassador The Wilkes University PPA chapter has been keeping busy this semester! On October 29th, we hosted a GRASP Kick-Off event at our meeting. Don Smith joined us via FaceTime to give us a legislative update as well as explain GRASP to our members.

We are looking forward to developing our advocacy skills through GRASP! Also, our P1 class is currently working on an advocacy letter writing campaign to send to legislators.

We also participated in the Halloween Hustle at our local Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. During the event, we collaborated with our APhA chapter to educate participants about medication safety & disposal and immunizations.

Our chapter recently hosted two Katy’s Kids events at daycares during the month of November. The children had a blast learning about a stethoscope, counting trays, and playing a medication versus candy game. z

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Departments

Government Relations Update PBM Bills Await House of Representatives Consideration

State Representatives Introduce Legislative Package to Deter Opioid Abuse

House Bill 946, pharmacy audit integrity, and House Bill 947, PBM registration and MAC transparency, were unanimously voted out of the House Health Committee on October 7, 2015. These bills now await consideration by the full House of Representatives.

We need your help with educating your Representative on the importance these bills and why they need passed NOW! Please contact your Representative today and request his or her support, and co-sponsorship, if he or she has not already signed on as a co-sponsor.

For more information, including links to the bills, Issue Briefs and much more please visit PPA’s Legislative Issues page and see more issues below.

Representative Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) recently announced a legislative package of bills in response to the recommendations of the HR 659 task force report.

HR 659 tasked an advisory committee to study the problems wrought by the proliferation of prescription opioid medications; and develop recommendations to combat the proliferation, illicit use, and abuse of opioid prescription drugs in Pennsylvania.

Although language for the legislative package of bills has not been drafted yet, bills will be introduced, specifically on: CE in Addiction and Addiction Treatment: Rep. Kurt Masser’s (R-Northumberland) legislation which would require individuals who are applying for a license or certification, or renewing a license or certification, to have met a certain number of approved continuing medical education classes which address addiction and addiction treatment. His legislation would require 3 hours of training prior to being licensed or certified initially and 2 hours of training for each renewal period.

Safe Pharmaceutical Destruction: Rep. John Maher’s (R-Allegheny) legislation would amend Act 190 to enable Pennsylvania’s waste-to-energy facilities to provide this important step in the destruction of pharmaceuticals. Currently under Act 190 of 1996, pharmaceuticals collected by safe disposal programs are defined as hazardous waste and there they cannot be sent for destructions at Pennsylvania WTE plants.

Other bills in the package include a bill which would regulate the prescribing of controlled substances in hospital emergency departments; a bill that would provide for coverage requirements for insurance carriers and health insurance for abusedeterrent opioid analgesic drugs; and a resolution which would request a study on the enforcement of existing drug laws.

PPA Releases Videos on PBM-Related Issues PPA has produced three short videos to assist Pennsylvania pharmacists, student pharmacists, lawmakers, the public, and more in understanding the need for oversight of PBMs, MAC transparency and pharmacy audit integrity in Pennsylvania. These videos feature PPA members and staff; and are less than four minutes in length. View the videos by visiting the links below - and then share them with your friends, colleagues, patients, legislators, on your social media account and more today! https://youtu.be/OP8XoRxi9eY - Why oversight of PBMs is needed https://youtu.be/l81CzyzPR6M - MAC pricing on pharmacies https://youtu.be/NkN-3_wIWLI - Uniform and fair auditing standards of pharmacy claims The videos can also be accessed on our webpage.

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Departments 2016 PharmPAC Goal Set by Board of Directors PPA’s Board of Directors recently set a PharmPAC fundraising goal of $55,000 $55,000 $52,000 for the 2016 calendar year. $49,000 $46,000 PharmPAC is PPA’s $43,000 $40,000 Political Action Committee. $37,000 $34,000 The purpose of having $31,000 our PAC is to work to $28,000 $25,000 elect candidates who think $22,000 like you do; and who $19,000 $16,000 understand the challenges $13,000 you face when serving your patients.

Investing in PharmPAC in 2016 will help make sure your voice is heard and understood. And it works. However, it will not keep working without your help.

By investing in PharmPAC, you help protect your practice, your patients and the pharmacy profession.

Please consider making a monthly investment or making a one-time investment of $25, $50, $100 or more to help us reach our 2016 fundraising goal by visiting http://papharmacists.com/?page=PharmPAC.

Wanted: Members to Join PPA’s PharmPAC Advisory Group PPA is looking for members to serve on its PharmPAC Advisory Group. Anyone interested should be willing to discuss, consider, and/or recommend a multitude of viewpoints with regard to a wide variety of topics related to PharmPAC. Please contact Don Smith at dsmith@papharmacists.com if you would like to serve and/or have any questions. z

I CHOOSE A

RELIABLE WHOLESALER hdsmith.com | 888.552.2526

Helping You Care For Your Community

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Association News

Affiliated County News Allegheny County Pharmacists Association This past November, the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association collected donations to benefit the Mathilda Theiss Health Center Christmas toy drive. The Mathilda Theiss Center is a UPMC-based hospital clinic owned and operated by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. It primarily serves an economically disadvantaged, minority population.

