For two months now, APC has been marketing something called “CCH” – as if everybody and their brother knew exactly what we were referring to. But many of you may not be familiar with this event, and it occurs to us that some explanation might be helpful.

The following is to help you understand a bit about what happens during Compounders on Capitol Hill, Sept 19-20, and why it’s in your interest to attend.

What is it?

Compounders on Capitol Hill is also referred to as a fly-in. It’s where compounders across the nation “fly in” to Washington DC for meetings with their members of Congress.

Why can’t I just meet with them here at home?

You can. And we hope you will. But flying to DC to meet with your elected officials on their turf demonstrates a remarkable commitment to and passion for your compounding practice and the patients you serve. It tells members of Congress you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is and come to DC to get their attention. That makes them much more inclined to listen … and to act on your requests.

Sounds time-consuming.

It’s not. In fact, you’ll only need to be on the ground in DC for about 18 hours – about a day and a half. It’s only one overnight in a hotel for most attendees.

Okay, so what’s the program?

DAY ONE: Arrive by 11am or so on September 19, and participate in an afternoon of briefings on compounding’s priority advocacy issues – including two pieces of legislation we’ll be asking Congress to pass. You’ll also network, meet vendors, socialize, see your colleagues’ achievements recognized, and participate in events that are aimed at cultivating compounding champions in Congress.

DAY TWO: On September 20, you’ll head to Capitol Hill after breakfast to meet with your House member and two US senators and brief them on those priority issues you heard about the day before.

In about half or more of those meetings, it is the staffer of that elected official you’ll meet with, usually because the elected official has a conflict.

• You may be tempted to be disappointed if you have to meet with a staffer rather than the elected official himself or herself, but don’t be. It’s staffers who move policy forward, and meeting with them can often be just as productive as meeting with the elected official.

Uhhhh, I have no idea how up meetings with congresspeople.

Don’t sweat that part. APC schedules the meetings for you! After registering for CCH, you’ll receive a link to a short form for requesting your visits. Fill it out, then work to set your appointments. Your schedule will be sent out a few days before CCH begins, and you will use our conference app to keep track of where each appointment is and with whom you are meeting. (By the way, if your pharmacy has facilities in multiple jurisdictions, you can request meetings with the respective members of Congress where a facility is located, even if you are not a constituent.)

What happens during the meetings? What do I say?

Each meeting will be brief – usually 15-20 minutes. We’ll advise you on Tuesday how to maximize that limited time. It’s essential that you stay on point so that the elected official or staffer gets to hear the key points you are there to convey.

What are the issues?

The three main issues you’ll discuss are:

• The essential role of compounding pharmacies and outsourcing facilities in alleviating drug shortages, and how HR 167 will allow compounders to alleviate many temporary shortages.
• The ongoing threat to compounded hormone therapy.
• Legislation to eliminate the MOU and replace it with mandatory reporting requirements for compounding pharmacies that ship more than 50% of their production across state lines; and to implement a mandatory adverse event reporting framework for 503A compounding pharmacies.

Is there any follow-up I need to do after my meetings?

Yes. After each meeting you should send a follow-up email, thanking them for their time and reminding them briefly of the asks. You can share your notes from the meetings via the conference app (it’s quick and very easy!).

Ready to travel?

Great! Click here for the schedule and the registration link. We promise: Attending CCH 2023 will be the best thing you can do for your compounding practice this year. 

We hope to see you in DC this September 19-20!