New Upcoming Pharmacogenomics Training—April 27-28 in Irvine, Ca.

2017-03-03T11:06:27-05:00Categories: Article|Tags: , |

Don’t miss a new opportunity to participate in an innovative education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine. Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy, in partnership with NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh, is hosting a Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program on April 27-28, in Irvine, Ca.

The certificate program is designed to enhance pharmacist skills to help to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine at the right dose using genetic test results.

Don’t wait, because there is no guarantee that participants will be able to use their personal genetic information during this training if their testing kit is processed after the Wednesday, March 15 deadline. The fee is $295, which includes the cost of optional genetic testing, lunch the first day and breakfast on the second day.

Pharmacogenomics—an emerging field of study that combines pharmacology and genomics—aims to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The certificate program is designed to enhance pharmacist skills to help to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine at the right dose using genetic test results.

The certificate program is comprised of online home study modules and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing. The online home-study and the first day of live program equals 20 credit hours of pharmacogenomics educational content and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a Practice-based Continuing Pharmacy Education activity. In addition to the in-person aspect of the program, pharmacist participants will also learn how to administer the training to others during the “train-the-trainer” component of the course on the second day.

Register for the Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy program by March 15 to be sure you can use your personal genomic information! In addition, there is still time to register for the program at Duke University on April 10-11 in Durham, N.C. Register for the opportunity as soon as possible in order to increase the likelihood that genetic testing [ READ MORE ]

Don’t Miss a Cutting Edge Pharmacogenomics Program—Register by Feb. 27! Location: Duke University

2017-02-23T14:05:48-05:00Categories: Article|Tags: , |

Don’t miss an opportunity to participate in an innovative education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine. Duke University, in partnership with NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh, is hosting a Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program on April 10-11, 2017, in Durham, N.C.

Pharmacogenomics—an emerging field of study that combines pharmacology and genomics—aims to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup.

Don’t wait, because there is no guarantee that participants will be able to use their personal genetic information during this training if their testing kit is processed after the Monday, February 27 deadline. The fee is $295, which includes the cost of optional genetic testing, lunch the first day and breakfast on the second day.

Pharmacogenomics—an emerging field of study that combines pharmacology and genomics—aims to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The certificate program is designed to enhance pharmacist skills to help to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine at the right dose using genetic test results.

The certificate program is comprised of online home study modules and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing.  The online home-study and the first day of live program equals 20 credit hours of pharmacogenomics educational content and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a Practice-based Continuing Pharmacy Education activity. In addition to the in-person aspect of the program, pharmacist participants will also learn how to administer the training to others during the “train-the-trainer” component of the course on the second day.

Register by February 27 to be sure you can use your personal genomic information!

NACDS, University of Pittsburgh Extend Test2Learn Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program Well-received community pharmacy certificate program expands national tour to include three new locations in North Carolina, California and Ohio

2017-01-25T16:41:09-05:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: , |

Arlington, Va. – Building on the positive outcomes and engagement in the initial phase of the Test2LearnTM Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, today announced plans to expand the national tour to three new locations: Duke University in Durham, N.C., Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy located in Irvine, Calif., and The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

We are providing community pharmacy with an education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine.

Pharmacogenomics is an emerging field of study that combines pharmacology and genomics to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The certificate program is designed to enhance pharmacist skills to help to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine at the right dose using genetic test results.

NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy adapted Test2LearnTM from an innovative University platform that enables students to learn by using real genetic data in highly-interactive exercises. The certificate program is comprised of online home study modules and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing. In addition to the in-person aspect of the program, pharmacist participants will also learn how to administer the training to others during the “train-the-trainer” component of the course.

“We are providing community pharmacy with an education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine,” said NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “The inaugural Test2LearnTM tour generated a great deal of interest and positive feedback from participants and faculty, so we are delighted to be able to expand the tour to include additional locations in the Midwest, South and on the West Coast.”

Test2LearnTM teaches the principles of pharmacogenomics as well as its practical implications in disease states such as cardiology, oncology, neurology and infectious diseases, among others. It trains pharmacists to decipher genetic tests, translate that information, and make appropriate recommendations for the patient, including clinical decision making, interpretation of [ READ MORE ]

Senate Floor Update: Budget Amendment Results on Importation

2017-01-13T11:34:24-05:00Categories: Article|Tags: |

There was a close vote on drug importation on the Senate floor during Wednesday’s frenzied “vote-a-rama” as the Senate conducted budget resolution proceedings.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) offered an amendment to allow American individuals, pharmacists, and wholesalers to import drugs from Canada. NACDS weighed in through in-person lobbying and a letter to every Senate office, outlining concerns that allowing personal or wholesale importation of prescriptions drugs to the U.S. raises significant safety concerns. The non-binding amendment was ultimately not agreed to, with a vote of 46-52. Of interest, 13 Senate Democrats voted against the amendment, and 12 Senate Republicans voted for it.