Each year, University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University pharmacy students collect toys for the drive. This year they collaborated with the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association to increase awareness

for the cause. ACPA members personally donated $40, which was provided to the center to purchase toys for distribution to the children during the Christmas season.

Call for Nominations The ACPA Board has open seats and are looking for ACPA members to fill them. The available seats are President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer as well as two director seats.

Nominations are due by 3/1/2015; please send nominations to acpa@papharmacists.com. z

BucksMont County Pharmacists Association The meeting on October 22nd was well attended with 26 BMPA members and guests present. Guests were treated to a generous pre-meeting cocktail hour that featured tasty hors d’ouevres with assorted beverages and provided generous time for socializing and networking. We were pleased to welcome Maria Barr, PharmD, Principal Regional Medical Liaison, Inflammation Therapeutics, Amgen, who served as our meeting sponsor and keynote speaker on the topic of “Biosimilars.” Maria’s interesting presentation was very informative and provoked much discussion both during and after her presentation. This is clearly an area well deserving of pharmacist attention as we

Pre-meeting networking.

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Association News move forward into the arena of biosimilars, a new highly complex area that will undoubtedly be of significant importance in the future of pharmacy and therapeutics.

Following the Amgen presentation and legislative update, the BMPA board of Directors met to discuss future directions. We have a potential sponsor (Sanofi) for a future informational dinner meeting in 2016 and are planning for our spring meeting, a CE program on “Antibiotic Stewardship in the Acute Care Setting” presented by David Ezdon, PharmD, Einstein Medical Center.

The BMPA Board of Directors unanimously decided that in the near future, we will provide two $1000 annual scholarships to pharmacy school students who are residents of either Bucks or Montgomery County. Criteria for potential scholarship recipients are currently under development. z

Meeting attendees (L-R): Chantel Farrello (Doylestown hospital), Rose Ellen Gatto (Einstein Hospital, E. Norriton) pictured with Keynote speaker and Amgen host Maria Barr.

Announcing PREP Pre-Residency Excellence Program Start your residency off on the right track! Out shine your competition!

Designed specifically to assist individuals entering a pharmacy residency program July 1, 2016 , this program will give you tips, direction, ideas, and review your skills so that you can be better prepared to jump-start your residency year.

Set yourself on course to be as successful as possible!

Modules Include: The PREP Series consists of 14 modules covering 17  Starting the Year Off Right: Expectations,  What? You Want ME To Teach: The Role of hours focusing on how to be a resident, pharmacy Evaluations, and Enhancing Your Emotional the Resident-Teacher Intelligence to Promote Collaboration and practice, and skill review.  Medication Therapy Management in All 14 modules are available on-demand, so you can watch them a time that’s convenient for you! Most modules are provided as 20-30 “bite-sized” videos to allow maximum flexibility as you view them.

Modules are released for viewing by early May.

    

More information, including fees, registration, and module details, is available on the PPA website at http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=PREP

Communication

Resident Research: Frequently Asked Questions and Tips for Success Don’t Go Breaking My Law—Pennsylvania Law as it Relates to Clinical Practice Engaging in Clinical Controversy: How to Evaluate the Primary Literature Part I: Working Smarter and Not Harder: Introduction to Information Mastery Part II: Working Smarter and Not Harder: Making Information Mastery Doable in Everyday Practice

     

contemporary pharmacy practice: Roles, Responsibilities of Pharmacist utilizing MTM skills for successful patient care Writing it down: Basics of Pharmacist Documentation Drug Dosing in Kidney and Liver Disease

Using Your Potential to Improve Your Kinetics: A Primer of Applied Pharmacokinetics.

ID Boot Camp: The Bugs ID Boot Camp: The Drugs Congratulations Pharmacist – What do you do now?

Presented by the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association

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Association News

PPA’s Awards Committee is seeking nominations for several prestigious association awards that are presented annually during the Association’s Annual Conference which will be held September 22 - 25, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza PhiladelphiaValley Forge in King of Prussia. Many pharmacists currently practicing in Pennsylvania are excellent candidates for these awards; individuals whose contributions have made pharmacy a better profession for all of us. Below is a list of the awards and criteria for selection of the award recipient for each.

Criteria for all awards A nominee must be a current member of PPA to be considered.

For all awards except those noted with an *, nominees must be a licensed Pennsylvania pharmacist.

All nominations will be held on file and eligible for consideration for 3 years.

Bowl of Hygeia Award Sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) with support from Boehringer Ingelheim

Granted to recognize and honor a Pennsylvania pharmacist who has demonstrated sustained commitment to community service, apart from his/her specific identification as a pharmacist, which reflects well on the profession of pharmacy. Specific Award Eligibility:  Nominee must not be currently serving or have served in the  Nominee must be living; awards are not presented last two (2) years as a member of PPA awards committee, an posthumously elected PPA officer or a paid employee of PPA  Nominee must not be a past recipient of the award

PPA Pharmacist of the Year Award

Presented to a pharmacist who has demonstrated dedication to the profession of pharmacy, contributed time and effort to the various professional organizations, furthered the profession of pharmacy through community service and embodied those qualities of attitude and leadership which exemplified the profession.

