MPARX

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mpaadmin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:07:51 +0000

2012 Spring Convention & Trade Show

April 27-29, 2012
Hilton Garden Inn
Freeport, ME

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DEA Moves to Emergency Control Synthetic Stimulants

mpaadmin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:38:26 +0000

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is using its emergency scheduling authority to temporarily control three synthetic stimulants (Mephedrone , 3,4 methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and Methylone). This action was necessary to protect the public from the imminent hazard posed by these dangerous chemicals. Except as authorized by law, this action will make possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the U.S. for at least one year while the DEA and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) further study whether these chemicals should be permanently controlled.
A Notice of Intent to temporarily control was published in the Federal Register today to alert the public to this action. This alert is required by law as part of the Controlled Substances Act. In 30 days or more, DEA intends to publish in the Federal Register a Final Order to temporarily control these chemicals for at least 12 months, with the possibility of a six-month extension. The final order will be published in the Federal Register and will designate these chemicals as Schedule I substances, the most restrictive category, which is reserved for unsafe, highly abused substances with no currently accepted medical use in the United States.
“This imminent action by the DEA demonstrates that there is no tolerance for those who manufacture, distribute, or sell these drugs anywhere in the country, and that those who do will be shut down, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “DEA has made it clear we will not hesitate to use our emergency scheduling authority to control these dangerous chemicals that pose a significant and growing threat to our nation.”
Over the past few months, there has been a growing use of, and interest in, synthetic stimulants sold under the guise of “bath salts” or “plant food”. Marketed under names such as “Ivory Wave”, “Purple Wave”, “Vanilla Sky” or “Bliss”, these products are comprised of a class of chemicals perceived as mimics of cocaine, LSD, MDMA, and/or methamphetamine. Users have reported impaired perception, reduced motor control, disorientation, extreme paranoia, and violent episodes. The long-term physical and psychological effects of use are unknown but potentially severe. These products have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults, and are sold at a variety of retail outlets, in head shops and over the Internet. However, they have not been approved by the FDA for human consumption or for medical use, and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process.

In the last six months, DEA has received an increasing number of reports from poison centers, hospitals and law enforcement regarding products containing one or more of these chemicals. Thirty-three states have already taken action to control or ban these or other synthetic stimulants. The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to allow the DEA Administrator to temporarily schedule an abused, harmful, non-medical substance in order to avoid an imminent hazard to public safety while the formal rule-making procedures described in the CSA are being conducted.

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Landmark Compounding Court Decision Issued

mpaadmin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:26:21 +0000

This morning on September 12, 2011, Judge Timothy Corrigan of the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued his ruling in US v. Franck’s Lab, Inc. This lawsuit, brought by the Food & Drug Administration against IACP member Paul Franck and his pharmacy, alleged that the use of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in compounding veterinary preparations for non-food producing animals was illegal. The FDA stated in its case that Franck’s Lab, Inc. – and all other pharmacists involved in compounding veterinary preparations with APIs – were in direct violation of AMDUCA, the FDA’s CPG, and the entire Food Drug and Cosmetic Act because those preparations are “new drugs” and subject to FDA review and approval.
The FDA lost.
Paul Franck and compounding pharmacy were victorious!
The ruling is a huge “win” for compounders. Not only does it clearly refute the FDA’s attempts to exert unauthorized jurisdiction over compounding, it is sharply critical of the FDA’s approach towards veterinary compounding in particular.
“Not only did Judge Corrigan correctly rule that Congress never intended the FDA to prohibit the use of APIs in veterinary compounding, he also clearly stated what IACP has said for years – the FDA does not have jurisdiction over the traditional practice of pharmacy compounding. That is the sole authority of the state Boards of Pharmacy,” said IACP President John Herr. “Even more important to IACP members is Judge Corrigan’s outright dismissal of the FDA’s arguments that compounds prepared for an individual patient on the order of that patient’s prescriber are ‘new drugs’ and should be subject to FDA’s oversight.”
“For more than six years, IACP has worked with our supporters and allies in Congress to have the FDA address its ill-founded 2003 Compliance Policy Guideline on veterinary compounding,” explained David Miller, IACP Executive Vice President & CEO. “Multiple Congressional inquiries, letters, phone calls… all of them ignored by a regulatory agency so sure of its ‘rightness’ in claiming that compounders were violating laws. Well, today, they were proven wrong by the courts. The tireless efforts of our members and our staff, the courage of Paul Franck to fight the FDA itself, and the commitment of IACP to its mission of the art and science of compounding has paid off.”
Judge Corrigan’s ruling cites a number of landmark court cases and decisions affecting IACP members in addition to addressing the specific issue of APIs in veterinary compounding. The document numbers more than 80 pages and provides an exceptional summary of the case as well as the FDA’s attempts to grant itself authority that Congress never intended it to have. IACP will be providing additional information about the specific points in the ruling as part of our regular communications to members.

