Pjne Spring 2016

Vol 13 No. 2 Spring 2016

Spring 2016

Pharmacy Journal of New England

Opioids and the Older Adult: Are Your Patients at Risk?

New Advances: Rx and the Law Comprehensive Financial Planning: What It Is, Why It Matters: Financial Forum

MPhA Foundation Fundraiser Photos Inside

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Pharmacy Journal

Vol 13 No. 2 Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

of New England Get Involved!

Editors

David Johnson Margherita R. Giuliano, R.Ph., CAE

Dear Readers,

Managing Editor

As you read through the various articles submitted by the state associations, one theme emerges – the need for constant legislative advocacy in the face of growing state budget deficits and for the future of pharmacy.

Ellen Zoppo CPA

From reduced dispensing fees to biosimilars, there have been dozens of issues that will dramatically affect the face of pharmacy practice if enacted into public law. Pharmacy is but one small component of the state budgets, but the impact felt on both chains and independents alike is tremendous.

Kathy Harvey-Ellis

At the forefront of these issues are your state executives, your legislative committees and lobbyists. It is a thankless job and it is what a portion of your dues revenue supports: the long nights testifying before Appropriations, Human Services and Public Health committees; the meetings with legislative leadership; and the constant monitoring of proposed bills and amendments numbering in the hundreds.

Over the last few months, it has never been more important for pharmacists to become involved in the process from start to finish, including the very basic piece of ensuring you are registered to vote and know who your elected officials are. Pharmacy Days are great ways to make connections in a face-to-face setting, and many New England states did this year.

Grassroots support has never been more important, and technology has made participation in grassroots efforts easier than ever. A quick email outlining your position or a succinct voice mail message now accomplishes that in a few minutes.

As you read this letter, the legislative sessions in many of the states will be drawing to a close. Did you participate on behalf of your profession, or were you on the sidelines? Did you disregard the email alerts, or did you set aside a few minutes to do your part to ensure that pharmacy has a voice? It’s not too late to become an active participant in a process that will decide your future.

Design & Production The Pharmacy Journal of New England is owned and published by the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association and the Connecticut Pharmacists Association.

Opinions expressed by those of the editorial staff and/or contributors do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the publisher.

Readers are invited to submit their comments and opinions for publication. Letters should be addressed to the Editor and must be signed with a return address. For rates and deadlines, contact the Journal at (860) 563-4619.

Pharmacy Journal of New England 35 Cold Spring Road, Suite 121 Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3167 members@ctpharmacists.org

Submitting Articles to the Pharmacy Journal of New England™ The Pharmacy Journal of New England™ is the product of a partnership between the Connecticut Pharmacists Association and the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association. The Journal is a quarterly publication.

All submitted articles are subject to peer review.

In order to maintain confidentiality, authors’ names are removed during the review process.

Article requirements must conform to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (Ann Intern Med 1982;96 (1part1):766-71).

We strongly encourage electronic submissions. PJNE does not assume any responsibility for statements made by authors.

Please submit manuscripts to:

Sincerely,

Margherita R. Giuliano, RPh Executive Vice President Connecticut Pharmacists Association

Contents 02

04 17 19 21

David Johnson Executive Vice President Massachusetts Pharmacists Association

PJNE 35 Cold Spring Rd., Suite 121 Rocky Hill, CT 06067 or email to: ezoppo@ctpharmacists.org

US News New England States Feature: Opioids and the Older Adult: Are Your Patients at Risk?

Pharmacy Marketing Group: Rx and the Law, Financial Forum From the Colleges

1

U.S. News The Zika Virus — Moving North The Zika virus causes irreversible birth defects if a woman is bitten while she’s pregnant. Many people believe it’s only a problem for those who live in the Southern Hemisphere — especially Brazil.

At least, that’s the way it looked recently. But earlier this month, the Washington Post reported: “For the first time in the Western Hemisphere, researchers have detected the Zika virus in Aedes albopictus, the mosquito species known as the “Asian tiger,” a finding that increases the number of U.S. states potentially at risk for transmission of the disease. … The albopictus has a range as far north as New England and the lower Great Lakes.”

And, while it is usually nonlethal, recently we received word of the first death from the virus in the U.S., an elderly man in Puerto Rico.

Still, Congress refuses to respond to President Obama’s emergency funding request of $1.9 billion for the prevention and treatment of the Zika virus outbreak. Most of the money — about $1.5 billion — would go to the Department of Health and Human Services to help states control the mosquitoes that carry the virus, expand programs to test for it, and work on developing a vaccine — money that could be spent locally.

Protein Sciences in Meriden and CargoGen in Farmington are two companies working to develop the Zika vaccine.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal says, “Protecting families from Zika’s increasing public health menace should be a priority, not a partisan issue. … Stopping Zika requires bipartisan support for investment in vaccine development, strong prevention measures against mosquitoes and public education about the dangers of this unforgiving virus.”

House Republicans say that any request for new money to combat Zika should come through the regular appropriations process, rather than through an emergency request. That approach would delay any new money until the end of the year at the earliest. But, argues Bloomberg News, “emergency requests are called that for a reason. If a disease that could endanger newborns across the southern half of the United States by July doesn’t qualify as an emergency, it’s hard to say what does.” --Compiled from various online news sources.

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U.S. Probes Contracts Between Drugmakers, Pharmacy Benefit Managers The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is investigating contracts between drugmakers and companies that manage prescription benefits, according to regulatory filings.

Federal prosecutors have approached at least three companies, including Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), Merck & Co (MRK.N) and Endo International Plc (ENDP.O), demanding information about their contracts with pharmacy benefit managers.

Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which administer drug benefits for employers and health plans and also run large mail-order pharmacies, have been challenging the rising cost of new medications.

When drugs are knocked off their formularies, patients may have to pay full price for them. PBMs often keep or dump a product depending on whether they can obtain favorable pricing.

J&J said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday it had received a “civil investigative demand” seeking information about its contractual relationships with pharmacy benefit managers over some of its products from early 2006 through the present.

Merck said on Monday it had received a demand for information about contracts with, services from and payments made to PBMs in relation to its migraine drug, Maxalt, and erectile dysfunction treatment Levitra, over the same period.

(1.usa.gov/1T4gEHV) Endo said last week it was cooperating with such an investigation, looking into its PBM contracts for its migraine therapy, Frova.

The companies did not disclose the name of any PBM in their respective filings. Express Scripts Holding Co (ESRX.O) is the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager, followed by CVS Health (CVS.N).

Merck and CVS were not immediately available for comment.

Endo, Express Scripts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

A J&J spokesman said the company had nothing more to add

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

to what it had already published in its filing.

Last November, a U.S. unit of Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG (NOVN.S) agreed to pay $390 million to settle U.S. charges that it paid specialty pharmacies illegal kickbacks in exchange for inducing patients to refill certain medications.

The sector has come under intense scrutiny, particularly after Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) (VRX.N) was forced to sever ties with Philidor Rx over the specialty pharmacy’s billing practices. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-drugmakers-idUSKCN0Y203T

Lawmakers Vote to Let N.J. Pharmacists Prescribe Birth Control On May 2nd, a New Jersey state Senate panel approved legislation that would allow pharmacists in New Jersey to dispense contraceptives to women and girls without a doctor’s prescription.

California, Oregon and Washington state have adopted similar legislation intended to make family planning easier and less expensive for people who lack insurance, have trouble getting a medical appointment or can’t take time off of work to see the doctor.

“As forms of contraceptives have advanced and modernized, the way women access most forms of birth control has not,” said state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), one of the bill’s sponsors. “Most pharmacies can accommodate walk-in patients and pharmacists can safely dispense contraception without a prescription.”

The bill (S1073/S2060) would permit pharmacists to sell selfadministered, hormone-based birth control pills after completing a training program developed by the N.J. State Board of Pharmacy.

Customers must first complete and submit to the pharmacist a self-screening tool developed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that identifies risk factors for the use of hormonal contraceptives, according to the bill.

Pharmacists could turn down a request for birth control if the information in the form suggests hormone-based contraceptives could pose a health risk.

The bill, modeled after a similar law in California, cleared the state Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee by a 6-0 vote with two abstentions.

But Turner and state Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), the committee chairman who sponsored a similar measure (S2060), said the legislation may change to address some concerns raised about pharmacists would find time to handle this responsibility to their duties.

Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean) asked whether pharmacists would charge a fee to counsel a woman on her birth control choices. Turner replied that was not her intent.

But Laurie Clark of the New Jersey Pharmacists Association said charging a small fee is fair, considering how much is involved with counseling patients and recommending a contraceptive product. “It’s quite a bit of work,” Clark said.

California allows pharmacists to charge a $10 counseling fee, she added.

Singer said the sponsors should explore whether pharmacists could bill insurance for their time, just like doctors would.

“We need to see how insurance companies fit into this,” Singer said. “I don’t want (pharmacists) to say (to customers) you owe me $10.”

John Tomicki, president of the American League of Families, a conservative organization, urged the committee to reconsider.

“When dealing with someone who is sexually active, they should see a doctor,” he said. noting the “significant side effects” of some birth control methods. http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/05/lawmakers_ agree_pharmacists_should_be_allow_to_pre.html

CVS Health Expands Access to NonPrescription Naloxone in Virginia CVS Health joined Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia and other officials in Richmond to highlight the availability of naloxone without a prescription at all CVS Pharmacy locations in the state. Tom Davis, vice president of Pharmacy Professional Practices at CVS Pharmacy, noted: “Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses and by expanding access to this medication in our Virginia pharmacies by the use of a physician’s standing order for patients without a prescription, we can help save lives.” McAuliffe added that drug overdose is the leading cause of unnatural death in Virginia.

Preliminary data indicates that about 1,000 state residents died from drug overdose in 2015, including more than 500 from prescription opioids.

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New England Connecticut

President’s Message

Over 450 pharmacists have completed the naloxone rescue training program to allow them to prescribe an opioid rescue product to their patients receiving opioid therapy. This is a great start to a bill signed into law only a few short months ago.

I can only imagine the numbers we will have after a year. The use of opioid drugs increases yearly, and all of us know how successful opioid treatment has been for Jacqui Murphy CPA President, 2015-16 our patients, often giving them back their lives. No one wants to see the access to these medications limited for people who really need them to function and maintain a relatively active lifestyle. Yet no one wants to see or hear of patients, their families, or friends taking too much medication and dying from opioid overdoses. Pharmacists, as the most accessible health care professional, now have this additional tool to help combat opioid overdoses. I hope you all take advantage of it!

The Connecticut Pharmacists Association has joined together with CSHP and CT-ASCAP to collaborate on programs to benefit all pharmacists in the state. The first was our traditional partnership — Pharmacy Day at the Capitol. Next we are co-hosting the first annual Connecticut Compounding Conference on May 20th. Compounding touches on every type of practice of pharmacy – community, hospital, long term care, and more – so what better way to celebrate our unity than by a conference on that very subject. Regulations change yearly and it is difficult to keep up with all the changes. Please plan to attend!

On June 14th, the 3rd Annual Medical Marijuana Symposium is scheduled for the Aqua Turf in Southington from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. This is always an educational experience as pharmacists help to expand the knowledge in this new practice area of medical marijuana.

4

You can see we are seeking out opportunities to work with all pharmacists in the state. Now is your chance to get involved with the CPA. We are looking for members to serve on the Board for one-year terms starting in October 2016. We are also looking for nominations for the five awards we give out yearly. Please check out the website for the qualifications for board member and award recipients. Self-nominations are always welcome for both. If you would like to volunteer for a committee, now is the time. It is not unusual for the committees to meet via teleconference, so a drive to the CPA offices in Rocky Hill is not always necessary. There is a wealth of information on the CPA website under “About Us” (committees and awards) and “Get Involved” (volunteer opportunities). I hope you will reach out to the organization to give back to the future of the practice of pharmacy.

I hope to see you all at the Annual New England Pharmacy Convention, back at Foxwoods this year on September 22 & 23rd. More details will be available on the convention website — www.nepharmacists.org — as we get closer to summer.

Jacqui Murphy President

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Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation Holds Wine Tasting Fundraier The Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation hosted its sixth annual wine tasting on Saturday, May 14th at the Connecticut Valley Winery in New Hartford. The event is designed to assist the Connecticut Pharmacists Foundation in raising money to provide scholarships to deserving students pursuing a career in the profession of pharmacy as well as community outreach programs such as preventing prescription drug abuse and medication adherence among the elderly, to name a few.