George S. Maggio Memorial Award

Presented to the pharmacist who has contributed the most to pharmacy in Pennsylvania through his/her work in legislative activities and advocacy.

NASPA Excellence in Innovation Award Sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.

Recognizes a pharmacist who is involved in an innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care. The nomination must include a description of the innovative pharmacy practice which would qualify the recipient for this award. . George H. Searight Community Service Award* Presented to an individual who has shown outstanding devotion and service to PPA, and his/her own county or local association, and for outstanding community service which has enhanced the image of the profession of pharmacy within his/her community. This award may be presented to a pharmacist or a non-pharmacist.

Cardinal Health Generation Rx Champions Award Sponsored by the Cardinal Health Foundation

This award honors a pharmacist who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to raising awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse among the general public and among the pharmacy community.

The award is also intended to encourage educational prevention efforts aimed at patients, youth, and other members of the community.

Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies “Distinguished Young Pharmacist” Award

Recognizes new pharmacists for their dedication to and participation in PPA, commitment to the practice of pharmacy, and involvement in community activities. Minimum selection criteria:  Licensed to practice for nine years or less.  Has distinguished themselves in the field of pharmacy practice.  Participated in national pharmacy association(s), professional programs, PPA activities and/or community service.

Preceptor of the Year

This award has a separate nomination form for students to use.

Nominees must be PPA members, must be a preceptor for a Pennsylvania pharmacy practice site, and must be nominated by a PPA Student Member.

Pharmacy Technician of the Year*

Presented to an individual who has at least 2 years of experience working as a pharmacy technician in any pharmacy setting, who has demonstrated a professional attitude at their place of employment, and who has shown leadership in the training of their technicians in their practice settings.

J. Allen Duffield Pharmaceutical Industry Award*

Presented to an individual who is associated with the pharmaceutical industry or other pharmacy associated/related business or service, who has contributed time, effort, commitment, and supported and participated in the activities and programs of PPA and who has, through his/her affiliation with the company and industry he/she represents, contributed to the betterment of the profession of pharmacy.

Pauline Montgomery Leadership Award Sponsored by Value Drug Company

The Pauline Montgomery Leadership Award, sponsored by Value Drug Company, is presented annually to a female independent owner, manager, or employee of an independent pharmacy who is part of Value Drug Company and who demonstrates leadership in all of the following areas: pharmacy, politics/advocacy, and community. Value Drug Company provides a $1,000 check to the recipient.

Nominate a deserving individual for an award and recognize them for all they do for the pharmacy profession!

Find the nomination form at http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=Awards

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For more information on how you can make a difference, http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=FoundationInfo

George Downs, Professor and Dean Emeritus, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy/University of the Sciences - PPA Educational Foundation Ambassador and contributor

Association News

Through the Foundation, I am supporting grants, student programs, and fostering the future of our profession. This is MY way of making a difference - join us and support your profession and your philanthropy - the “PPA Educational Foundation.”

PPA Welcomes New Staff Members!

My contribution, and hopefully yours, is going to a great cause - one that we can all stand for. Regardless of your practice, the advancement of the practice should be of utmost importance. Through the Educational Foundation the groundwork is being laid for pharmacy's future in Pennsylvania.

Mia Bostic began her role as the Bookkeeper for PPA on November 17. She graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Accounting and a minor in Banking and Finance. She has over 20 years of experience working in various roles in accounting and finance. In her free time Mia enjoys yoga and spending time with her son.

Ashley Robbins, joining us as the Membership Coordinator, began her education at Slippery Rock University finished and graduated from Ashford University in March 2015 with a B.A. in Sociology. In her free time Ashley enjoys spending time in the gym, reading, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her husband and daughter.

“I have seen the Foundation grow over the past 5 years from its start to its current form. The student poster session has shown exponential growth and involvement.

The Foundation is focusing on substance abuse and the role of pharmacists in all aspects of practice to address this complicated issue. What a great opportunity to support the Foundation and its wonderful works.

My Profession...My Practice...My Philanthropy Advancing Patient Care

Beginning on December 21st, 2015, Danielle Adams, PPA’s previous Membership Coordinator transferred roles to serve as PPA’s Communications Coordinator. Ali Bowker is moving to Charlotte in January to pursue a public relations career. PPA’s extends a thank you and best wishes to Ali in her career move. z

Educational Foundation

Educational Foundation Advancing Patient Care

My Profession...My Practice...My Philanthropy “I have seen the Foundation grow over the past 5 years from its start to its current form. The student poster session has shown exponential growth and involvement.

The Foundation is focusing on substance abuse and the role of pharmacists in all aspects of practice to address this complicated issue. What a great opportunity to support the Foundation and its wonderful works.

My contribution, and hopefully yours, is going to a great cause - one that we can all stand for. Regardless of your practice, the advancement of the practice should be of utmost importance. Through the Educational Foundation the groundwork is being laid for pharmacy's future in Pennsylvania.