NACDS will keep a close eye on this issue, especially given the narrow margin of the vote and shifting dynamics suggested by the cross-party voting.

NACDS Urges Senate to Prevent Consumer-Safety Risks of Prescription Drug Importation Maintains commitment to safer methods of expanding access to prescription medications in safe, affordable and effective ways

2017-01-10T08:36:23-05:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: |

Arlington, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) has written to all 100 U.S. Senators to articulate the perils of allowing importation of prescription drugs. NACDS made its case in anticipation of proposed amendments to the budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 3) that the Senate is considering this week.

Maintains commitment to safer methods of expanding access to prescription medications in safe, affordable and effective ways

NACDS described the ways in which importation undermines the prescription drug safety net, and noted additional risks that include increased chances of counterfeit, the lack of recall communications, and the lack of a consumer’s ability to talk with a pharmacist about the medications.

In the letters, NACDS wrote:

“NACDS shares the goal of reducing the cost of prescription drugs, including through the promotion of generic drugs as safe, cost-effective alternatives for many patients. In fact, increasing the use of generic drugs is one of the most effective ways to minimize prescription drug costs.  

“However, we do not believe that consumer safety can be ensured in any system that allows for the personal or commercial importation of prescription medications. The United States has an extensive safety net of federal and state laws to ensure that prescription drugs are manufactured, stored, shipped, dispensed and used in a safe manner. That safety net is eliminated, however, when prescription drugs are imported from foreign suppliers. 

“Drugs coming into the United States from foreign websites and mail order operations are not subject to U.S. regulation, nor are they subject to regulation in the country from which they originate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that it: ‘cannot ensure the safety and effectiveness of products that are not FDA-approved and come from unknown sources and foreign locations, or that may not have been manufactured under proper conditions. These unknowns put patients’ health at risk if they cannot be sure of the products identity, purity, and source. For these reasons, FDA recommends only obtaining medicines from legal sources in the U.S.’

“Additionally, the potential for counterfeit drugs being mailed into the U.S. from foreign Internet sites offering prescription drugs is very high. Further, if a [ READ MORE ]

NACDS Welcomes HHS-OIG Final Rule That Allows Medicare, Medicaid Patients to Access Pharmacy Reward Programs

2016-12-14T13:33:09-05:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: , , , |

Arlington, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is welcoming a final rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that will allow pharmacies greater flexibility to extend their popular reward and loyalty programs to beneficiaries in government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

This is a very positive step forward for pharmacy patient care, and a further recognition by a government agency of the tremendous value of pharmacies as the face of neighborhood healthcare and of the expanded innovative programs that pharmacies provide.

The final rule reflects OIG’s acceptance of several of NACDS’ suggestions for important improvements to the final rules. NACDS had submitted formal comments to OIG during the development of the rule to express strong support for it in concept and to convey revisions that would be necessary for the rule’s workability.

“NACDS advocated for this rule, and worked constructively to help enhance it, because it will allow government program beneficiaries to enjoy access to programs voluntarily implemented by pharmacies which reduce healthcare costs, improve quality, and promote patient health,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “This is a very positive step forward for pharmacy patient care, and a further recognition by a government agency of the tremendous value of pharmacies as the face of neighborhood healthcare and of the expanded innovative programs that pharmacies provide.”

Federal laws have blocked participation by government-program beneficiaries in these initiatives offered by pharmacies, even though these initiatives have been enjoyed by other patients for many years. Programs vary in their specific designs. They often include cost-savings or other rewards for filling prescriptions or engaging in other health-promotion programs, such as health screenings or strategies designed to enhance medication adherence – or taking medications as prescribed.

“Pharmacy programs affected by the proposed rule reduce healthcare costs, both for individual patients and for the healthcare system as a whole. At the same time, these pharmacy programs promote access to prescribed medications that are essential to maintaining patient health and wellness,” NACDS explained in its comments submitted during the regulatory process.

“Failure to take medications [ READ MORE ]

NACDS Supports Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin’s Innovative Project to Optimize Patient Care Community pharmacy based pilot helps expand pharmacists’ role in direct patient care services

2016-10-12T13:10:00-04:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: , , |

Arlington, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), in partnership with the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, today announced plans to move forward with a new practice model to improve patient access to quality and efficient care, and advance pharmacy in a broader healthcare setting.

The innovative pilot project, “Advancing Community Pharmacy Quality: Leveraging Tech-Check-Tech to Expand Patient Care Services in Community Pharmacies,” aims to promote better access to patient care. Specifically, the pilot will examine a new practice model that fosters collaboration across healthcare settings and employs an enhanced operational model. This new practice model holds promise in transforming the nation’s healthcare system to deliver better access to clinical care by leveraging health care resources in a smarter way while ensuring patient safety and high operating standards.