Over $10,000 was raised to meet the Foundation’s mission, thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors as well as from the over 90 people who attended and purchased raffle tickets for the 25 different prizes that were part of the evening.

Gold Sponsors: Cardinal Health The Healing Corner Karen Hoang, CPA Past President Rx Health

Silver Sponsors: H.D. Smith Cynthia Huge, CPF President Pharmerica Thames Valley Alternative Care Meghan Wilkosz, CPF Board Member Bronze Sponsors: Richard Carbray Jacqueline Murphy “Over the last decade we have made it our mission to ‘pay it forward’ to the next generation of pharmacists who are coming into the profession with a significant amount of college debt,” stated Cynthia Huge, President of the Foundation. “And, in addition to that goal of funding $7000 in scholarships each year, we also strive to give grants to pharmacists doing innovative projects within their practice, as well as to support community outreach programs that educate the public about the role of the pharmacist.”

For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.ctpharmacists.org and click on the red Foundation tab.

(Left) Guests mingled among the CT Valley Winery casks of wine with a picturesque view looking over the vineyard.

(Right) UConn faculty Phillip Hritcko (standing right) and wife Lorraine, along with Andrea Hubbard (seated left) and husband Alan enjoy the patio at the CT Valley Winery.

5

New England States

continued

Massachusetts President’s Message Dear Colleagues, Operation Prevention continues to make great strides toward addressing the opioid crisis affecting our state. We have completed several guidance documents aimed at aiding pharmacists with the dispensing and securing of controlled substances as well as maintaining compliance with DEA regulations. Our Best Karen Horbowicz Practices document highlights MPhA President, 2015-16 DEA Red Flags and potential Yellow Flags to help you determine if it is appropriate to dispense a controlled substance. We also provide suggestions for polices to consider for loss prevention caused by both internal and external threats. Our Opioid Counseling Checklist provides a comprehensive review of key points to discuss during your patient counseling session. Finally, our DEA Survival Guide outlines the steps you must take to ensure you are complying with all of the DEA regulations related to the dispensing, storage, and file maintenance of controlled substances.

These resources are available on the Operation Prevention page of our website: www.masspharmacists.org.

The Operation Prevention Committee will continue to: • Develop and make available on our website an ACPE accredited Robbery Preparedness presentation; • Continue to conduct live education sessions to the pharmacy community including pharmacy students related to robbery preparedness; • Continue to expand member involvement with community substance abuse coalitions and task forces (a list of contacts and sample letter that members can use to set up an initial contact with their local coalition is available on the website); 6

• Continue to develop our police contact list and outreach to police departments for the dual purpose of encouraging communication for the prevention of robbery and to provide assistance to departments in their efforts to implement effective opioid abuse policies; • Utilize the MOON study findings to develop best practices for naloxone distribution.

I welcome your suggestions and feedback on any of the resources and efforts mentioned here and as well as suggestions regarding additional resources that you would find helpful.

We will be offering several important opioid abuse-related CEs at the upcoming New England Pharmacists Convention, Sept. 22nd and 23rd at the Foxwoods Resort & Casino and I encourage you to attend. www.ctpharmacists.org The 2015-2016 legislative session has been a slow slog. Although many important pieces of legislation are still in play, one of our top priorities, H.870, a bill that would require MAC transparency, was placed into a “study” by the Joint Committee on Financial Services. We our currently focusing our efforts on persuading House leaders to pull the bill out of the study and moving it along the processes with a recommendation that it ought to pass.

H.2041, An Act Recognizing Pharmacists as Healthcare Providers, was given an “extension order” by the Joint Committee on Public Health, which means that the committee would like some more time to work on the bill.

This can be an indication that they are considering moving some version of the bill forward, but we are taking nothing for granted.

One positive note is that language, which would authorize pharmacists to administer mental health and substance abuse medications via injection on the order of a prescriber, has been included in the House budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This would allow patients who are prescribed monthly injections for schizophrenia or other mental health diseases to receive these injections by a pharmacists at the pharmacy of their choice. We are now working to ensure that the Senate also includes this language in their version of the budget, which should be completed by the end of the month.

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

In addition, the Board of Pharmacy has undertaken an ambitious but long overdue rewrite of pharmacy regulations. The proposed new and redrafted regulations are beginning to appear for public comment. Please visit our website, www.masspharmacists.org under the State Advocacy tab to view the proposed regulations. You can help MPhA draft our comments and suggested amendments by sending your ideas and insights to David Johnson at djohnson@masspharmacists.org

Senior Achievement Awards, acknowledging academic excellence, leadership, and service, were also awarded this month to outstanding graduates:

Foundation News

Tom Pchitken, PharmD, Western New England University College of Pharmacy.

Cameron Dumas, PharmD, MCPHS University - Boston Kimvi H. Diep, PharmD, MCPHS University – Worcester Lucianne West, PharmD, Northeastern University School of Pharmay

$1,000 scholarships were presented at the MPhA Spring Conference on April 29th to four deserving students: Vincent DiChiara, PharmD Candidate (2017), MCPHS University – Boston Rosemary Boshar, PharmD Candidate (2017) MCPHS University - Worcester Kayla Joyal, PharmD Candidate (2018), Northeastern University School of Pharmacy Elizabeth Garcia, PharmD Candidate (2019) Western New England University College of Pharmacy Lean more about the scholarships on the Foundation page of MPhA’s website The Boston Winery hosted the Foundation's Wine Tasting Social, which raised $8,000.

Above, 2016 MPhA Foundation Scholarship Recipients (from Left) Vincent DiChiara, Rosemary Boshar, and Kayla Joyal with Foundation Board President Cathy Taglieri, (Inset) Elizabeth Garcia

MPhA members and guests enjoy a night out at the Boston Winery to raise money for the MPhA Foundation (above and right).

7

New England States

continued

New Hampshire Legislative Update

Naloxone is now available to anyone in New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan recently announced that Rite Aid has signed an order to stock Narcan®, and emergency treatment for heroin and opioid overdoses. The standing order allows individuals to purchase Narcan® from Rite Aid pharmacists in New Hampshire. Rite Aid and the state Department of Health and Human Services signed the standing order. Rite Aid is the first pharmacy chain to sign such an order. Other pharmacies in the Granite State have since followed suit.

Doctors aren’t top opioid prescribers in New Hampshire The highest-volume prescribers of opioids in New Hampshire are not doctors, but nurse practitioners and physician assistants who work at specialty pain clinics, according to Medicare and Medicaid data reviewed by the New Hampshire Union Leader. The data show that the top five prescribers of oxycodone HCL and Oxycontin® wrote more than 22,500 prescriptions for the two drugs for Medicare and Medicaid patients in 2013.

U.S. Senate Passes Ayotte’s Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) On March 10, the United Sates Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, bipartisan legislation that US Senator Kelly Ayotte helped introduce to help address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse epidemic. The bill will increase support for prevention, treatment, first responders, and individuals in recovery. Ayotte has been fighting to bring the bill to the Senate floor since 2014. She recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee with Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard to urge support of CARA, which the committee approved shortly thereafter.

8

New Hampshire House and Senate Bills Senate Bill 576 – Relative to the penalty for possession and use of fentanyl-class drugs, insurance coverage for substance use disorders, the funding of the controlled drug prescription health and safety program, the membership of the board of medicine, and prescribers of controlled drugs.

Sponsored by Senator Bradley, this bill adds possession and use of fentanyl-class drugs in illegal quantities to penalty under the controlled drug act. This bill also mandates greater use of the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), requiring prescribers to query the program prior to prescribing controlled substances. For those that dispense controlled drugs, they are now mandated to submit required information to the controlled drug prescription health and safety program daily by the close of business on the next business day from the date dispensed. Previous law required information to be submitted no more than 7 days from date dispensed. It will require all insurance companies to use streamline evaluation criteria for treatment of substance use disorders and will remove prior authorization requirements for treatment facilities in certain cases. It also expands access to the PDMP as well as increased state funding.

Signed by the Governor on January 21st, 2016. Effective Immediately

Senate Bill 325 – Relative to vaccines administered by pharmacists.

Sponsored by Senator Soucy, this bill adds the following vaccines that pharmacists are allowed to administer: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Tdap, varicella, MMR, and meningococcal. This would expand pharmacy practice capabilities in NH and potentially lead to greater vaccination rates and better convenience for patients. The Senate Health and Human Services committee has proposed an amendment limiting the new vaccines to only MMR. This is due to concerns regarding documents for vaccines that are part of a series. The bill passes the Senate as amended on March 3 and now moves to the House for a public hearing.

SB 325 was heard in the House Health, Human Services and

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Elderly Affairs Committee on March 29, 2016.

Senate Bill 447 – Establishing a commission to study Narcan.

Commission is set in place to evaluate the safe and effective use of Narcan and determine potential ways to improve upon its use.

Signed by the Governor on January 21st, 2016: Effective immediately . Commission is effective January 1st, 2017

House Bill 1490 – Relative to collaborative practice between pharmacists and health care providers.

Sponsored by Representative MacKay, this bill will revise the requirements for the qualifications, standards, and supervision of collaborative pharmacy practice agreements between pharmacists and health care practitioners. This bill is based on recommendations from the Commission to study standards for collaborative pharmacy practice.

NHPA provided testimony in support of the bill. Many supporters of the bill were present. This bill passed the House on March 9th. There was a public hearing held on April 19th in the Senate Commerce Committee. The Commerce Committee went into executive session, and they voted on HB 1490. Ought to Pass with Amendment (Vote 5-0.

House Bill 1648 – Relative to sales by pharmacists under the controlled drug act.

Sponsored by Representative Ward, this bill authorizes pharmacists to fill a prescription for certain controlled drugs for a 34-day supply or 100 dosage units, whichever is less.

Current law allows pharmacists to fill the prescription for only the 34-day supply.

A public hearing was held on February 16th and many organizations testified in support and in opposition of this bill.

The bill was killed in the House on a voice vote on March 9, 2016.

Board of Pharmacy – Task force on pharmacy workload A task force was set in place after concerns were raised from pharmacy testimony heard during HB 141 (related to rulemaking authority concerning practice standards and safe and secure operations of pharmacies, this bill died in House) about issues related to pharmacy workload. A stakeholder group was established which included various areas of pharmacy practice (chains, hospitals, independents). On January 27th, 2016, a meeting took place to discuss two areas of focus: Lunch breaks (Ph 704.01) and immunization practices.

Lunch break policy suggested changing wording to state that pharmacists shall remain on the premises while taking a lunch break; they must stay within the building. They also considered requiring a technician to be on duty whenever the pharmacist is working. In regards to immunization practices, consideration is being made to allow pharmacy interns to administer vaccinations.

On March 16th another meeting was held. At this meeting a second proposal was suggested by the NACDS and its members. They proposed that the NH board consider the Vermont language relating to breaks. The Vermont language and intent is very similar to the current NH rule allowing for the pharmacy department to remain open during a pharmacist’s break. The biggest difference is in the opening 2 provisions which mandate a break for a pharmacists working more than 8 hours. This would change the current draft from working 5 hours to 8 hours, but mandate the break for pharmacists working any shift longer than 8 hours. The next meeting is to be determined.

Board of Pharmacy – Task force on continuous quality improvement A task force was established to discuss ways to improve pharmacy practices by allowing data sharing designed to reduce medication errors. The goal for continuous quality improvement is examine the cause of medication errors and use the information gained to avoid a similar error in the future. The vision for this program is that it will improve patient safety by improving processes in the pharmacy. The program will be a non-punitive system to encourage data sharing of medication errors and incidents at the pharmacy 9

New England States

continued

level to evaluate operations and analyze ways to improve system weaknesses.

NHPA Presentation of Scholarships Each year the New Hampshire Pharmacists Association (NHPA) Scholarship Foundation provides student pharmacists of NH an opportunity to receive scholarship funds. The Scholarship Committee included the following members: Joe Clement, Suzanne Gambale, Michelle Kass, Paul Boisseau and Cheryl Abel as Chairperson. The scholarship committee places high value on students with a balance of professionalism, initiative, leadership, insight, and decisiveness, as well as need and scholastic ability. This year the foundation awarded scholarships to two outstanding students. The recipients were honored at the MCPHS University Pharmacy Awards Reception in December: Joanna Nichols from Brentwood, NH, Fourth year student at MCPHS University in Boston, MA - $1,500.