Through the Foundation, I am supporting grants, student programs, and fostering the future of our profession. This is MY way of making a difference - join us and support your profession and your philanthropy - the “PPA Educational Foundation.”

George Downs, Professor and Dean Emeritus, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy/University of the Sciences - PPA Educational Foundation Ambassador and contributor For more information on how you can make a difference, http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=FoundationInfo

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Association News

PPA Rotation Reflection By: Jamie Shepherd, PharmD Candidate 2016, LECOM School of Pharmacy When I arrived at the Pennsylvania Pharmacists 9 years old Association, I was unsure of what to expect. I knew could receive that government relations would be a huge portion of a flu vaccine my PPA adventure, but I never expected it to impact in a pharmacy. me as much as it did.

This is a huge In my eyes, this rotation began in April 2015 at step toward PPA’s Legislative Day. At the Capitol, when I met improving the with my state representative to speak about House health of children Bill 182. This bill would allow children over the and adults in age of 9 to receive the flu vaccine from pharmacies Pennsylvania. in Pennsylvania. At that point in time, I asked my It dawned on representative to co-sponsor the bill, not expecting me that I was much to come of it. Throughout the next few months, witnessing a I continued to send emails to my legislators on the part of history topics I had spoken about at Legislative Day. and had also To my surprise, I became reacquainted with this bill had some part during my second week on rotation with PPA. In that in the process. week at PPA, I attended a Pennsylvania State Board On August 26th, I attended a press conference at a of Pharmacy meeting. Before the meeting began, I local Rite Aid pharmacy about Act 8. At this event, was introduced to a few members of the Board, some a Rite Aid pharmacist gave an 11 year-old girl a flu of whom I had seen at PPA conferences, but never vaccine. Among the guests at the press conference had the opportunity to meet. During this meeting, were Representatives Seth Grove, Sheryl Delozier, the Board members discussed House Bill 182, now and Julie Harhart, along with many other leaders from known as Act 8. The Governor had just signed House pharmacy organizations throughout Pennsylvania.

Bill 182 into law in late June and the Board was It was truly remarkable to see so many people, discussing amendments to the language and creating pharmacy and non-pharmacy related, come together the final draft of the regulations. Once they reached to make this bill a reality. the section regarding interns, they knew that a student This rotation has been a very rewarding experience. was in the room and asked for my input. As I walked I was able to see a major bill get passed that will to the Board table’s podium, I felt my adrenaline affect how I practice pharmacy in the future. Not only rushing. They asked for my opinion on certain issues did I become more familiar with bills currently in the regarding immunizations by interns. I spoke about House and Senate, but I also met amazing people. It my personal experiences with the immunization was an honor to network with many leaders of the certification process and about being an intern. It pharmacy community and be given the opportunity to was very rewarding to see these ten or so leaders of witness events revolving around pharmacy legislative the pharmacy community listening to what I had to issues. I have learned an infinite amount about what say. They genuinely seemed to appreciate my input goes into the legislative process and how important and I felt very humbled to be a part of the discussion it is to be your own advocate. Without a doubt, this process. rotation will help me be a better pharmacist and Act 8 went into effect on August 25th, 2015. This advocate for the pharmacy profession in the future. z meant that on that day, children over the age of

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Association News

Save the Date:

Will you be a FUTURE pharmacy LEADer? Become the best leader you can be—join the LEAD program and make a difference going forward!

Pharmacy Law Review 2016

LEAD is a year-round experience starting in August 2016 through June 2017, building your leadership skills, fostering connections, and sharing experiences. A small, select group of participants will be accepted into the program and learn lifelong leadership skills, participate in thought-provoking discussions, idea sharing, and learning sessions all designed to help you become a strong LEADer now and into the future whether in your workplace, community, and most importantly for pharmacy!

Applicants for LEAD must be pharmacy Instructed by: Kimberly Burns, graduates RPh, JD within the last 10 years interested in building their experience, skills, and leadership abilities. Modules of learning include communicating as a leader, strategic planning and thinking, time management, organiDuquesne Mylan School of business Pharmacy: Saturday, April 16, zational and non-profit leadership, leadership, pharmacy advocacy, and more! Throughout the program you will interact with established leaders in Pennsylvania pharmacy and assess how you will make your mark!

2016

Philadelphia CollegeMore of Pharmacy: 12 andare on the PPA website at information,Thursday including anMay application, Friday May 13, 2016 http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=LEAD

Will you be a FUTURE pharmacy LEADer? Become the best leader you can be—join the LEAD program and make a difference going forward!

LEAD is a year-round experience starting in August 2016 through June 2017, building your leadership skills, fostering connections, and sharing experiences. A small, select group of participants will be accepted into the program and learn lifelong leadership skills, participate in thought-provoking discussions, idea sharing, and learning sessions all designed to help you become a strong LEADer now and into the future whether in your workplace, community, and most importantly for pharmacy!

Applicants for LEAD must be pharmacy graduates within the last 10 years interested in building their experience, skills, and leadership abilities. Modules of learning include communicating as a leader, strategic planning and thinking, time management, organizational and non-profit leadership, business leadership, pharmacy advocacy, and more! Throughout the program you will interact with established leaders in Pennsylvania pharmacy and assess how you will make your mark!

