{"id":3918,"date":"2022-02-18T10:41:31","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T15:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/a4pc.org\/?p=3918"},"modified":"2022-04-29T10:42:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T14:42:29","slug":"cc-february-18-2022-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whizkid.com\/a4pc\/2022-02\/cc-february-18-2022-2\/","title":{"rendered":"CC: February 18, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Masthead\"<\/p>\n

The voice for pharmacy compounding | February 18, 2022<\/p>\n

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\"Our<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u27a4 From APC\u2019s President<\/h1>\n

SWOT \u2014 Part 2<\/h2>\n

Last week, I introduced the concept of SWOT and what it means to APC as an organization. Let\u2019s journey together further in this analysis as it pertains to APC.<\/p>\n

The \u201cS\u201d in SWOT stands for strength.<\/em><\/p>\n

YOU<\/em> are APC\u2019s greatest strength. I have never had the pleasure of knowing a group of professionals more dedicated to a profession \u2014 our<\/em> profession \u2014 than the members of APC.<\/p>\n


\nDavid J. Miller, RPh
\nAPC President<\/p>\n

You are committed to your profession<\/strong>. I talk with hundreds of pharmacists and technicians every year. When I ask a chain pharmacist, \u201cHow do you like your profession?\u201d in almost every case they say, \u201cI hate it!\u201d<\/p>\n

When I ask APC members \u201cHow do you<\/em> like your profession,\u201d I have never been told, \u201cI wish I could do something else.\u201d In every case, the response is, \u201cI absolutely love what I do.\u201d You are fired up and you bring your passion and commitment to your patients and our organization.<\/p>\n

Your patients are passionate about customized medications.<\/strong> They support your strength. When you compound prazosin and recommend epsom salt baths for an abused seven-year-old foster child with PTSD, that mom is eternally grateful. She\u2019ll stand up and help you fight your fights. When you compound a 55-year-old\u2019s hormone replacement therapy and it saves their marriage, that gratitude cannot be expressed by words.<\/p>\n

You are compassionate<\/strong>. You care for your patients and always have their best interests in mind. You love your patients and they love you.<\/p>\n

You are nimble<\/strong>. You continue to look for ways to solve your patients\u2019 unique health challenges. When a manufacturer cannot make a drug, you are there. When a doctor cannot formulate a solution to a patient\u2019s health challenge, you are there \u2014 and you succeed.<\/p>\n

YOU<\/em> are APC\u2019s greatest strength. Everything we do, we do because you are a member. Thank you!<\/p>\n

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David Miller<\/strong> is APC\u2019s president and the managing co-owner of Keystone Compounding Pharmacy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. You can reach him at drdave@keystonepharm.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u27a4 This Week<\/h1>\n

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Please note<\/strong>: APC\u2019s offices will be closed<\/em> this coming Monday, February 21, in honor of Nova Scotia Heritage Day (and Presidents Day).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta-analysis contradicts faulty NASEM report<\/h2>\n

There is simply no evidence that compounded hormones pose an increased clinical risk compared to FDA-approved products. That is the unambiguous conclusion of a paper published in the prestigious Menopause: Journal of The North American Menopause Society<\/em> (online now, in print in April or May).<\/p>\n

The paper, \u201cSafety and efficacy of compounded bioidentical hormone therapy (cBHT) in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women<\/a>\u201d examined 40 articles covering 29 trials that compared cBHT with factory-made hormone products. (Disclosure: APC board member A.J. Day is one of the paper\u2019s seven authors.)<\/p>\n

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The result: In the few cases where there was<\/em> enough data, the review found cBHT \u201cis not associated with adverse changes.\u201d This casts further doubt on the accuracy of the report from the National Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine on the same issue \u2014 a report based on far less data.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the kind of comprehensive review we would have expected from NASEM,\u201d said APC CEO Scott Brunner, cae<\/span>. \u201cInstead, NASEM looked at 13 studies that focused on only four hormones, and yet it somehow reached a conclusion \u2014 \u2018all compounded hormones are dangerous\u2019 \u2014 that\u2019s entirely unsupported by evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it was<\/em> supported by, as we\u2019ve shown thanks to a 2021 FOIA request<\/a>, were FDA\u2019s marching orders.<\/p>\n

You might think that, when real evidence comes to light, FDA might reassess its position while it gathers actual evidence. Instead, well, read on\u2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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FDA doubles down on NASEM report<\/h2>\n

Lest you think FDA\u2019s threat to restrict compounded hormones based on the deeply flawed NASEM report was idle talk, consider this letter the agency sent last week to 22 members of Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The letter was in response to those representatives\u2019 December 14 letter<\/a> to Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock \u2014 a letter expressing concern the agency\u2019s implicit threat to restrict compounded hormones.<\/p>\n

Based on the response, FDA appears to be doubling down on its earlier statement that it would base its next steps on the NASEM report, despite that report\u2019s documented bias, conflicts of interest, and lack of scientific rigor.<\/p>\n

To be clear, this is bad news. With FDA leaning in to the NASEM report as basis for restrictions on compounded hormones, our effort to engage patients, prescribers, and more members of Congress is even more urgent.<\/p>\n

APC\u2019s goal is to raise $850,000 in 2022 for the Campaign to Save Compounded Hormones<\/a> to pay for stakeholder outreach, to engage practitioners in the effort, to expand compounding.com, and to help spread information through a variety of media channels. Thus far, we\u2019ve raised about $300,000 toward that goal.<\/p>\n

Help protect your patients\u2019 access to cBHT \u2014 help stop FDA\u2019s misguided effort. Support the Campaign to Save Compounded Hormones<\/a>. And remember, through the month of February Topi-Click will match any new contribution, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Give<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Having trouble recruiting staff? Retaining them?<\/h2>\n

You\u2019re not alone. Attracting and keeping good employees isn\u2019t rocket science, but it\u2019s not always obvious \u2026 or else everyone would do it.<\/p>\n

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At APC\u2019s 2022 Owner Summit, keynoter Allison Linney will show you the keys to building a culture where people not only want to work for you, but want to stay<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Join compounding pharmacy owners from across the country in Scottsdale, March 24 to 26, for the most important and useful event all year.<\/p>\n

\"Owner<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We call this the CompPAC Challenge<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s a great reason to invite your member of Congress on a pharmacy or facility tour: Have your donation to their campaign doubled.<\/p>\n

It works like this:<\/p>\n