Joanna Nichols is currently attending MCPHS University while working part-time in a retail pharmacy. She is now in her fourth year. She is a member of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) as well as the Vice President of Health & Wellness who focuses on the overall health of MCPHS University students. She also volunteered at the Mission Hill Health Fair in Boston where she provided handouts and a visual on eating healthy on a budget. Joanna recently completed an internship that allowed her the opportunity to collaborate with a dietitian and explore more about type II diabetes.

Last Chance CE Program at SERESC: Sunday, December 6, 2015 NHPA held a “Last Chance” CE Program at SERESC Conference Center in Bedford, New Hampshire. Topics included Naloxone overdose prevention, HIV therapy, pharmacy law update, and Hepatitis C. This year, three pharmacy students from the MCPHS University Manchester, NH Campus presented posters. Their timely topics included the following: “US Opioid Abuser Epidemic,” presented by Stephen Gibson, PharmD Candidate.

“Idarucizumab: The First FDA approved NOAC Reversal Agent,” presented by Emmaline Clarkson, PharmD Candidate.

“Importance of Medication Administration Adherence”presented by Kaitlin Oldfield, PharmD Candidate.

Upcoming 2016 Continuing Education Conferences Remember, save the dates for upcoming CE programs in 2016 which are as follows: Saturday, June 11, 2016, Attitash Grand Summit Hotel, Bartlett, NH Sunday, September 11, 2016, LaBelle Winery, Bedford, NH

Morgan Ratte from Hudson, NH

Sunday, December 4, 2016, SERESC, Bedford, NH

Sixth year student at University of Rhode Island in Kinston, RI - $1,000.

Details and directions can be found on our new website at www.nhpharmacists.net. Also, please join our Facebook page by searching “NHPA”.

Morgan is a member of the University’s Rho Chi Honor Society, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society and America’s Senior Care Chi Honor Society. Morgan has also participated in the College’s mission trip to an orphanage in Jamaica where students of Pharmacy provide education to the caregivers about medication adherence and dosing.

Morgan led the 2015 mission trip to this site.

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Educational Highlights

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Rhode Island Hello fellow Rhode Island Pharmacists Association Members!

RIPA has been active with networking events, legislative efforts, educational programs and other initiatives.

In February, RIPA hosted Cheers with Peers at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence where members, their families and friends enjoyed a fun evening of Providence Bruins hockey, networking, and good times!

The 13th Annual Face of Pharmacy event was held on April 5th at the RI State House. Face of Pharmacy brings students, faculty and the associations’ professional and student membership together to allow legislators to “see” pharmacy practice and support legislative changes to permit wider adoption and implementation of clinical pharmacy services, including point of care testing and expansion of collaborative practice. The event is important in helping legislators recognize and understand the collaborative role pharmacists play in health care. Representatives from RIPA, RISHP and the URI College of Pharmacy partnered to host this successful event. We had a great turnout of pharmacists and student pharmacists, and an exciting speaker program including Lt. Governor McKee, RI Board of Pharmacy, URI College of Pharmacy, RIPA and RISHP Presidents, and student remarks.

Upcoming Events Visit http://www.ripharmacists.org/Events for more information, including links to register for the following events!

Matty’s Memorial 5k Run/Walk for Epilepsy Funds raised at the event will benefit The Matty Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit to provide family resources, raise epilepsy awareness, promote patient safety, and improve the quality of life for children and families living with epilepsy.

Sat., May 28th, Fat Belly’s Pub, 615 Callahan Rd., North Kingstown, RI 02852

9:00-10:30 a.m.: Kids' activities and Matty's Mighty Dash race 11:00 a.m.: 5K run/walk, followed by post-race festivities at Fat Belly's Pub Join team “Rhode Island Pharmacists Association” today!

18th Annual Rhode Island Pharmacy Foundation Golf Outing Each year, the Rhode Island Pharmacy Foundation and the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association endeavors to raise funds to enable us to promote the profession of pharmacy, and provide aid to our student pharmacists at the URI College of Pharmacy.

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New England States

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Mon., June 27, Warwick Country Club, Warwick, RI • Registration and Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

• Shotgun start: 1:00 p.m.

• Cocktail hour and dinner immediately following: 5:30 p.m.

• Donation: $175.00 per player ($700 per foursome) • Cocktail hour and dinner only: $35 (RIPA members) or $50 (non-members) We hope to see you out on the links!

RIPA President's Dinner and Awards ceremony at the New England Pharmacists Convention Be sure to save the date for our 142nd RIPA President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony honoring Lynn Pezzullo on Thursday, September 22nd. Event details, including award recipients, will be announced on the RIPA website and Facebook page soon!

the first-in-nation, statewide Collaborative Pharmacy Practice Agreement for naloxone. In 2015, he was appointed by the Governor of RI to serve as a member of the Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force to create and implement a plan that addressed prevention, treatment, overdose reversal, and recovery of citizens affected by opioid use disorders.

Christ Federico, PharmD Completes the Boston Marathon Chris Federico completed the 120th Boston Marathon on April 18th as part of The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. Team members were required to raise a minimum of $5,000 in order to gain entry into the marathon. In his first marathon, Chris finished in just over 4 hours and raised over $6,500 for local community organizations! He continues to participate in road races throughout the state for local charities and will be riding in the Tour de Cure for the URI Doxycyclers in June to support the ADA.

Jeffrey Bratberg, PharmD, BCPS: Recipient of the APhA Generation Rx Award of Excellence Dr. Bratberg was selected in recognition of his commitment to developing opioid overdose education and naloxone training programs. In 2012, Dr. Bratberg and a student pharmacist co-developed an overdose education and training program for pharmacists in

Chris Federico, PharmD.

Anita Jackson, PharmD: Recipient of the University of Rhode Island Faculty Excellence and Leadership in Diversity Award

Lawrence “L.B.” Brown, APhA Past President, and Jef Bratberg, PharmD. (left to right)

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The University of Rhode Island Diversity Awards celebrate Students, Faculty, Administration and Staff that have demonstrated commitment to community leadership, academic excellence and service in

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

promoting diversity and multiculturalism. These individuals work in promoting human difference as assets.

The Diversity Award is to acknowledge recipients’ contributions towards building and sustaining an equitable and multicultural community at URI. Dr. Jackson is the first faculty member from the College of Pharmacy to win the award at URI in the 18 years since the inception of the award.

Heather Larch, RPh: Recipient of the Dr. Norman A. Campbell Award for Ethics & Excellence in Healthcare The Dr. Norman A. Campbell Award was created to honor individuals in the healthcare profession who have shown a profound dedication to the well-being of society. Through courageous and extraordinary words and actions, recipients serve as role models for future generations of healthcare professionals. The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy presented the award to Heather Larch for the work she has done as an advocate for the role of pharmacists in healthcare and working to expand the authority pharmacists are allowed for clinical services. Within her professional roles, Heather promotes clinical services within pharmacy and educates pharmacists on ways to incorporate such services into their daily practice. She also supports educational, legislative and regulatory efforts to promote the profession of pharmacy.

Virginia Lemay, PharmD, CDOE: van Beuren Charitable Foundation Grant Awarded to University of Rhode College of Pharmacy

Heather Larch, RPh and Norm Campbell

Get Involved with RIPA As always, our members are welcome to attend any and all Council of Administration meetings. This is a great way to get involved in RIPA, through active committee participation and event attendance. If you are not yet a member of RIPA, please consider joining today! Your support allows us to advocate for the future of pharmacy on your behalf and to plan the educational and networking opportunities that connect us as professionals.

We are pleased to acknowledge that the van Beuren Charitable Foundation has awarded a $78,000 grant to URI College of Pharmacy to expand the PharmD Resident program of home care pharmacist services on the Visiting Nurse home care team. Created and led by Dr. Virginia Lemay, Clinical Assistant Professor at the URI College of Pharmacy, the expansion of this program with an additional part-time pharmacist, Tom Kalista, will address the needs of the VNS “high risk” patients in the home care population. Adding a pharmacist to the home care team provides an innovative, patientcentered program for improving patient care.

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New England States

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Maine Maine Pharmacy Association Spring 2016 Convention The Maine Pharmacy Association held its annual Spring Convention in March at the Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport, Maine. Over 150 pharmacist, technicians, and students attended a variety of ACPE-approved continuing education topics, including immunization and CPR recertification. There were 15 vendors at the trade show exchanging information with the attendees. A highlight of the weekend was at the MPA Pharmacy Reception where over $1600 was raised for the MPA Scholarship fund.

Special thanks to the University of New England and Husson University for sponsoring our education sessions.

Collaborative Drug Therapy Management Rules Finalized Chapter 39 Collaborative Drug Therapy Management rules have been officially finalized by the Boards of Pharmacy and Medicine. These rules and the corresponding statute will enable a pharmacist under a written protocol with a qualified practitioner to initiate, monitor, modify and discontinue prescription medication therapy for a patient.

This new scope of practice for pharmacists in Maine will increase access to cost-effective services and improve coordination of care. For additional information on the rules, please visit: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/02/chaps02.htm#392

Role of Pharmacy in the Fight of the Current Opioid Crisis During our Spring Convention, Maine Attorney General Janet Mills was a guest speaker addressing the current opioid crisis in Maine. Currently, there are a few legislative bills the association is monitoring. These bills include: LD 1547: Increase Access to the Lifesaving Overdose Antidote Naloxone Hydrochloride LD 1646: Prevent Opiate Abuse by Strengthening the Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program LD 1648: Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring 14

Penobscot Community Health Center Residents presented at the Spring 2016 convention. Pictured from L to R: Sam Valley (P4 Husson Pharmacy Student, PCHC pharmacy intern), Jessica Bates (PGY1 Pharmacy Resident PCHC), Felicity Homsted (Chief Pharmacy Officer, PCHC), Michela Fiori (PGY1 Pharmacy Resident PCHC), KariLynn Dowling (PGY2 Health Systems Pharmacy Administration Resident PCHC) and Gregor Derupe (PGY1 Pharmacy Resident PCHC)

Program and to Review Limits on the Prescription of Controlled Substances.

The Association is looking to be part of the solution to this health crisis.

MPA Fall Convention, Trade Show, and Award Banquet The Maine Pharmacy Association Fall Convention and Trade Show has lined up outstanding speakers to educate our pharmacy community on topics relevant to the profession.

Also included as a continuing education option is CPR recertification. The convention is scheduled to run from September 9-11, 2016 at the Hollywood Casino, Bangor, Maine with our annual awards ceremony being held on Saturday, September 10, 2016. For more information please visit www.MPARX.com.

MPA to Celebrate 150 Years The Maine Pharmacy Association, the first professional state pharmacy association in the country, will be celebrating our sesquicentennial in 2017. To mark our 150th year, we will be hosting a showcase event the weekend of October 13-15, 2017 in Portland, Maine. Mark your calendars.

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Vermont

President’s Message The Vermont Pharmacists Association (VPA) met on April 3rd for a full day of education on the Opioid Epidemic. Speakers included Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen; Brattleboro Retreat Jim Godfrey, RPh Clinical Manager Kurt President, Vermont Pharmacists Association White, LADC, LICSW; Stratton VA Medical Center Resident Jacqueline Pratt Cleary, PharmD; Addiction Education Specialist Edward Baker, LICSW, LADC; and Vermont Pharmacists Association Executive Director Jim Marmar, RPh. Dr. Chen defined the problem with a variety of data on opioid consumption, prescribing, overdose, and death. He addressed solutions including prescriber education, the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System, Vermont’s Hub and Spoke Model for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for addiction recovery, syringe exchanges, overdose-reversing Naloxone, and unused drug disposal options. His data showed that, for example, prenatal addiction treatment for expectant mothers yields $6,400 in savings per infant treated for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome as compared to infants whose mothers did not get MAT. Finally, Dr. Chen reviewed regulation permitting any Vermont pharmacy to provide overdose-reversing Naloxone to a patient without a prescription. https://www.sec. state.vt.us/media/663043/Adopted-Naloxone-ProtocolJan-28-2015.pdf Kurt White provided an in-depth discussion of the neurological basis of addiction, psychological and genetic factors placing people at risk, and medication options for treatment of opioid dependence.

patients susceptible to opioid addiction and to detect opioid misuse.

Ed Baker provided further insight into how addiction develops on both a psychological and neurological level, and the way in which patients utilize both counseling and Medication Assisted Treatment to achieve recovery.