More information, including an application, are on the PPA website at http://www.papharmacists.com/?page=LEAD

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Association News

Call for Nominations—Nominations Being Accepted for PPA Officers and Members of the Board of Directors The following positions are available: President Elect and Vice President Regional Directors – Central, Northeast, and Southwest Practice Network Directors – Community-Independent/LTC, Chain, and Managed Care Student Pharmacists – East and West Directors Help lead your profession and pharmacy forward!

Officers PPA’s Nominating Committee is seeking nominations from our membership for the officer positions of President Elect and Vice President. This is a great opportunity to help lead the profession.

Candidates for the office of President Elect and Vice President must be Active Pharmacist members of PPA. Job descriptions for officer positions and the Board may be found by clicking on the respective position on the PPA website, under About PPA, and selecting Leadership Team.

Regional Directors PPA is also seeking pharmacists interested in serving as the regional director for their region.

The position is a two-year term and individuals are eligible to serve two consecutive terms. The Director serves on the PPA Board of Directors and generally represents that region. PPA is comprised of five regions and this year the regions that are up for election are: Northwest and Southeast. To see what areas comprise a region – please go to the PPA website, then under About PPA, select Community Groups. On that page, click on Regions. You can also find a job description for the Regional Director.

Practice Network Directors (formerly Academies) The Nominating Committee also needs individuals willing to lead their practice setting through their Practice Setting Network. A Director is needed for

each Practice Network up for election this year.

Terms are two years and individuals may serve two consecutive terms. The Director serves on the PPA Board of Directors. The following Practice Setting Networks are electing a Director this year: Community-Independent/Long Term Care, Community-Chain, and Managed Care.

Student Directors Student Directors, of which there are two, one from the Eastern schools (Jefferson, PCP, Temple, or Wilkes) and one from the Western schools (Duquesne, LECOM, or Pitt), elect every year for one year terms.

Any individual member or group of members may nominate someone for consideration. However, prior to submitting a nomination, the individual’s consent must be secured. Individuals may also nominate themselves. All nominations are to be received at the PPA Office by Friday, March 11, 2016.

Letters/faxes/emails of nomination should be sent to: Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1199, Attention: Nominating Committee or faxed to 717-236-1618.

They may also be sent to the general PPA email to the committee’s attention, ppa@papharmacists.com.

Nominations may initially be a simple statement of interest. Candidates will then be requested to submit photos, additional information, and bios or CVs. z

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You are

a leader. an educator. a trusted advisor. a counselor.

Cardinal Health is Charged with balancing the demands of delivering excellent patient care with top operational performance, you understand the need for quality solutions and integration at every step along the way. So do we.

That’s why we’re combining our full suite of pharmaceutical management offerings to deliver solutions and insight across the continuum of care. Now is the time for you to concentrate on what matters most — your patients.

Cardinal Health is eager to discuss your business needs.

For more information contact one of our Pharmacy Business Consultants. Visit cardinalhealth.com/allaboutyou

© 2013 Cardinal Health. All rights reserved. CARDINAL HEALTH, the Cardinal Health LOGO and ESSENTIAL TO CARE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cardinal Health. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Lit. No. 1RI12495 (09/2013)

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Association News

The Future of Pharmacy: Connect, Collaborate, Care PPA 2016 Mid-Year Conference Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center Harrisburg, PA Friday, January 29 Highlights

Special Programming

  

Child Abuse Awareness Training Emergency Planning Patient Self-Care Competition

Continuing Education   

Taking a Stand: A Look Into the Pennsylvania Prescription Standing Order for Overdose Prevention Designer Genes: Pharmacogenomics Testing In Your Pharmacy Practice Community Pharmacists Bridging the Connection Between Patients and Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C

New Practitioner/ Student Programming  

Financial Planning: Why Should I Care?

Ten years in the life of a young pharmacist

Networking Opportunities & Social Events:

Conference Kick-off Celebration and Welcome Dinner

Saturday, January 30 Highlights

Special Programming Sponsored by PPA Educational Foundation

   

Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) for Opiate Addiction Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Substance Use Disorder Patients Know Pain, Know Gain Pharmacy Patient Counseling Competition 2016 Silent Auction and Raffle

Continuing Education     

Calling the Shots: Incorporating Vaccines for Children and Travel into Your Practice Collaborative Drug Therapy Management Agreements: Your Ticket to Making Connections, Collaboration and Patient Care Don’t Give up Hope! Emerging Approaches to Managing Poorly Controlled Diabetes New Horizons: Navigating the Changing Tides of Hepatitis C Therapy Pharmacy, Connection and Coordination via electronic Health Information Exchange (eHIE)

Student Programming

   

Pharmacy Mentoring and Research Projects: A Key Component to Your Pharmacy Career Managing Student Loans Interviewing 101: May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor Independent Pharmacy Ownership

Networking Opportunities & Social Events

  

Breakfast and Lunch buffets Beer & Banter Dessert Reception

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Association News Sunday, January 31 Highlights

Continuing Education

 

“One Does Not Simply Walk” out of the Hospital: Community Pharmacy Collaborating to Ensure Safe Transitions of Care Pharmaceutical Poetry 2016: Recent Updates in Clinical Research for the Practicing Pharmacist

Student Programming  

CV Building Workshop Naloxone Use in the Overdose Patient

Networking Opportunities & Social Events 

The Foundation’s Sunnyside Up Breakfast

Meet Act 31 Requirements

PPA is teaming up with the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg to provide a two-hour live training meeting the requirements of Act 31. The program will be offered on Friday, January 29 from 10 AM to 12 Noon and again from 2:10 PM to 4:10 PM. All pharmacists must have completed some form of this training prior to license renewal this fall.