Key component of this model involves trained and validated pharmacy technicians completing the final check of a prescription filled by another technician, a pharmacy technician verification process known as tech-check-tech (TCT). This process allows pharmacists to reinvest the time saved by providing direct patient care services such as immunizations, disease state testing and medication therapy management, among others, which has a positive impact on overall patient outcomes.

“NACDS is pleased to partner with the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin on this project, which utilizes the full potential of pharmacists’ skills and shows great promise for improving patient access to care and healthcare outcomes,” said NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.  “Pharmacists are well-positioned to meet the growing demand for healthcare services, and this project provides a proving ground to demonstrate the collaborative role pharmacy is able to play in an evolving healthcare system.”

Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin Executive Vice President & CEO Christopher Decker, RPh, said, “The people of Wisconsin will benefit from greater access to patient care services and enhanced patient safety as a result of this pilot. The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin looks forward to partnering with community pharmacies as we implement and advance this exciting patient-care initiative.”

NACDS is supporting the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin with the pilot, which also includes collaboration with researchers from Concordia University. The Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board approved the pilot at their board meeting on September [ READ MORE ]

NACDS Co-Hosts Inaugural Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program with University of Pittsburgh

2016-10-06T12:57:01-04:00Categories: Photo|Tags: , |

NACDS co-hosted its inaugural Test2Learn™ Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program with the University of Pittsburgh last week. NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy adapted Test2Learn™ from an innovative University platform that enables students to learn by using real genetic data in highly-interactive exercises.

NACDS Begins Innovative Pharmacogenomics Program

2016-09-29T11:55:20-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: , |

NACDS co-hosted its inaugural Test2Learn Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program with the University of Pittsburgh this week. NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy adapted Test2Learn ™ from an innovative University platform that enables students to learn by using real genetic data in highly-interactive exercises.

There is currently a culture shift towards personalizing medicine, and we’re working in parallel with that shift by offering community pharmacy an education program to advance patient outcomes.

The certificate program includes online home study and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing. Participants engaged in the in-person aspect of the program, and also learned how to administer the training to others.

Pharmacogenomics is a relatively new field that combines pharmacology and genomics to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The Test2Learn ™ program is designed to ensure that pharmacists have the skills at the ground level to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine, but also at the right dose based on the patient’s genetic makeup.

While pharmacogenomics is not mainstream yet, NACDS Director of Pharmacy Affairs Jason Ausili, Pharm.D., said, “There is currently a culture shift towards personalizing medicine, and we’re working in parallel with that shift by offering community pharmacy an education program to advance patient outcomes.

Test2Learn™ teaches the principles of pharmacogenomics as well as its practical implications in disease states such as cardiology, oncology, neurology and infectious diseases, among others. It trains pharmacists to decipher genetic tests, translate that information, and make appropriate recommendations for the patient, including clinical decision making, interpretation of patient results, and counseling and collaboration with prescribers to help optimize patient medication regimens.

Based on the success of the inaugural program, additional tour dates and locations will be announced later this fall.

FDA Announced Class-Wide Drug Labeling Changes Warning of Risks of Combining Opioids and Anxiety Meds

2016-09-06T14:03:37-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: , |

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced class-wide drug labeling changes for opioid and benzodiazepine products on August 31 to help patients and doctors better understand the potentially life-threatening risks of combining anti-anxiety or sleep medications with prescription opioids.

The agency will now require boxed warnings—the FDA’s strongest warning—and patient-focused Medication Guides for prescription opioid analgesics, opioid-containing cough products, and benzodiazepines (nearly 400 products in total)…

The agency will now require boxed warnings—the FDA’s strongest warning—and patient-focused Medication Guides for prescription opioid analgesics, opioid-containing cough products, and benzodiazepines (nearly 400 products in total) with information about the serious risks associated with using these medications at the same time. Risks include extreme sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma and death.

The agency is taking this action after an extensive review of the latest scientific evidence revealed that physicians have been increasingly prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines together, which has raised the risk of adverse outcomes. From 2004 to 2011, the rate of emergency department visits involving non-medical use of both drug classes increased significantly, with overdose deaths (from taking prescribed or greater than prescribed doses) involving both drug classes nearly tripling during that period.

In the announcement, FDA stressed its commitment to collaborating with the healthcare community and federal and state partners—as underscored in NACDS-backed, bipartisan legislation signed into law this year, S. 483, the Ensuring Patient Access and Drug Enforcement—to help reduce opioid misuse and abuse and improve appropriate opioid prescribing, while ensuring that patients in pain continue to have appropriate access to opioid analgesics.

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