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MPA Looking for Administrative Assistant

mpaadmin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:49:32 +0000

The Maine Pharmacy Association (MPA), the oldest state pharmacy association in the country, is seeking an energetic, highly motivated individual to provide the office support for the organization. Initially this is a part-time, 20-hour per week position working out of the candidate’s home.

The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for providing all clerical support to the organization and directors. The position requires an ability to operate a variety of office machines and equipment; utilize proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and arrangement of information on all correspondence; input, retrieve, download, merge, and output information from software programs and systems; create and maintain membership information; plan, organize, and make sound judgment and decisions; handle multiple tasks and priorities; communicate effectively; maintain the confidentiality of information; order and maintain supplies; prepare professional correspondence; maintain all necessary files and records; and assist in the organization and hosting of the annual MPA meetings. It is anticipated that for the first couple years the administrative assistant will perform the duties of the office primarily from his/her own home office.

Highly qualified applicants would be expected to have any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities and have a minimum of at least two years of full-time secretarial work experience. A working knowledge of Microsoft Office is required. Qualified applicants must be a high school graduate or equivalent. Previous experience with data base entry is desirable but not required. At least two years of full-time secretarial work experience is required.

A letter of application along with resume and the names and contact information of three references can be sent to:

Christopher Gauthier
Executive Director
Maine Pharmacy Association
PO Box 174
Turner, Maine 04282

Electronic submissions to cgauthierrph@gmail.com are encouraged. Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Anticipated start date for this position is October 1, 2011.

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Sponsorship Opportunities

mpaadmin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:44:49 +0000

Corporate Memberships:
$1000.00 per year gets you space at our annual trade show, golf hole sponsorship at our annual golf tournament, exposure to all licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, & direct link to your webpage on our website.
Click Here to sign up for Corporate Membership

Website banner advertising:

100 pixel x 100 pixel web badge pointing to your website: $100.00/month

200 pixel x 300 pixel web badge pointing to your website: $250.00/ month

Click Here to Print & Mail Website Sponsorship form

Convention Sponsorship:

We offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities at all of our conventions. Sponsorships range from breaks and breakfasts, to speakers, lunches, and banquet sponsorships. All levels of sponsorship are recognized in our convention packets and your company or group is featured to our attendees.

Click Here to Print & Mail Convention Sponsorship Form

Golf Tournament Hole Sponsorship:
Make sure that your company is seen by sponsoring a hole at our annual golf tournament. Not only will your company or group be mentioned in our tournament packet, but your sign will be seen by every golfer on the course. Now that is exposure!

Click Here to Print & Mail MPA Golf Sponsor Form

Click below to purchase your vendor table for the Trade Show:

The MPA office can generate an invoice that can be paid with any major credit card. Email us for more information!
Click Here to Email Executive Director and be Invoiced for any of the above Sponsorship Opportunities.