PPA Members: $30 | Non-Members: $45

Special Pre-Conference Program Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training and Certificate Program January 28 & 29, 2016

Provided by Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy, PPA is hosting this nationallyaccredited course that certifies healthcare professionals as Tobacco Treatment Specialists. The course is multidisciplinary in nature, and provides in-depth coverage of tobacco addiction and dependence, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments, and motivational interviewing techniques.

For a complete listing of the Schedule of Events and to register, please visit www.papharmacists.com/?page=MidYear2016

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Association News

PPA Rotation By: Raymond Snyder, Duquesne University PharmD Candidate 2016 The most eye opening experience necessary in order to get leadership in I had on my rotation with the the Capitol to move our bills forward.

Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association This rotation at PPA offered great was seeing what goes into the insight into the legislative world. It legislative process. I never really is also an opportunity to meet your thought about all of the meetings that legislators and develop a relationship go on between stakeholders when with them. I met with Representative trying to get legislation passed. For David Hickernell and Senator Ryan example, I spent a lot of time learning Aument during the rotation and had a about the Pharmacy Audit Integrity wonderful experience meeting both of Act, and was able to sit in on multiple them. While the ultimate point of the meetings with members from both meetings was to discuss the pharmacy sides. bills, there was plenty of time to talk On one end PPA represented the about other things and get to know interests of pharmacists while the them better. Overall, rotation at PPA insurance groups and PBM’s trying was a great learning experience. to get their way. We even had a They have a top of the line staff and I productive meeting with CVS Health absolutely couldn’t say enough about to discuss their concerns with the bill. them and the quality of the work that Overall, it was surprising how much negotiation and they do. I would highly recommend a rotation with compromising has to go into trying to get legislation PPA to anyone who has a desire to learn about the passed. While many of our stakeholders didn’t want to legislative process and has a desire to advocate on hear out the PBM’s—and perhaps rightfully so—it was behalf of the pharmacy profession. z

“The GRASP program was an extremely rewarding experience. I learned invaluable information about government relations in just a few short modules. More importantly, I was able to complete the program at my

Government Relations Advocacy for Student Pharmacists (GRASP) Program

own pace.”

-Jamie Shepherd

GRASP program was 40 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist“The I January/February 2016 an extremely rewarding 72582.indd 40

experience. I learned

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Features Features: Financial Forum Continued from page 13

is independent of Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services Inc. This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional

services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such.

All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. z

Features: Pharmacy Crime Continued from page 19

building the PMC Pharmacy Crime Database. The database allows us to leverage what we have learned from thousands of claims into actions that help us control a complex problem. The database is one of the largest collections of information about pharmacy crimes in the country, second only to records maintained by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In addition to research and customer education, Pharmacists Mutual applies a number of

measures to manage the problem through a strong collaboration between Claims, Underwriting and Risk Management. This collaboration has resulted in a clear understanding of crime experience that is being translated into changes in how we evaluate risks and spread costs equitably across our members.

• Pharmacy Crime Matrix and guidelines help the underwriter evaluate individual member controls.

• Offers to consult on crime prevention at the time a claim is reported.

• Risk reports highlighting patterns of crime activity and analysis at the regional or local level allow us to apply a focused approach to loss management.

• Geographic focus on areas of the country where crime activity is concentrated. z

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Journal

We’re Celebrating!

All the good work the PPA Educational Foundation does...so be sure to join us!

Sunday, January 31, 2016 Best Western, The Central Hotel, Harrisburg Registration is part of the Mid Year Conference as a package or single event.

Journal: Popular Dietary Supplements Continued from page 23

the supplement in relation to a condition other than obesity (e.g. cancer). The most notable studies are presented for each supplement along with overall conclusions pertinent to clinicians.

Conclusion Patients seeking weight loss need guidance and good advice about which methods and substances offer the best efficacy without compromising their safety.

Unfortunately, the media often promotes substances without regard for the truths of the scientific data underlying the use of the supplement. The supplements examined in this article demonstrate mixed efficacy at best, and safety is often a concern. There is also a lack of information regarding drug-drug and drug-disease interactions for these supplements, which further increases the risk for many patients. Although patients

desire easy weight loss in a pill, the eventual truth is that only a balanced diet, physical activity, and healthy behaviors have the potential to produce the significant and lasting weight loss they seek.

Access to the full article is available online at https:// papharmacists.site-ym. com/?page=Articles. z

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Departments

Welcome! New Members PPA Welcomes the following New Members who joined the association—September 24, 2015–December 1, 2015. Please make these new members feel welcome and part of Pennsylvania pharmacy!