Jim Marmar introduced VPA members to the Aware Prescription Drug Safety Program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy along with the Pharmacists’ Pledge to make a difference in the drug abuse epidemic, plus ideas and resources to implement the Pledge.

The Vermont Pharmacists Association is committed to play a role on the front lines of the Opioid Epidemic. Our pharmacists are in a position to work with patients and prescribers in both pain management and addiction recovery arenas to educate about drug safety and misuse, and to achieve optimum outcomes in addiction recovery.

Further legislative attention is being given to the problem, as the Vermont Senate has passed S.243 An Act Relating to Combating Opioid Abuse in Vermont, which is now being taken up by the Vermont House. This legislation also contains language allowing for Provider Status for pharmacists.

12th annual

New England Pharmacists Convention September 22 & 23, 2016 Foxwoods Resort Casino Ledyard, CT

Jacqueline Pratt Cleary addressed risk mitigation strategies used in pain management and palliative care to screen for

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2015 Recipients of the “Bowl of Hygeia” Award

Dan McConaghy Alabama

Tom Van Hassel Arizona

Nicki Hilliard Arkansas

Robert Shmaeff California

Sherman Gershman Connecticut

Kevin Musto Delaware

Fritz Hayes Florida

Ron Stephens Georgia

Kerri Okamura Hawaii

Steven Bandy Illinois

Jane Krause Indiana

Richard Hartig Iowa

Robert Nyquist Kansas

Larry Stovall Kentucky

Lloyd Duplantis Louisiana

Kenneth McCall Maine

Butch Henderson Maryland

Paul Jeffrey Massachusetts

Derek Quinn Michigan

Jenny Houglum Minnesota

Robert Wilbanks Mississippi

Richard Logan Missouri

Gayle Hudgins Montana

Heather Mooney Nevada

Richard Crowe New Hampshire

Edward McGinley New Jersey

Amy Bachyrycz New Mexico

Benjamin Gruda New York

David Moody North Carolina

Kevin Oberlander North Dakota

Danny Bentley Ohio

Gordon Richards, Jr. Oklahoma

Ann Zweber Oregon

Thomas Mattei Pennsylvania

Deborah Newell Rhode Island

Sharm Steadman South Carolina

Renee Sutton South Dakota

Mac Wilhoit Tennessee

Jim Cousineau Texas

Marvin Orrock Utah

John Beckner Virginia

Gregory Hovander Washington

Terri Smith Moore Washington DC

David Flynn West Virginia

Brian Jensen Wisconsin

Randy Harrop Wyoming

The “Bowl of Hygeia”

The Bowl of Hygeia award program was originally developed by the A. H. Robins Company to recognize pharmacists across the nation for outstanding service to their communities. Selected through their respective professional pharmacy associations, each of these dedicated individuals has made uniquely personal contributions to a strong, healthy community. We offer our congratulations and thanks for their high example. The American Pharmacists Association Foundation, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and the state pharmacy associations have assumed responsibility for continuing this prestigious recognition program. All former recipients are encouraged to maintain their linkage to the Bowl of Hygeia by emailing current contact information to awards@naspa.us. The Bowl of Hygeia is on display in the APhA Awards Gallery located in Washington, DC.

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Boehringer Ingelheim is proud to be the Premier Supporter of the Bowl of Hygeia program.

Feature Opioids and the Older Adult: Are Your Patients at Risk?

Dr. Andrea L. Leschak, Pharm. D., RPh. Assistant Professor University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy Darcy Lewis and Sonal Patel, pharmacist candidates University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy 2016

The story of substance overdose is often stereotypical: an addict using an illicit drug is found dead. The cause of the addict’s overdose: heroin. While individuals represented in this scenario warrant both attention and intervention, the focus on events related to heroin limit the representation of a larger opioid epidemic. There is an underrepresented group of people who are at risk for overdose that are not your stereotypical abuser. Even worse, these patients may not be aware of their increased risk. Who makes up this overlooked population? Older patients receiving legally obtained prescription opioid pain relievers.

Opioid addiction is on the increase, with many addictions arising from the initial use of legally obtained prescription medications. The numbers are staggering. Individuals dependent on opioids are 40 times more likely to eventually develop an addiction to heroin.1 In the United States, it is estimated that an average of 44 people die each day from the overdose of prescription painkillers which includes medications classified as opioids.1 In 2010, of the total number of overdose deaths, 60% were related to pharmaceuticals, and 75% of these were related to opioid analgesics.2 While there is little disagreement that inappropriate use of opioids increase overdose potential, it must be highlighted that even appropriate use of opioids can place an individual at risk, especially individuals over the age of 65 years. The increased risk to older patients using prescription opioids is multifactorial but can be broadly related to a general decline in the body’s function and an increase in the number of illnesses the patient suffers. Reduced renal or hepatic function, fluctuations in diet or hydration status, and possible

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

impairment of memory or cognition may increase the danger for opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose. Even short-term alternations of the body’s regulatory systems can affect the rate of bot metabolism and elimination of opioidbased drugs.

Additionally, chronic diseases, along with opioid use, can place individuals at higher risk for overdose. These conditions include but are not limited to chronic pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, renal and/or hepatic disease, and chronic pain syndromes. Also of concern is the combined use of opioids with central nervous system depressants such as alcohol, sedative hypnotics (e. g. zolpidem and eszopiclone) and benzodiazepines (e. g. lorazepam and diazepam).

Now that the problem of opioid abuse and overdose has garnered “front page” attention in media outlets, what steps can be taken to reduce the risk in the ageing population?

Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” approach.

A first step is educating patients of the need to ask their health care providers to discuss both the benefits and potential risks from the use of opioid medications. A plan to stop the opioid should be discussed at the beginning of treatment. Patients should be encouraged to disclose any concerns regarding their illness(s) and the use of all medications — prescription, over the counter, or dietary supplements — when receiving a new medication but especially when taking an opioid. Pharmacists with concerns regarding a patient’s opioid use should discuss their patient’s treatment with the prescriber to determine if an alternative to opioid use is available or if alternative pain reduction techniques such as physical therapy may be beneficial. In addition, opioid users with small children living in or visiting the household should be cautioned about risks of accidental pediatric exposure, which may put a child at risk 17

Feature

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for overdose.

If opioid treatment is required, and the above measures are in place, are there other tools available to assist a patient at risk of overdose? Naloxone, an opioid reversing agent, is available in a variety of kits. Evzio®, a naloxone containing an auto-injector pen device has a voice prompt feature that “talks” the user through administration of the dose of the drug. Naloxone, in conjunction with rapid activation of emergency medical services by calling 911, could be used by family or friends to revive a person suspected of an overdose.3 The state of Connecticut passed legislation in 2015 establishing an active role for pharmacists to expand public access to naloxone. Pharmacists with advanced certification are permitted to both prescribe and dispense naloxone.4 In patients receiving opioids routinely or who may be at an increased risk for overdose due to the use of certain nonopioid medications or compromising disease states, consider a frank discussion regarding the possible use of naloxone to reduce the risk of overdose.

In conclusion, opioid abuse and addiction is a serious problem that requires intervention from multiple angles.

Current strategies have been to both increase awareness of the problem as well as to implement policies that permit the public easier access to naloxone. Yet, patients should also be encouraged to do their part by both asking questions and ensuring their providers address their concerns. With the combined effort of all parties involved in patient care: the provider, the pharmacist, and the patient, steps can be taken to improve safety when using opioid medications.

References 1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 1/17/16. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pubs/index.html 2. Doyon S, Aks S, and Schaeffer S. Expanding access to naloxone in the United States. Clinical Toxicology 2014: 52, 989-992.

3. Lexicomp (internet). Hudson (OH): Wolters Kluwer Health, c2016 [cited January 2015].

4. CT. gov Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Available from: http://www.ct.gov/DMHAS/cwp/view.asp?a=2902&q=509650

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Pharmacy Marketing Group

Rx and the Law By: Don R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph, JD 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.

New Advances We are entering another period of change in the pharmacy profession. We experienced such a period during the 1990’s when collaborative practice and pharmacist-administered immunizations were new topics of conversation. Now we are seeing an enhancement of pharmacist-provided, patientcentered services. And these changes are dovetailing with the drive for provider status for pharmacists. I remember performing kinetic dosing for aminoglycosides at our hospital in the 1990’s. We were very proud of how progressive and advanced we were. Our results were improving our patients’ outcomes. It was only later that we discovered that collaborative practice wasn’t yet authorized by our state practice act.

At the opposite end of the spectrum from those who blindly race ahead are those who resist such changes. These are pharmacists who are comfortable in their existing practices and are worried about the extra liability when performing new patient care services. These extra liability concerns have been discussed in previous articles. Change and progress are necessary to stay relevant and useful in the modern world.

The key to managing change is preparation.

Ohio enacted a law at the end of 2015 that enhanced the ability of pharmacists and physicians to enter into collaborative practice agreements. Among the authorities granted to pharmacists are ordering blood and urine tests, analyzing those results, modifying drug regimens (including ordering new drugs), and authorizing a refill of critical medications. Oregon has a new law going into effect this year that authorizes pharmacists to prescribe selfadministered oral or transdermal birth control. California has also passed a law similar to Oregon’s. Typically these statutes authorize pharmacists to expand their practices, but they do not require them to do so. So how do you prepare to expand your (and your patients’) horizons?

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Examine the new practices open to you in your state. Which of them are you currently competent to perform? Which can you obtain addition training relatively quickly and become competent? Which ones best serve the needs of your patients? Once you know that, you can assess your liability exposure in performing those services. This is done by reviewing your legal duties to your patients. What duties are required for you to provide the service? What possible ways could those duties be breached? What possible injuries that could result from that breach? In this way, you can evaluate your exposure for providing any new service.

Once you have decided to move ahead, the next step in preparation is to examine your insurance coverage. You can’t just assume that new practices are covered. Individual insurance companies can determine what they do and do not want to cover in a policy, regardless of what constitutes the scope of practice in your state. It is never safe to assume that you have coverage for something without first asking and validating that with your insurance carrier. For example, there are policies available in the marketplace that exclude damages resulting from patient counseling – whether or not the counseling is required by law. While we are talking about optional activities and services here, your insurance policy should certainly cover the activities that you are required to perform. To avoid problems later, it is a good practice to read your insurance policy to make sure that it provides the coverage that you need.

Once you have assessed your possible exposure and verified your insurance coverage, you are ready to begin providing advanced services like those authorized in Oregon, Ohio, California and other states. You are part of the next wave of change in pharmacy practice. The profession of pharmacy has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. In the 1950’s, it was unethical to tell a patient the name of their prescribed medication. Now pharmacist are engaging in extensive collaborative practices, providing MTM and immunizations, even prescribing medications whose names they weren’t allowed to disclose a few years ago. It is an exciting time to be a pharmacist!

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Pharmacy Marketing Group

Financial Forum Comprehensive Financial Planning: What It Is, Why It Matters Your approach to building wealth should be built around your goals & values Just what is “comprehensive financial planning?” As you invest and save for retirement, you will no doubt hear or read about it – but what does that phrase really mean? Just what does comprehensive financial planning entail, and why do knowledgeable investors request this kind of approach?

While the phrase may seem ambiguous to some, it can be simply defined.

Comprehensive financial planning is about building wealth through a process, not a product.

Financial products are everywhere, and simply putting money into an investment is not a gateway to getting rich, nor a solution to your financial issues.

Comprehensive financial planning is holistic. It is about more than “money.” A comprehensive financial plan is not only built around your goals, but also around your core values. What matters most to you in life? How does your wealth relate to that? What should your wealth help you accomplish? What could it accomplish for others?

Comprehensive financial planning considers the entirety of your financial life. Your assets, your liabilities, your taxes, your income, your business – these aspects of your financial life are never isolated from each other. Occasionally or frequently, they interrelate. Comprehensive financial planning recognizes this interrelation and takes a systematic, integrated approach toward improving your financial situation.

Comprehensive financial planning is long-range. It presents a strategy for the accumulation, maintenance and eventual distribution of your wealth, in a written plan to be implemented and fine-tuned over time.

What makes this kind of planning so necessary? If you aim to build and preserve wealth, you must play “defense” as well as “offense.” Too many people see building wealth only in terms of investing – you invest, you “make money,” and that is how you become rich. That is only a small part of the story.

