FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee has announced that it will hold two meetings (!) between now and year-end to consider recommending several bulk drug substances to the 503A Bulks List. read more →
There’s been plenty of coverage of Eli Lilly’s announcement this week that it will sell vials of Zepbound directly to consumers at a discount. But the company seems to have left out a few important caveats. read more →
The Hill published an editorial by Dr. Kenneth McCall titled “Fake, unsafe weight-loss drugs are a worsening public health dilemma” in which he makes unfounded claims about pharmacy compounding. Here’s the response from our CEO. read more →
We’ve added a new session to the Compounders on Capitol Hill lineup. Don’t miss the discussion of what’s on many a compounder’s (and regulators’ … and reporters’...) mind. read more →
The voice for pharmacy compounding | January 14, 2022
APC appreciates the substantive support we receive from Medisca. Medisca has renewed its commitment as an APC Platinum Level Corporate Patron for 2022 (a $60,000 investment that includes an unlimited license to use compounding.com as the URL for our Campaign to Save Compounded Hormones).
We’re grateful to our friends at Medisca!
From APC’s President
Keeping the world safe for compounding
David J. Miller, RPh
APC President
During the First World War, James Montgomery Flagg created 46 “Uncle Sam” posters to bolster recruiting efforts for the U.S. Armed Forces. The country faced great peril and threat, but rallied together to fight and ultimately defeat that threat.
If you are an APC member, thank you. And if you are a member, I WANT YOU to recruit your technicians and fellow compounders to join. (I include APC membership as part of my technicians’ compensation package.) It is inexpensive and they appreciate the increased professionalism it imparts on their position.
If you are not an APC member, I WANT YOU to join APC. And when you join, would you consider encouraging all of your technicians to join as well?
As I enter my year serving as president of APC, I have a simple platform: Increase membership in an effort to strengthen our advocacy efforts and footprint on the national stage. It may be a bit over dramatic to compare the threats we face as a compounding profession with the threats faced by the world in 1914. Nonetheless, threats remain.
The very nature of our profession is under attack. We face threats to cBHT, threats to veterinary compounding, and threats to topical pain relief gels — to name a few. The only way to stem these threats is to fight. And as you all know, the more participants in the fight, the better your chances of victory.
I WANT YOU to help me defend the profession we love and which serves our patients in unique ways. Please help me and increase our membership in APC throughout 2022.
David Miller is APC’s president and the managing co-owner of Keystone Compounding Pharmacy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. You can reach him at drdave@keystonepharm.com.
This Week
Help us get this message to prescribers
You probably know that USP is considering restrictions on beyond-use dates for many compounded medications. But the prescribers you work may NOT be aware of those proposed changes — and they absolutely need to.
That’s why NCPA and APC are co-hosting a free, 30-minute virtual briefing on January 20 especially for the providers you work with — the physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who prescribe compounded medications for their patients.
We need your help reaching our to them. We don’t have their email addresses, so we’re counting on YOU to make them aware of the briefing and urge them to participate.
PLEASE put the image below in your email signature for the next few days (just right click to save it) and link it to https://A4PC.org/budbriefing — to guide prescribers to the webinar!
USP has set a January 31 deadline for comments on its proposals, so the faster we can get the message out, the better!
Where did our mojo go?
Last year, in a very short time, you helped raise $1.5 million that we parlayed into a campaign that reached 25 million Americans and helped educate policymakers about FDA’s threat to restrict compounded hormones.
That threat has not gone away. But it’s looking like our mojo has.
Since the mid-November launch of fundraising for Phase Two of the campaign — in which we need to raise $850,000 PDQ to continue the work — contributions have only trickled in. Our campaign is at a standstill until we have raised at least half the needed amount and can begin the new digital ad placements that will be aimed at prescribers.
Look, we know it’s tough out there right now. Many of you are inundated with COVID prevention and patient care work. You’re short-staffed. You’re frustrated and tired. We do appreciate all you’re doing.
If you’ve given to Phase Two of our Campaign to Save Compounded Hormones already, THANK YOU. But if you have not, please do — just as soon as you can come up for air, that is.
Please take this small business survey?!
What kinds of challenges are you facing as an independent business? APC is working with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and the Small Business Rising coalition on their annual survey — we want to know about issues like health care costs, access to financing, and the market power of dominant competitors such as Amazon.
Would you please take 10 to 20 minutes to complete the survey? Your input will help strengthen advocacy efforts on behalf of smaller businesses — the data we generate will inform members of Congress, journalists, and community leaders about the issues you face. (And of course it will be available to you, too.)
The survey is confidential, nationwide, and includes input from thousands of diverse businesses.
“Best practices” is more than a catchphrase. For your compounding business it’s your best protection and the center of your business strategy.
This year’s EduCon 2022 — two days of virtual education — is all about those best practices, with sessions designed to keep you and your team efficient and compliant, including…
Critical updates on USP <795> and <797> BUDs with PCCA Chief Scientific Officer Gus Bassani and National Home Infusion Association CEO Connie Sullivan
BUDs & Stability Studies Under the Proposed New USP Chapters with Mindy Cormier, advanced clinical and formulation pharmacist for LP3 Network
USP: Minor Chapters, Major Impacts with Brian Kelley, director of business development for ARL BioPharma
And more:
Preparing for a DEA inspection
Using the Code of Ethics as a compliance strategy
How (and why) to implement pharmacogenomic testing
Veterinary compounding considerations to … you know, consider
With a total of 11 hours of (continuing) education, EduCon is your key to a well-run compounding operation. Don’t miss it!
EduCon 2022 Virtual: Best Practices in Compounding is February 3-4, 2022, presented by APC and the Ohio Pharmacists Association. It’s the smart way to ensure your team has the expertise it needs to practice with high competence and integrity.
September 14–15, 2022 — APC’s Compounders on Capitol Hill 2022, Washington, DC — TENTATIVE
APC is committed to addressing any concerns or complaints within one business day. Please send them — and, of course, any compliments — to info@a4pc.org.