PHARMACISTS Katherine Mccaffrey Pittsburgh Rite Aid Pharmacy Ayalew Tassew Upper Darby 26th & Lehigh Pharmacy Stephanie Hughes Saltsburg Rite Aid Pharmacy Lenore Kelley North Wales Catharine Duffy Hellertown Lawrence Pharmacy Abigail Aponte Stroudsburg CVSHealth Maria Foy Jamison Abington Hospital Chantel Farrello Warminster Doylestown Hospital Betsy Potteiger Lake Havasu City Bashas RX United Pharmacy Michael Bohn Reading Birdsboro Pharmacy Padmesh Chhita Shadeland Pharmacy Rocco DiMatteo Summerdale Pharmacy Imran Farooqi Medicine ShoppeDowningtown Julie Jiang CityCare Pharmacy Jack Korbuta The Art of Medicine LLC Befkadu Mengistu Diamond Pharmacy Ravin Patel Welcome Pharmacy David Raffaele Heritage Therapeutics LLC Erin Robinson Grace Pharmacy Inc Katherine Taing Care Trust Pharmacy

STUDENT Duquesne University – Mylan School of Pharmacy Patrick Creisher, York Amanda Smith, Pittsburgh Kathryn Kerr, Harleysville Erin Hayden, Massillon Alexander Davison, Zelienople Amy Spigelmyer, Hanover Margaret English, Oak Creek Deidra Smith, Collegeville Zachary Arbore, Derry John Kunc, Creighton Eric Smith, Royersford Andrea Salt, Wexford Matt Jackson, North Huntingdon Abigail Lo, Allentown Cameron Heiry, Glenshaw Michelle Putney, Cranberry Twp William Roth, Mercer Jamie Robinson, N Huntingdon Olivia Erickson, Mars Jacqueline Masoud, Pittsburgh Kayleigh Dottery, Allentown Ashley Gottaschalk, Pittsburgh Emily Lauterbach, Pittsburgh Austin Zydel, Gibsonia Alana Grabigel, Sharpsville Erin George, Evans City Natalie Kokta, Red Lion Marie Yarzab, Fredonia Angela Raymond, Morgantown Ryan Hobaugh, Manor Philip Parkinson,White Oak Natalie Turin, Pittsburgh Samantha Heller, Erie Kelly Mazzei, Lower Burrell Marissa Romanish, Blairsville

Christianna Riley, Mars John Vater, Pittsburgh Elizabeth Nguyen, Rockville Alexis Treaster, New Cumberland Teressa Hepler, Falls Creek Courtney Hager, Uniontown Gianna Knauss, Pittsburgh Lauren Ajak, Pittsburgh Valerie Magda, Latrobe Stephanie Matesic, Apollo Katherine Sowa, Mount Carmel Ashleigh Moulder, St. Clairsville Caroline Dillon, Cresson Victoria Nesbitt, Doylestown Emily Herold, Belle Vernon Mary Czajkowski, Allentown Colleen Hiles, Gibsonia Albany College Rajneel Chohan, Drums LECOM School of Pharmacy Ann Desdemonian Fowajuh, Erie Hayden Hayward, Erie Sundeap Rao, Erie Olivia Yusz, Erie Ashley Freeman, Erie Sara DiLascio, Indiana Joelle Kaminsky, Robertsdale Katherine Freeman, Erie Orlando Vargas, Erie Meseret Tesfamariam, Erie Melissa Aristide, Erie Chelsey Hughes, LaJose Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at USP Yuting Jiang, Philadelphia Matthew Gogoj, Sewell Sabina Bukowska, Philadelphia Branden Duong, Philadelphia Joseph Falbo, Carbondale Matthew Moyer, Perkiomenville

Matthew Stathis, Lancaster Austin McCray, Glenolden Zoya Kakar, Philadelphia Angela Teberio, Mountain Top Christopher Makosiej, Union Michelina Hesse, Philadelphia Anika Fanlo, Philadelphia Kasey Stragand, Elizabeth Natalie Rodriguez, Staten Island Lauren Stabler, Abington Marc Storb, Ephrata Ada Shehu, Philadelphia Jared Waxman, Bryn Mawr Brittany Bair, Ephrata Reena Concepcion, Lansdale Maureen McGarry, Blandon Kathryn Kalman, Fogelsville Brittany Serna, Stroudsburg Rian Maurer, Collingdale Morgan Carrou, Feasterville Pamela Marmur, Richboro Nicole Ayers, Abottstown Geena Kludjian, Reading Richie Chan, Philadelphia Vincent Louanphom, Upper Darby Andria Dang, Philadelphia Jeffrey Laov, Philadelphia Deborah Douglas, Chester Noel Abraham, Philadelphia Song Oh, Eggleville Van Au, Philadelphia Amisha Patel, Bensalem Katelyn Calderaio, Warrington Milie George, Philadelphia Grigor Abelian, Broomall Ryan Burkhardt, WilkesBarre Maria Heaney, Plains Austyn Grim, Lititz Lauren Wigoff, Huntingdon Valley Ami Shah, North Bergen