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continued

The rich carefully plan to minimize their taxes and debts, and adjust their wealth accumulation and wealth preservation tactics in accordance with their personal risk tolerance and changing market climates.

Basing decisions on a plan prevents destructive behaviors when markets turn unstable. Impulsive decision-making is what leads many investors to buy high and sell low. Buying and selling in reaction to short-term volatility is a day trading mentality. On the whole, investors lose ground by buying and selling too actively. The Boston-based investment research firm Dalbar found that from 1994-2013, the average retail investor earned 5% a year compared to the 9% average return for U.S. equities – and chasing the return would be a major reason for that difference. A comprehensive financial plan – and its long-range vision – helps to discourage this sort of behavior. At the same time, the plan – and the financial professional(s) who helped create it – can encourage the investor to stay the course.1 A comprehensive financial plan is a collaboration and results in an ongoing relationship. Since the plan is goal-based and values-rooted, both the investor and the financial professional involved have spent considerable time on its articulation. There are shared responsibilities between them.

Trust strengthens as they live up to and follow through on those responsibilities. That continuing engagement promotes commitment and a view of success.

Think of a comprehensive financial plan as your compass.

Accordingly, the financial professional who works with you to craft and refine the plan can serve as your navigator on the journey toward your goals. The plan provides not only direction, but also an integrated strategy to try and better your overall financial life over time. As the years go by, this approach may do more than “make money” for you – it may help you to build and retain lifelong wealth.

Citations.

1 - fool.com/investing/general/2015/03/22/3-common-mistakes-that-cost-investors-dearly.aspx [3/22/15]

From the Colleges

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

As we conclude our 90th academic year, our focus in this issue is on a select group of alumni who are committed to pharmacy education. Some work in academia, some as preceptors, and some just support the UConn School of Pharmacy in all that we do – as members of our Advisory Board, as cheerleaders, and as leaders in the profession.

and healthcare industries. She previously served as the vice president for industry relations for Catalina Health, director of pharmacy operations at the NACDS Foundation and held various corporate management positions in pharmacy operations, human resources and clinical services during her 18-year

John A. Capuano ’73 During his career as a community pharmacist, Mr. Capuano worked for Medical Center Pharmacy in New Haven and Walgreens. He also serves as a consultant to Avantus Renal Therapy and is employed by the Apothecary and Wellness Center at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Capuano has served as an adjunct instructor of pharmacy practice for 14 years, beginning with Dr. Neil Facchinetti’s Interpersonal Skills Development. He has volunteered in the Pharmacy Practice Lab and each summer participates as a pharmacist mentor, working with students during the Migrant Farm Worker Health Clinics. He assisted with planning the 36th Annual Arthur E. Schwarting Symposium and has participated in admission interviews of students applying to the UConn School of Pharmacy.

Soon after his graduation, Capuano became a lifetime member of the UConn Pharmacy Alumni Association, and served on the board of directors for many years. He is a proud sponsor of scholarships to students in the Pharm.D. program, and is a preceptor for P4 students.

Deborah J. Faucette ’80 Deb Faucette’s energy and enthusiasm have made her a true problem-solver. She recently returned to the practice of community pharmacy specializing in therapy management, immunizations, and point-of-care testing after nearly three decades of senior leadership, most recently as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Learnsomething, Inc., the leading provider of e-learning solutions for the food, drug,

tenure at Rite Aid Corporation.

Faucette shows this same enthusiasm for her alma mater. She is the School of Pharmacy’s biggest cheerleader and a huge UConn basketball fan. Her willingness to support and enhance the school and its students is boundless.

Sherman R. Gershman ’51 Sherman Gershman’s service to the School of Pharmacy and its students has been exceptional. While a student, he was a member of the Mortar and Pestle Society and president of Rho Chi. He was the owner of Forster Heights Pharmacy in Hartford for 30 years and continued practice at the John Dempsey Hospital, the WWII Memorial Hospital, the Hebrew Home and Hospital and the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation. He was the pharmacy captain of the West Hartford Health Department Committee on Bioterrorism for more than 6 years.

Gershman served as a mentor to students during Professor Facchinetti’s Patient Counseling class for 11 years and has served as a mentor in Dean McCarthy’s Pharmacy Communications class and Dr. Fitzgerald’s Pharmacy Practice class for the past 7 years. When alumni were asked to work with students at the Migrant Farm Worker Health Clinics, he was the first alum to volunteer. He was a member of the 21

From the Colleges

continued

Board of Directors of the UConn Pharmacy Alumni Association for 8 years and a member of the Connecticut Pharmacists Association Student Liaison Committee for 6 years.

Mark L. Brackett ’78 Mark Brackett started his career as a teenager in the aisles of Kinney Drugs and spent more than 40 years rising through the ranks of the executive suite. He has started several successful companies and through it all felt compelled to give back to the people and institutions who helped guide him along the way. “My experience at the UConn School of Pharmacy was most memorable to me and I benefited greatly from my acquaintances, education and experiences; not only during my time of formal education but to this day I am reaping the benefits of my association with the school,” said Brackett. “Most recently while serving on the Advisory Board, I have had invaluable advice from fellow board members and faculty on the finer points of actually developing a nanoparticle which shows promise for ALS and secondary MS.” Brackett names Deans Karl Nieforth and Bob McCarthy, as well as Professor Mike Edwards, as key figures in his life. “The students I have met through recruiting and during Advisory Board meetings are very impressive. The quality of the people at UConn are top notch.”

Philip G. Bunick ’72 Phil Bunick, former pharmacy director at the UConn Health Center, stays connected with the School of Pharmacy as a service learning preceptor. “When I graduated, we didn’t have clinical rotations. We never left the school,” said Bunick.

“I think these students have a great opportunity, whether in hospital pharmacy, retail pharmacy, or whatever they choose to do, to get a feeling for varied aspects of pharmacy practice.” He encourages his students to “jump in” and truly get immersed while on rotation. “By the end of rotation, I’d like to see that the students have gained some confidence so that whatever is going on is something that they can handle.”

Since retiring, Bunick continues to work with students at 22

migrant farm worker’s clinics. He is also a “volunteer patient” in the communication class for incoming pharmacy students and, he helps with the Institutional Pharmacy course during the spring semester. He also volunteers at a mental health clinic and food pantry located in his hometown of Vernon. He is a recipient of the IPPE Service Learning Preceptor of the Year Award from UConn and the Bowl of Hygeia Award for Community Service from the Connecticut Pharmacist Association. After 43 years of work in hospital pharmacy, including 36 years as a pharmacy director, Bunick continues to contribute to the School of Pharmacy and, in particular, the students. “When I began taking in students as a preceptor, it convinced me that when I retired and had more time, I wanted to stay involved with the students.”

Henry A. Palmer ’60, ’65 Hank Palmer’s career encompassed a wide range of pharmacy practice experience including community, hospital, and longterm care, in addition to teaching and research. He retired from the UConn School of Pharmacy and served, on a part-time basis, as the director of continuing education. Palmer began his tenure at the School of Pharmacy as a graduate teaching assistant in 1958, earning a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from UConn. As a clinical professor and associate dean at the School of Pharmacy, he won the esteem of both colleagues and students as he taught compounding, patient counseling, and an elective on non-prescription medication.

Palmer received awards and honors on a local, statewide, and national level for his teaching, his service, and his dedication to the profession. He served on elective and committee positions in professional organizations, was a past president of the Connecticut Pharmacists Association, and AACP Teacher

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

of the Year in 1999. Former students honored his teaching abilities by endowing the Henry A. Palmer Professorship in Community Pharmacy Practice.

Joseph T. DiPiro ’78 Joe is a nationally renowned leader in pharmacy education and research and is currently dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. He previously served as executive dean of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy where he was a lead architect in creating a statewide college for the pharmacy schools and programs with three institutions: the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of South Carolina and the Greenville Health System. DiPiro successfully built the research program of the college to its Top 25 national ranking and fueled a large growth of the college’s endowment.

of Pharmacy Council of Deans and has previously served as president of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

He is the editor of The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, the official publication of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and has published more than 200 journal papers, books, book chapters and editorials in academic and professional journals.

Reflecting research mainly in antibiotics, drug use in surgery and pharmacy education, DiPiro’s papers have appeared in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Pharmacotherapy, Critical Care Medicine, JAMA, Annals of Surgery, Archives of Surgery, American Journal of Surgery, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Surgical Infections. In 2013, DiPiro was one of six scholars in the nation elected as fellows in the Section on Pharmaceutical Sciences of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was recently awarded the Paul F. Parker Medal for Distinguished Service to the Profession of Pharmacy by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

DiPiro is past chair of the American Association of Colleges

Did You Know?

That the Connecticut Pharmacists Association offers a 2-Week Online Course for CT Law? www.ctpharmacists.org

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From the Colleges

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Husson University School of Pharmacy Husson University to Launch Master of Science in Pharmacology in Fall 2016 In March, Husson University announced that it is launching six new programs in science, technology and management designed to prepare students for career success in current and emerging fields. The new programs include a Master of Science in Pharmacology and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry.

“Husson’s continued growth is a source of pride for our entire community,” said University President Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA. “Our growth as a University is the result of years of hard work. The expansion of our program offerings is a testament to our optimism and enthusiasm for the future.”

The six new programs Husson is launching this fall also offer significant benefits to students and employers. “These new degrees will provide students with the specialized skills and education demanded by companies in todays’ complex, innovative and technological global economy,” said James Westhoff, Director of Career Services at Husson University.

“Employers need a professional workforce with in-depth knowledge who can ‘hit the ground running’ and help their organizations prosper.”

Westhoff continued: “Our degrees focus on experiential learning and include an emphasis on internships. This learn-by-doing approach gives Husson students’ a unique ability to provide value to employers and is why so many firms compete to hire our graduates. Internships are also a great way for organizations to develop a pipeline of new hires that they already know.”

The new degrees include both undergraduate and graduate programs from Husson University’s School of Pharmacy, College of Business, and School of Science and Humanities.

The following new degree programs will all be available in Fall 2016: - Master of Science in Pharmacology. This advanced degree provides students with laboratory bench skills and in-depth knowledge of pharmacology and toxicology. The program admits students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology or some other science-based 24

undergraduate degree. The program is a great fit for students interested in careers in the pharmaceutical industry, biomedical research or furthering their education to obtain an advanced degree, such as a doctorate. Employment opportunities for pharmacologists include work in the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, laboratories, and biotechnology companies.

- Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Biotechnology and Innovation. In recent years, biotechnology firms have become a driving force behind the research and development of creative new solutions to healthcare issues. Integrating scientific, clinical, digital and regulatory change, this industry is now one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. As a result, there is an increased demand for business professionals who understand how service, marketing, systems, finance and medical research intersect. This program will be offered online at online.husson.edu.

- Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Risk Management. Risk and uncertainty are present in all types of businesses and organizations.

Inadequate risk management can result in severe fiscal, legal, physical or environmental consequences. Focused on the identification and assessment of employee rights and benefits, as well as liabilities, regulations and law, this MBA program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they’ll need as leaders in insurance, human resources or other operations positions. Students will learn to understand, analyze, and address risk to ensure that organizations achieve their performance objectives.

- Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. The need to develop biological products and processes that improve people’s lives is fueling the demand for biochemists. These individuals study the chemical and physical principles of living things and biological processes, such as cell development, growth, heredity, and disease. Biochemists can then apply this knowledge in research and commercial enterprises, typically working in laboratories and offices where they conduct experiments and analyze the results. Students who complete this degree will have the foundation of knowledge needed

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

to work in chemistry, healthcare, business and environmental science or go on to graduate work in the health professions.

Graduate work can include research as well as medical, pharmacy or veterinary school.

- Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics. Data analytics is all about evaluating and making decisions based on information.

Students in this program will learn how to use tools from computer science, mathematics and statistics to collect, organize and analyze data. They then communicate these results to help people make informed decisions. This field has a wide range of applications. Finance, energy, environmental, healthcare, sports, marketing, research, and other organizations all need qualified data analytics professionals.

- Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. As people become more health conscious, the demand for professionals who can both prevent and rehabilitate injury or disease is expected to increase. In fact, the demand for athletic trainers, in particular, is projected to grow 21 percent from 2014 to 2024 - much faster than the average for all occupations. Graduates of this degree program are trained to assess, design and implement exercise plans for people who may be healthy or who have been compromised by disease or injury. Employment opportunities include work in medical, private, commercial and sports fitness facilities as well as clinical settings such as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Other graduates may move on to medical school or research careers.

Husson University Pharmacy Student Receives National Award for Work with the Wabanaki People Husson University announced that School of Pharmacy student Jillian Kerr was presented with the United States Public Health Service’s Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award at the school’s annual Scholarship Luncheon on April 28 at the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business.

Assistant Surgeon General and Rear Admiral Pamela Schweitzer, Pharm.D., BCACP, with the U.S. Public Health Service commended Kerr in a letter for her work and leadership on the Diabetes Care Project for the Wabanaki people. Schweitzer said that Kerr’s work demonstrated, “your passion and dedication to the profession of pharmacy and public health.” She also said that ‘through these endeavors,

you [Kerr] illustrated the importance of incorporating core public health principles into today’s pharmacy practice.”

The Diabetes Care Project was made possible through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant. Dr. Sarah L. Martin of the Husson University School of Pharmacy was a member of the team that secured the funding on behalf of the Wabanaki.

Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grants are designed to improve outreach and service delivery in local and regional rural communities. They also seek to expand the delivery of health care along with new and enhanced services in exclusively in rural communities. In doing this, these grants are helping to support improved health in rural populations.

Diabetes among Native Americans is a significant problem.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service, the likelihood of American Indians and Alaska Natives to have diabetes is 2.2 times higher than non-Hispanic whites. In addition, it is a growing issue for young people. From 1994 to 2004, there was a 68 percent increase in diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native for 15-19 year-olds.

“In rural communities, pharmacists are on the front lines of delivering healthcare. In fact, they may be the only healthcare providers close to where rural citizens live.

Today’s pharmacists administer inoculations, help manage medications, and promote healthy lifestyles. We’re very proud of Jillian and the work she did with this rural community. She’s a great example of the kind of pharmacist we look to produce here at Husson University,” says Rodney Larson, Ph.D., R.Ph., founding dean of the Husson University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Eric Jarvi Named APhA-APRS Fellow Dr. Eric Jarvi, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor, Husson University School of Pharmacy, was recognized as a 2016 Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) on March 5 in Baltimore, MD. Currently serving as Chair-elect for the Basic Sciences section of APRS, Jarvi’s recognition honors Academy members for exemplary service and achievements in their professional area. To be nominated, an APhA-APR member must have a minimum of 25

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10 years exemplary professional experience and achievements in professional practice and have rendered outstanding service to the profession through activities in APhA and in other organizations. This is a lifetime award.

Jarvi’s 31-year career in pharmacy education, having earned his Ph.D. from Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, has generated in excess of $3 million in extramural funding and (co)authoring 25 publications, 41 abstracts and six invited presentations. He is a three-time recipient of Idaho State University’s Most Influential Professor Award, a three-time recipient of ISU’s Outstanding Public Service Award, received ISU’s Sigma Xi Award for Teaching and Research, Husson University’s William H. Beardsley Teaching Excellence Award as well as three awards for “excellence” in teaching. Jarvi has served as an APhA delegate for the past six years, and has been an advisor for APhA-Academy of Student Pharmacists since 1990 for three schools of pharmacy. He is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Phi Delta Chi (currently serving as chapter advisor), Phi Lambda Sigma, Sigma Xi, Rho Chi and the Maine Pharmacy Association (currently elected to his third consecutive two-year term as treasurer).

Dr. Betty J. Harris, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and APPE Coordinator, Husson University School of Pharmacy, previously received the life-time designation as a recipient of the APhA-Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Fellow award.

: 2016 APhA-APRS Fellow recipient Dr. Eric Jarvi (center) with APhA President Lawrence “LB” Brown and APhAAPRS President Melody Ryan.

CONNECTICUT PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION Third Annual Medical Marijuana Symposium June 14, 2016 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Aqua Turf Club, Southington CT Conveniently located in Central Connecticut immediately off of Route 84.

Hear all the latest on Connecticut’s evolving regulations concerning the medical marijuana program as well as CE topics on the future of cannabinoid-based therapies, use of medical marijuana in pediatrics with epilepsy, opioid abuse and the impact that medical marijuana can have as an alternate treatment. $99 fee for pharmacists and physicians www.ctpharmacists.org

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Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – Boston Dear Colleagues, On behalf of President Charles F. Monahan Jr. and Provost George Humphrey, I bring you greetings from MCPHS University and hope that the spring finds you well. As another successful academic year in the School of Pharmacy at the Boston campus comes to an end, I would like to share the following recent highlights with you about the activities of our faculty and students. On behalf of our faculty, staff, and students we wish you all a great summer!

Paul DiFrancesco, EdD, MPA, RPh Dean, MCPHS School of Pharmacy Boston

Brigham & Women’s Hospital 2015 Partners in Excellence Awards MCPHS preceptors, alumni, and students were honored during the Brigham and Women’s Hospital 2015 Partners in Excellence award ceremony on December 21 for their role as members of the Emergency Department Medication Reconciliation Support Team. Along with two qualified Medication Reconciliation support team members, a multidisciplinary team of 21 students and staff were trained to see patients admitted through the Emergency Department.

This dedicated team helped with medication conversion, interviewing over 4000 patients, preventing medication discrepancies and preventing adverse drug events, among other accomplishments.

Phi Lambda Sigma Events Members of Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) hosted two interprofessional events with dental residents from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). One event took place at HSDM in February in which pharmacy students were paired with dental residents to work on a patient case

applicable to both fields. With input from faculty members, a relevant patient scenario was subsequently developed containing therapeutic topics and questions that would illustrate the interprofessional approach between dental/ medical/ diagnostic considerations of oral health issues and respective pharmacotherapy. In March PLS hosted another interprofessional event in cooperation with colleagues from the HSDM at the MCPHS University campus. A team of dental residents discussed several topics with pharmacy students and faculty including the connection between oral health and general health; the dental decay process; fluoride and community water fluoridation; and Xylitol.

American Society of Health SystemPharmacists (ASHP) Fellows Trisha LaPointe PharmD, and Michele Matthews, PharmD, both Associate Professors of Pharmacy Practice, were awarded the title “Fellow” of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in recognition of excellence they have achieved in pharmacy practice. FASHP designation recognizes those pharmacists who have successfully demonstrated a sustained commitment or contributions to excellence in practice for at least 10 years, contributed to the total body of knowledge in the field, demonstrated active involvement and leadership in ASHP, and who have been actively involved in and committed to educating practitioners and others.

Dr. Matthews is also a co-investigator on an NIH Pain Consortium grant which was recently awarded in September to develop pain management training and educational resources for medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, mental health, physical therapy and other health professionals to advance the assessment, diagnosis, and safe treatment of pain. This grant was awarded as a collaborative effort between MCPHS University and the following institutions: Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Regis College of Nursing, Tufts Medical School, and the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.

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12th Annual Capstone Business Plan Competition On March 23, faculty from the Advanced Practice Management (APM) course held its 12th Annual Capstone Business Plan Competition. The event is the culmination of a year-long Capstone project which fosters and instills leadership, team building and inspires an entrepreneurial spirit. Each team is charged with researching, developing, and marketing a sustainable business plan. Teams select a project manager and assistant manager and discuss viable options for a novel pharmaceutical care-related venture in one of three tracks; products/devices, services/programs or an independent pharmacy, while being advised by faculty and local entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals throughout the process.

and Thao Pham. According to the judges “AskMolly.org, LLC” successfully demonstrated that their comprehensive database would be an excellent drug information resource aimed at “illicit substances” at point of care for pharmacists, health care professionals, and first responders. By collaborating with biomedical engineering and computer science students and professors from the College of Fenway consortium, Wentworth Institute of Technology, the team created a working prototype of their database. Additionally they received endorsements from the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention, serving Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Malden Police Department, and New England Baptist Hospital Pharmacy Department.

Thirty-five teams presented posters detailing their Capstone business plan project to a diverse group of more than 35 judges consisting of healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, MCPHS University and Wentworth Institute of Technology faculty.

The winning team, “AskMolly.org, LLC” was comprised of Project Manager Shivani Shah, Assistant Project Manager, Simran Bimrah and team members Stephanie Lin, Andrey Pakholskiy, Sagy Hassan, Samuel Modzelewski, Shyamal Patel

: 2016 APhA-APRS Fellow recipient Dr. Eric Jarvi (center) with APhA President Lawrence “LB” Brown and APhAAPRS President Melody Ryan.

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – Worcester/ Manchester Dear Colleagues, I do hope everyone has had a very successful Spring semester. We enjoyed another successful commencement at Gillette Stadium on May 7 where the University hosted over 15,000 guests. Our pharmacy class is looking forward to graduating and beginning their

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professional careers as I am sure all of your graduates are. I wish you a pleasant and productive summer!

All the best, Michael J. Malloy, PharmD Dean and Professor

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Faculty Spotlight Dr. Kristine Willett was recognized for her outstanding advocacy for ASHP and the pharmacy profession during the ASHP-PAC Donors Reception at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition in New Orleans in December 2015. Over the last five years, Dr. Willett has had numerous meetings with U.S. Congress representatives and senators from New Hampshire and in Washington DC to advocate for important issues facing pharmacy, including drug shortages and pharmacist provider status legislation. ASHP has experienced numerous advocacy victories, most notably with H.R. 592 and S. 314 (The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Enhancement Act), which has been made possible with the hard work of passionate pharmacists.

Welcome - New Faculty SOP-W/M welcomes one new faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Anthony J Pollano is a 1995 graduate of SOP-Boston. He had been a community pharmacist, first with CVS, then with Hannaford Food and Drug, until September 2015, when he joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences as Faculty Associate in the Manchester campus. He facilitates the Service and Care in the Community course during the fall semester and instructs the Pharmaceutics lab in the spring semester. He is in the process of developing an elective course for the 2017 summer term.

Prof. Pollano actually joined the MCPHS University as an adjunct professor in 2012, assisting in the Pharmaceutics and PPP labs. He is thrilled to join MCPHS University to assist in the development of future pharmacists. He and his wife Jennifer live in Southern NH with their beloved dog Sophie.

Accreditation ACPE extends accreditation term for SOP – Worcester/ Manchester’s Doctor of Pharmacy program until June 30, 2024, which represents the customary 8-year cycle between self-studies.

Poster Presentations 2015 American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition, New Orleans, LA December 2015 Al-Hubaishi, R. Alsaffar, A. Gardner. The role of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) as a novel regulator of airway smooth muscle functions in asthma.

Bear MD, Bartlett D, Evans P. Use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in older adults and the impact of a medication review.

Fun D, Ma X, Lim S-M and Smith C. Design and synthesis of analogs of Bromophycolide A as novel antimalarial agents.

Craig A, Mattox J, Foster T, Carey K, Belliveau P. Mock signal evaluation – a longitudinal project designed to enhance student understanding of how a clinical skill set can be transferred to a real pharmaceutical industry activity.

Do VL, Nguyen H, Kanaan A, Sullivan K, Spooner L, George S. The quest to find the meat of errors: development of a medication errors assessment tool (MEAT).

Dolley SM, Morin AK, Hsiao-Rei Hicks M. High-dose propranolol for the treatment of assaultive behavior in a hospitalized patient with schizophrenia.

Ellis S, Jarvis C, Jeremiah C. Tricyclic antidepressant-induced acute urinary retention in a young male patient - a case report.

Evans P, Dominick C, Babin C, Inacio C, LaBoy C, MacDonald L, Rogers C. Utility of iPad minis in an IPE community event.

Filosa LA, Akselrod E, Carey K, Coppenrath V. Validation of a tool to assess competency of pharmacy professionals in evidence based medicine (EBM).

Terpak K, Jarvis C. Health and wellness perceptions and behaviors among pharmacy students: An exploratory crosssectional survey analysis.

Wu FF, Forni A, Yogaratnam D, and Asoh I. Impact of a pain, agitation, and delirium clinical practice guideline on benzodiazepine use in adult intensive care units at a tertiary academic medical center.

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Podium Presentation

Class of 2015 NAPLEX and MPJE Pass Rates

Karyn Sullivan, PharmD, MPH, David Spodick Clinical Investigator Symposium, Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA, April 7, 2016, Assessing the Utilization of a New Insomnia Order Set in a Community Hospital

National

First Time Attempts

258

13,786

Pass rate

89.15%

92.64%

NAPLEX

Publications Waly M, Power-Charnitsky VA, Hodgson N, Sharma A. Audhya T, Zhang N, Deth R. Alternatively Spliced Methionine Synthase in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells: Cobalamin and GSH Dependence and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotoxic Metals and Thimerosal. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.