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Departments Angela Garipov, Abington Ina Pajo, Philadelphia Simone Avratiner, Philadelphia Kimmarie Huynh, Whitehall Kheim Huynh, Broomall Cameron Carlock, Bridgeville Shivani Bhanderi, Broomall David Nguyen, Warrington Binki Baxi, Mountaintop Kayley Liuzzo, Carbondale Kenneth Paulish, Old Forge Monica Tran, Bensalem Jun Hywk Baek, Lansdale Kashma Abdulraheem, Royersford Simi Mathew, Bensalem Ethan Englert, Pottsville Steven Lam, Philadeliphia Jordan Kolbush, McAdoo Doniya Varghese, Philadeliphia Michelle Amena, Bensalem Melisa Humble, Jamison Dennis Marjoncu, Hazle Township Ashley Barnett, Coopersburg Stephanie Dangelantonio, Glen Mills Velu Patel, Limerick Kevin Fatholahi, Wayne Ines Tebas-Pueyo, Merion Station Dorela Priftanyi, Newton Square Amit Gupta, West Chester Stephanie Liu, Eagleville Sean Ahern, Galloway Margaret Rousis, Wollow Grove Ivonne Martinez, Easton Natalie Rodriguez, Staten Island Stacey Mathew, Feasterville Brett Mentzer, Wayne Krish Patel, Philadelphia Jessica Sylvester, Trevose Ashley Jackson, Shavertown Wilkes University – Nesbitt College of Pharmacy Gregory Hood, Rushville Omar Richardson, East Stroudsburg

Cadean Daugherty, Henryville Kerrie Beggs, Nanticoke Jamie Akoury, Scranton Erica Chambers, Middletown Carissa Hart, Dunmore Abigail Nemeth, Whitehall Haley Mesaros, Royersford Jennalyn Garrity, Elizabethtown Stephen Olshemski, Shavertown Luke Zack, Mountain Top Danielle Distefano, Rochester Krista Bower, Mountoursville Samantha Weiksner, Scranton Kacey Knapp, Whitney Point Jessica Huck, Wellsboro Elizabeth Laurel Tigner, Fairfield Taylor Hodle, Dallas Rebekah Harris, New Milford William McLay, Lakeville Emily Kneeream, West Wyoming Kendra Croker, Old Forge Jefferson Kelly Le, Philadelphia Emily Diemer, King of Prussia Patricia Churchill, Garnet Valley Thomas Kelly, Susquehanna Adriel Redondo, Bronxville Tyler Dally, Fogelsville Clairissa Cruz, Philadelphia Kerry Lenzi, Philadelphia Temple University Kathy Trinh, Philadelphia James Krusling, Philadelphia Peymon Tavangar, Malvern Aaron Banyas, Berwick Saliya Badalbaeva, Philadeliphia Jessica Baldwin Tara Baran Gabrielle Bohan Anh Ca Elaine Chun Marina Lemut, Philadelphia

Christopher Liu, Philadelphia Van Chung Christina Darcy Courtney Ellingsworth Morgan Esordi Kristin Feick Vallabhi Mishra, Bryn Mawr Merrill Mittathany, Philadelphia Lyle Mroz, Philadelphia Jamie Nguyen, Philadelphia Scott Opalka, Carbondale Hemang Patel, Philadelphia Darshil Patel, Wilmington Derek Peiffer, York Natasha Powell, Erial Michael Folk Jefin George Xiang Guo Amber Heffelfinger Christine Ho Emily Kim Olivia Ko Eun Ko Anna Krupa Brandi Kulp Harry Kwak Jacqueline Le Salehin Qazi, Philadelphia Pascal Shei, Philadelphia Dewilka Simons, Reading Gurinder Singh, Philadelphia Kris Stauffer, Boyertown Elaine Sun, Glenside Keerthi Veeravalli, Philadelphia Joseph Yuretich, Gibsonia Vasyl Zbyrak, Holland Gabrielle Albaz, Mount Laurel Cole Cecchini, Philadelphia Hyung- Suk Chang, Philadelphia Alexandria Charno, Drexel Hill Stephanie Cheng, Philadelphia Avie Eckles, Philadelphia Daniel Elliot, Sinking Spring Carly Harsha, Doylestown Roxana Lazar, Philadelphia Christine Mauriello, Blackwood Cavan O’Kane, Philadelphia

Joe Perkins, Philadelphia Brisilda Selmani,Havertown Patrick Shim, Wyncote Courtney Smith, Philadelphia Lydia Stianchie, Summit Hill Kristin Tullo Leanna Usnik Drew Valentino Clarence Walker Sara Walton Anastasiya Voitsik, Bensalem Samoela Papa, Philadelphia Kaitlyn Kross, Philadelphia University of Pittsburgh Lucetta Pontiff, Pittsburgh Heather Johnson, Warren Justin Saver, Upper Holland Jason Sollenberger, Strasburg Elyse Tomaszewski, Palmyra Chicago State University Thanh Ngo, Philadelphia

44 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I January/February 2016

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