(Range: 69.35%100%) MPJE

Aungst T, Belliveau P. Leveraging mobile smart devices to improve interprofessional communications in inpatient practice setting: A literature review. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 2015; 29:570-8.

Osheroff N, Niederhoffer EC, Sabina RL, Cline SD, Wimmer MJ, Franklin DS, Diekman AB, Hogg T, Kearney KR, King SC, Pearson D, Slaughter CA, Thompson K. Teaching biochemistry to students of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. Med. Sci. Educ. 2015; 25:473477.

SOP-W/M

First Time Attempts

84

8,474

Pass rate

88.10%

94.35% (Range: 55.36%100%)

Dietle A. QTc Prolongation with Antidepressants and Antipsychotics. US Pharm. 2015; 40(11):HS34-HS40.

Grant Awards Colleen Massey, Paula Evans, Donna Bartlett received an “Ask the Pharmacist” Home Meds Program; Boston Commission on Affairs on the Elderly; Funding period: October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016. Amount: $13,500.

Colleen Massey, Paula Evans, Donna Bartlett received an “Ask the Pharmacist” Medication Safety and Management Program; Somerville/Cambridge Elder Services; Funding period: October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016. Amount: $3,000.

Colleen Massey, Paula Evans, Donna Bartlett received an “Ask the Pharmacist” Medication Adherence Program; Central Massachusetts Agency; Funding period: October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016. Amount: $12,579.

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Paula Evans (above)

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

Northeastern University Saczynski Award to Examine Geriatric Elements of Atrial Fibrillation Northeastern University School of Pharmacy faculty member Jane Saczynski, PhD, and coprincipal investigator David McManus, MD, of the University Of Massachusetts Medical Center were recently awarded an R01 grant for their project entitled “Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in Atrial Fibrillation” (SAGE-AF). The fouryear, $4 million study is jointly funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

The study will enroll 1200 older adults with atrial fibrillation at high stroke risk and will compare those who receive anticoagulation therapy with those who do not. Subjects will be assessed regularly for psychosocial and cognitive functioning and frailty to study how these factors may have determined who received anticoagulation therapy as well as the efficacy of the treatment.

The results will be used to build an interactive dashboard for anticoagulation decision making. For more information on Dr. Saczynski’s work: http://www.northeastern.edu/bouve/directory/jane-saczynski/

Torchillin Study Addresses Unmet Needs in Cancer Therapy Vladimir Torchilin, PhD was awarded a $1.5 grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, which will fund a five-year study focused on introducing a novel class of simple-to-prepare therapeutic preparations, that when combined with traditional chemotherapy, could provide a promising strategy against multidrug resistant (MDR) tumors. His work on the project

is entitled “Lipid-dentrimer micellar nanocarriers for siRNA/ drug co-delivery in MDR cancer”. Dr. Torchilin is a University Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is the Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine (CPBN) which was created to perform studies at the juncture of two fast-growing scientific areas: Biotechnology and Nanomedicine. The Center aims to host and coordinate research in pharmaceutical nanocarriers, controlled drug and gene delivery, drug targeting, intracellular targeting, experimental medical imaging, and cancer immunology, and train young researches in these areas. (For more about Dr. Torchilin’s research, visit the Center website: http://www.northeastern.edu/cpbn/

Jeanne Madden Lead Author in Study of Electronic Health Records In the first known study to examine the completeness of clinical data in a large electronic health record (EHR), researchers from Harvard Medical School’s Department of Population Medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute found substantial missing data, with profound implications for clinical care, medical research, and public health. The study is published on-line in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association and was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Electronic health records are used by more than 83% of office-based physicians in the U.S. Lead author Jeanne Madden, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences in Northeastern University’s School of Pharmacy, noted, “This is a serious nationwide problem with significant repercussions for both clinical management and population research. With medical decision-making becoming increasingly computerized, care will suffer if there is overreliance on data that are incomplete,” she said. ”Health research will undercount important diagnosed patient populations and their use of services.” Dr. Madden’s research primarily concerns access 31

From the Colleges

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to health care, the burden of costs on patients, and the consequences of health system changes. She has directed several federally-funded studies examining the impact of changes in pharmacy benefits on access to treatments for chronic illness. (Solomon McCown on behalf of Atrius Health Dawn Bergantino, April 14, 2016 [Press release], AtriusHealthPR@solomonmccown.com).

School of Pharmacy Team Receives 2016 Award for Excellence in Assessment A team from Northeastern University, including Dr. Jennifer Kirwin, Dr. Danielle Miller and Dr. Margarita DiVall, will receive one of the 2016 awards for Excellence in Assessment. The national award is given annually by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, a professional association representing academic pharmacy. The award is in recognition of our work to build, implement and assess a systematic process to review courses in the PharmD curriculum. Our Systematic Curricular Review process is designed to ensure quality, enhance teaching effectiveness, and to improve student learning. The Excellence in Assessment recognition will be awarded at the AACP Annual Meeting in July 2016 in Anaheim, CA.

Northeastern Pharmacy Student Wins National Patient Counseling Competition Alexandra Kolwicz (PharmD ‘17) achieved first place honors at the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition (NPCC). This annual competition draws from thousands of students at the local level who compete to represent their school and chapter at the APhA-ASP national meeting which was held this year in Baltimore, Maryland. The competition entails progressively more challenging patient counseling scenarios and culminates in the selection of a field of ten finalists who compete in a final round. Alexandra is the first pharmacy student from Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy, to take top honors nationally.

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Kayla Joyal Receives APhA Foundation Award Kayla Joyal (PharmD ’18) was awarded the Sam Kalman Scholarship from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation. This award recognizes Kayla’s academic achievement as well as her active leadership in the Northeastern University chapter of the APhA Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) where she serves as president-elect. Kayla was recognized at the APhA Foundation Contributors’ Breakfast during the 2016 APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Baltimore in March.

School of Pharmacy Alumnus Christopher Lynch Named Director, Office of Nutritional Research Northeastern School of Pharmacy alumnus Christopher Lynch has been named the new director of the Office of Nutrition Research (ONR) and chief of the Nutrition Research Branch within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Lynch received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern University working with Dr. Richard Deth. Before this appointment Dr. Lynch served as professor and vice chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Pennsylvania State University’s College of Medicine. For more information, please see the National Institutes of Health news release at http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/ christopher-j-lynch-direct-office-nutrition-research.

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

University of New England Gayle Brazeau Presents on Academic Publishing at University of Kentucky’s College of Pharmacy Gayle Brazeau, Ph.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy, recently presented at the University Of Kentucky College Of Pharmacy.

In her presentation, titled “Academic Publishing,” she offered guidelines for preparing publications based on academic research.

Brazeau is the author or co-author on more than 45 peerreviewed papers, chapters, books and other types of publications. She also serves as the editor of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

UNE Pharmacy Students Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity UNE students from Alpha Zeta Omega-Lambda Nu, a professional pharmacy fraternity, recently helped to build a Habitat for Humanity house in Scarborough.

Working alongside the future homeowner, the students spent two Saturdays installing insulation and drywall. This is the second year that Alpha Zeta Omega students have volunteered with the organization, helping to build a house in Freeport last February.

Pharmacy student Neva Gross (‘19) spoke about her experience, stating, “I joined Alpha Zeta Omega-Lambda Nu because I was aware of their community involvement and specifically their connection with Habitat for Humanity.”

This opportunity, she wrote, “was life-changing for me. I I never imagined that I would gain so much emotionally and spiritually by helping someone else fulfill their dreams.”

This ongoing community service project is scheduled to run through 2018, when Habitat for Humanity’s Scarborough housing is slated for completion.

Pharmacy Students and Faculty Present Poster at APhA Conference Students and faculty from the College of Pharmacy gave a poster presentation at the Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) held in Baltimore, Maryland from March 4-7.

Dan Mickool, R.Ph., M.S., director of continuing education, and Class of ’16 pharmacy students Ryan Crawford and Jennifer Hodges presented “A Guidance Document for Family Practitioners for OTC Medication in Pregnancy and Lactation.”

In this project, Mickool, Crawford and Hodges created a process document outlining safe over-the-counter medications that can be used to treat 13 common ailments of pregnant and lactating women. They designed this guide for use at the Family Medicine Institute in Augusta and the institute has now adopted it as an official guidance tool.

Christian Teter Presents at UNE’s Third Annual Summit on Teenagers and Marijuana Use On March 25, the University of New England held the third annual summit on marijuana use by teenagers, titled “Keeping Youth Healthy: Marijuana and Teens.” The program was hosted by UNE’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition’s Project Alliance, in collaboration with schools RSU 23, RSU 21 and SAD #6.

Current data shows that young people have a lower perception of risk when it comes to regular marijuana use, according to the 2015 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey. This perception is strengthened by the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, the proliferation of medical marijuana and the promotion of marijuana through pop culture. The summit will address the latest research in regard to marijuana use by teenagers, expanding upon new data and trends.

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From the Colleges

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Other topics that were discussed during the event include current laws and policies, youth in recovery, brain development and creating classroom lesson plans for middle and high school students.

Christian Teter, Pharm.D., BCPP, associate professor of Psychopharmacology at UNE, presented on the ways in which marijuana use impacts the developing brain of an adolescent.

Other speakers at the event included Scott Gagnon, Chair of Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana); Caleb Gilbert, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Jill Lamontagne, health educator at Kennebunk High School; and Matt Braun, a Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition/Project Alliance Consultant. The Summit is facilitated by William L. Paterson, Project Alliance Program Director and Adjunct Faculty at UNE.

Steev Sutton Speaks at United States Pharmacopeial Workshop Steven “Steev” Sutton, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Science, attended the United States Pharmacopeial (USP) Workshop on In-vitro Testing for Meeting Future Challenges for Veterinary Dosage Forms. This workshop was held at the USP Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland on March 14-15.

Sutton gave an invited talk on “Challenges when Working with Different Animal Species,” which was a review of published data from his work at Pfizer, Inc. and consultations with generic veterinary companies. His lecture also examined the physiological reasons for not being able to prove bioequivalence between an innovator and generic formulations.

Sutton has published several articles on the biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics of veterinary bioequivalence. He is a world-renowned expert on the differences in the gastro-intestinal tract physiology of companion animals.

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Edward Li Takes Office as Board Member at Large for HOA Edward Li, Pharm.D., M.P.H., BCOP, associate professor in the College of Pharmacy, was named as an At Large Member of the Board of Directors at the recent Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) annual conference, held March 16-19 in Atlanta, Georgia.

An active member of HOPA since 2009, Li recently served as Vice-Chair of the Health Policy Committee. In this role, he developed key policy statements for biosimilars and counterfeit drugs on behalf of the organization. He has also served on both the BCOP Recertification and Programming committees. In addition, Li has presented at several HOPA annual conferences, sharing his expertise in describing and evaluating cancer practice trends, economics and outcomes.

Formed in 2004, HOPA is a nonprofit professional organization that helps oncology and hematology pharmacy practitioners and associates provide the best possible cancer care. HOPA supports research, conducts educational conferences to advance knowledge, encourages professional development and advocates for health policy issues that improve patient care. The organization has more than 2,500 members and includes oncology pharmacists, pharmacy administrators, researchers, residents, interns and technicians specializing in hematology/oncology practice.

Hailey Choi Leads Health Clinics for Bath Housing Hailey Choi, Pharm.D., assistant clinical professor in the College of Pharmacy, is at the forefront of a new partnership that provides healthcare to residents of Bath Housing, an organization that works to provide stable housing for seniors, families and individuals with disabilities.

In 2015, UNE partnered with Mid Coast Medical Group – Bath as a way to provide integrated pharmacy experience within the practice, as well as serve as a teaching site for pharmacy students. Choi has been an integral part of this partnership, as

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

she provides both both clinical services and on-site education at the Bath practice, while also teaching pharmacy courses at UNE’s Portland Campus.

Recently, the Mid Coast Medical Group – Bath practice has teamed up with Bath Housing to provide regular health clinics for residents. The clinics include medication reviews and blood pressure screenings conducted by UNE College of Pharmacy students, under the supervision of Choi.

Speaking about Choi’s position with the practice, Carl DeMars, M.D., of Mid Coast Medical Group – Bath noted, “Hailey has been exemplary in her role. She has integrated herself into the clinic and created protocols for the safe and effective use of medications in our patients.”

Read about the Mid Coast Medical Group – Bath partnership.

Read about the Bath Housing partnership.

UNE College of Pharmacy Students Raise $5000 for Operation Hope Students from the College of Pharmacy’s Class of ’18 held their annual Halfway Charity Gala on April 1 at Mariner’s Church in Portland. All proceeds benefited Operation Hope, a new program run by the Scarborough Police Department that aids in the treatment and recovery of individuals suffering from heroin and opiate addiction.

The students raised $5,000 for the organization, making this the most successful College of Pharmacy charity gala to date.

Speaking about the fundraiser, Class President Sam Cushing (’18) said “we chose to benefit Operation HOPE knowing that the growing heroin and opiate addiction problem affects everyone.” Cushing added, “It is a frequent topic in the headlines and it’s not something that just has an impact on those with addiction, it impacts the community as a whole.”

Additionally, as future pharmacists, Cushing noted that and he his classmates will assume an active role in substance abuse prevention, education and assistance.

Scarborough Police Chief Robbie Moulton, a leader of Operation Hope, stated “we need to see Heroin and Opiate Addiction for what it is. It is a public disease. It is a public health issue.” He continued, “we signed up for this job to help people and that is what we are going to try and do.”

Read more about Operation Hope.

Christian Teter and Pharmacy Students Speak at York High School Christian Teter, Pharm.D., BCPP, associate professor of Psychopharmacology and Class of ’16 pharmacy students Chantelle Robinson and Nate Johnson gave a presentation to York High School students as part of Drug Abuse Awareness Week.

Their interactive, Q&A format talk focused on cannabinoids and their effects on the brain. Teter, Robinson and Johnson discussed the changes that can happen if you begin smoking at a young age, when brain is still developing and is especially vulnerable. They encouraged students to questions during the presentation, addressing myths and preconceptions.

Reflecting on the event, Robinson said, “It’s clear to me that the students were very curious and interested to clarify everything they’ve heard about cannabis from friends, family and the media.” Johnson added, “I was very impressed with how engaged the students were in our discussion. I definitely did not expect that level of participation.”

This presentation was arranged through Tidalwavse, the antidrug program at York High School. Tidalwavse provides drugfree alternatives and events for high school students as well as education to reduce substance abuse.

Erin Kany and Matthew Lacroix Selected as AACP Walmart Scholars Matthew Lacroix, Pharm.D., BCPS, MMEL ‘16, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy, and pharmacy student Erin Kany (’17) have been selected as scholarship winners in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Walmart Scholars Program.

Designed to further strengthen the skills of top pharmacy students, this competitive program was developed specifically 35

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for students planning to pursue a career in academic pharmacy. It provides $1,000 scholarships to 85 pharmacy students and their faculty mentors from AACP member institutions. The scholarship will cover the cost of attendance at the 2016 AACP Annual Meeting and Seminars in Anaheim, California.

College of Pharmacy Students Elected to Kappa Psi Leadership Positions Pharmacy students Tyson Fredriksen (’16) and Kyle Hedquist (’18) have been elected to regional offices with the Northeast Province of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. At the Spring 2016 Assembly, held April 8-10 in Bangor, Maine, Fredriksen was named to the position of vicesatrap (regional vice-president) and Hedquist was elected as chaplain.

At the conclusion of the weekend, Fredriksen and Analesa Muir (’16) completed their service with the 2015-16 Northeast Province Executive Committee in the offices of chaplain and secretary, respectively.

As chaplain, Hedquist will be responsible for the philanthropy of the Northeast province. Fredriksen, the outgoing chaplain, helped organize fundraisers for “The Smile Train,” an organization that provides cleft lip and palate surgeries to children around the world. This year as Vice-Satrap, Fredriksen will be working closely with the Satrap (president) to assist with the planning and running of biannual meetings. Upon graduation, he will be staying in-state to work at Rite Aid in Maine’s central district.

In her position as secretary, Muir has worked as a liaison between the Northeast province colleges and universities and the executive board. At the province-wide meetings, she has overseen voting, recorded minutes and dispersed information to the province. After graduation, she will return to her hometown of Derby Line, Vermont to work as a staff pharmacist at Kinney Drugs.

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UNE College of Pharmacy Receives NACDS Foundation Scholarship The University of New England’s College of Pharmacy has been awarded a 2016 NACDS Foundation Scholarship for excellence in education. Chosen from a competitive pool of more than 40 applicants, UNE was one of only six schools to receive an education grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS).

The scholarship was developed to provide accredited pharmacy schools with funding for projects designed to improve patient care. Applicants were selected on the basis of the programs offered, with an emphasis on innovative education and patient-centered coursework. The College of Pharmacy was chosen for its plan to address the prescription drug abuse epidemic and its devastating health consequences for patients in Maine. This strategy entails creating a continuing education curriculum for prescribers and pharmacists that increases the appropriate use of the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program.

Kenneth McCall Appointed to MaineCare DUR Committee Kenneth McCall, BSPharm, Pharm.D., associate professor for the Department of Pharmacy Practice, has been chosen to serve on a three-year term for the MaineCare Drug Utilization Review Committee.

Comprised of physicians and pharmacists, the committee serves in an advisory role to the Office of MaineCare Services.

McCall will work to ensure that covered drugs are appropriate, medically necessary and not likely to result in adverse medical events.

Among the issues that the committee focuses on is the utilization of drugs and education of providers and recipients to maximize the quality of care provided. Other responsibilities include submitting recommendations to MaineCare for policy changes and reviewing all data necessary to monitor and maintain the Department’s Preferred Drug List.

McCall was invited to serve by Dr. Chris Pezullo, chief health officer, and Stefanie Nadeau, director of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. McCall said “I Iook forward to serving Maine to maximize quality of care.”

Pharmacy Journal of New England • Spring 2016

University of St. Joseph School of Pharmacy Message from the Dean

Posters and Presentations

Dear Colleagues: At University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy we are excited to graduate our third cohort. Approximately 10% of the graduating class has matched the postgraduate training of their choice. We have no doubt that their merits will lead them to excellence in all aspects of the profession. And, in saying that, my sincere thanks to all of you for making another academic year a success.

Lin H, Levine AR. “Daily vancomycin dose requirements as a continuous infusion in obese vs. non-obese SICU patients.”

SCCM Conference, 45th Critical Care Congress. February 20-24, 2016 Orlando, FL.

Joseph R. Ofosu Dean, USJ School of Pharmacy

News On March 24, Pharmacy Day was held at the Capitol.

Approximately one dozen USJ School of Pharmacy students were in attendance. The students appreciated time spent with the legislators discussing issues in the pharmacy profession.

Dr. Dayne Laskey, Assistant Professor, Clinical Toxicology at the University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy, joined FOX 61 Good Day Connecticut to talk about the epidemic of opioid abuse and what steps are being taken. Full interview here: http://fox61.com/…/02/12/combating-the-rise-in-opioid-abuse/

The School of Pharmacy at the University of Saint Joseph hosted a free program for high school and college students interested in careers in pharmacy. “Exploring Diversity in Pharmacy” took place on March 5 at the University’s School of Pharmacy.

Students from the Class of 2018 successfully sponsored a community meal with Hands On Hartford. Their class funds supplied and fed 60+ individuals from the Hartford area at the soup kitchen on Church Street. We’re thankful to have our students show compassionate service to our profession and communities.

Almalki O, Levine AR, Turner E, Newman K, DeMoya M, Lee J, Bitter E, Lin H. “Reducing time to antibiotic administration in septic SICU patients: pre and post intervention.” SCCM Conference, 45th Critical Care Congress. February 20-24, 2016 Orlando, FL. Weeda ER, Coleman CI, Fermann GF, Peacock WF, McGrath D, Tanner C, Crivera C, Schein JR, Kohn CG. “External validation of prognostic rules for in-hospital post-pulmonary embolism mortality: Assessment of a claims-based and three clinicalbased approaches.” Society of Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting 2016. March 6-9, 2016, San Diego, CA Shalaby R, Ghoneim OM, Khalil A. “Computer-aided Design and Synthesis of N-aryl and heteroarylpiperazine Derivatives as Dual Serotonergic Antagonists for Autism Treatment”, poster presentation at Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference, March 22-23, 2016.

Bill A, Goldstein S, Ghoneim OM. “Hands-on Experiment to Enhance Student Learning on Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution Reaction.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, Western New England University, April 2, Springfield, MA. Orzechowski K and Gayakwad S. “Solid dispersions - A Smart Formulation Strategy for Enhancing Solubility of Poorly Water Soluble Drugs.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, Western New England University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. Copeland SA and Slauson SR. “Expanding a nitrogen bridge on epibatidine compounds to aide in smoking cessation.”

Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, WNE University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. Walicki JA and Slauson SR. “Rate studies of n-protected pyrroles for the synthesis of epibatidine derivatives.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, WNE University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. 37

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Calderon L and Sweezy MA. “Characterization of the cell growth inhibitory mechanism of methyl n- phthalimidooxy2-methylacrylate.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, Western New England University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. ermano O and Sweezy MA. “The biochemical activities of rad51 paralogs rad55 and rad57.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, WNE University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. Kowalski T and Sweezy MA. “The role of the rad52 family recombination mediator proteins in homologous recombination repair in the fission yeast schizosaccharomyces pombe.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, WNE University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA. Stoj AM and Slauson SR. “Investigation of epibatidine analogs to increase nicotinic subtype selectivity.” Poster Presentation, ECSC 2016, WNE University, April 2, 2016, Springfield, MA.

Publications

Tainter CR, Levine AR, Quraishi SA, Butterly AD, Stahl DL, Eikermann M, Kaafarani HM, Lee J. “Noise Levels in Surgical ICUs Are Consistently Above Recommended Standards.” Crit Care Med. 2016 Jan;44(1):147-52.

Rozjabek HM, Coleman CI, Weeda ER, Peacock WF, Fermann GJ, Crivera C, Schein JR, Kohn CG. “Effect of vital sign measurement timing on Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) and simplified PESI 30-day mortality risk determination.”

Thromb Res. 2016 Feb 15;141:8-10.

Diaby V, Ali AA, Adunlin G, Kohn CG, Montero AJ. “Parameterization of a disease progression simulation model for sequentially treated metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients.” Curr Med Res Opin. 2016 March 2:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Snyder DJ and Matusik FB. “Rivaroxaban-induced serum sickness after total knee arthroplasty.” Am J Health Syst Pharm 2015; 72:1567-1571 doi:10.2146/ajhp140549.

Szollosi DE, Ghoneim OM, Edafiogho IO, Ofosu JR. “Developing Pharmacy Student Empathy Using Mock HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Regimens: A Learning Activity. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning,” Volume 8, issue 2, January, 2016, DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2015.12.013.

Kohn CG, Peacock WF, Fermann GJ, Bunz TJ, Crivera C, Schein JR, Coleman CI. “External validation of the In-hospital Mortality for PulmonAry embolism using Claims daTa (IMPACT) multivariable prediction rule.” Int J Clin Pract. 2015 Nov 17.

Masocha W, Kombian SB, Edafiogho IO. “Evaluation of the antinociceptive activities of enaminone compounds on the formalin and hot plate tests in mice.” Sci. Rep. 6, 21582; doi: 10.1038/srep21582 (2016).

Coleman CI, Freemantle N, Kohn CG. “Ranolazine for the treatment of chronic stable angina: a cost-effectiveness analysis from the UK perspective.” BMJ Open. 2015 Nov 6;5(11):e008861.

Coleman CI, Kohn CG, Crivera C, Schein JR, Peacock WF. “Validation of the multivariable In-hospital Mortality for PulmonAry embolism using Claims data (IMPACT) prediction rule within an all-payer inpatient administrative claims database.” BMJ Open. 2015 Oct 28;5(10):e009251.

Ray A, Malin D, Nicolau DP, Wiskirchen DE. “Antibiotic Tissue Penetration in Diabetic Foot Infections.” J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 2015:105(6): 520-531.

Kohn CG, Peacock FW, Fermann GJ, Bunz TJ, Crivera C, Shein JR, Coleman CI. “External validation of the In-hospital Mortality for PulmonAry embolism using Claims daTa (IMPACT) multi38

variable prediction rule.” Int J Clin Pract. 2016 Jan; 70 (1):82-8

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