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MPA writes Senator Collins — Urges level playing field with TRICARE mail order

mpaadmin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:11:29 +0000

Click below to read what you association had to say to Senator Susan Collins with regards to TRICARE. Your association is dedicated to a level playing field between mail order and community pharmacies.
Senator Collins Letter

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2011 Spring Convention & Trade Show Presentations

mpaadmin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 19:03:43 +0000

MPA Business Meeting 2011 Spring
medical_marijuana_update 5-20-11
Chapter 21 Use of Controlled Substances
MedicationAdherenceandCompliance
MICIS_Antiplatelet_presentation_I
ME_PMP_Update_MPA_20110520
MICIS_Diabetes_presentation_I_edited(2)
HIV101-Part1
HIV101-Part2
Immunization – MPA – Spring 2011
Pharmacy Robbery Presentation
Robbery handout
So what exactly is IPPE

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Pictures from the 2011 Spring Convention & Trade Show!

mpaadmin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:09:55 +0000

MPARX Image Gallery. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

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Board of Directors Meeting Minutes & Financial Information – April 2011

mpaadmin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:38:42 +0000

Click Here to View the MPA Minutes for March 2011

Click here to View the April 2011 Financial Statements

Click Here to View the April 2011 Maine Board of Pharmacy Report

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Maine Government Affairs Report

mpaadmin — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:21:42 +0000

This has been an extremely busy session for Maine law makers and the government affairs people and lobbyists that follow the bills. For pharmacy, I would estimate this session has been as busy as all the previous three years combined. Both last and this week were good examples of that.

Public Hearings

On Wednesday, May 4th…also known as “Super Wednesday” to our pharmacy legislative group, eight (8) bills received a Public Hearing with six (6) of those bills directly or indirectly relating to pharmacy practice in Maine. I wrote and provided testimony on all six of the following bills:

LD612, “An Act to Provide Reimbursement for Medication Therapy Management Services” (Support)

Would allow pharmacists to charge for MTM services.

LD1116, “An Act to Restore Market-Based Competition for Pharmacy Benefit Management Services” (Opposed)

Would repeal Maine’s PBM regulatory law.

LD1364, “An Act to Improve the Quality and Reduce the Cost of Health Care” (Neither for nor against)

AKA the 340b bill…would allow 340b qualified pharmacies to provide drugs to certain medicaid patients on a

voluntary basis.

LD1406, “An Act Regarding the Scope of Services That May be Provided by Pharmacies Owned by Hospitals” (Opposed)

Testimony was provided on behalf of one client (not MPA or MSHP). The bill would allow hospital pharmcies, not licensed by the board of pharmacy, to service skilled nursing facilities owned by the hospitals.

LD1485, “An Act to Promote Transparency in the Medicaid Reimbursement Process” (Support)

This bill allows for a 60-day comment period when MAC prices would be changed, resulting in a reduction of reimbursement.

LD1487, “An Act to Assist Maine Pharmacies” (Support)

Basically a positive re-write of the Maine Pharmacy Practices Act…enhancing Maine’s PBM law. (Support)

Work Sessions

On the following Wednesday, May 11, Work Sessions were conducted on all pharmacy bills that were heard the week before. The results are as follows:

LD612, “An Act to Provide Reimbursement for Medication Therapy Management Services”

This bill will be “Carried Over” until the next legislative session in January…the committee feeling that it needed more information and statistics to move forward with the legislation.

LD1116, “An Act to Restore Market-Based Competition for Pharmacy Benefit Management Services” (Opposed)

The committee passed this bill much to our concern…repealing Maine’s PBM law (regulations) that had been in place since 2003.

LD1364, “An Act to Improve the Quality and Reduce the Cost of Health Care” (Neither for nor against)

This complex bill was also “Carried Over” to the next session…the committee feeling that it needed more information before moving ahead (or not) on this legislation.

LD1406, “An Act Regarding the Scope of Services That May be Provided by Pharmacies Owned by Hospitals” (Opposed)

The committee, after a lengthy discussion, voted a split decision (6-5) Aught Not to Pass the bill. Both the author of the bill and I were called up to provide additional infomation to the committee before their vote.

LD1485, “An Act to Promote Transparency in the Medicaid Reimbursement Process” (Support)

This bill was voted “Aught to Pass” as amended, allowing for a 17-day comment which was the result of a compromise with DHHS. All in all much better than we have now, no comment period where DHHS drops MAC prices any time.

LD1487, “An Act to Assist Maine Pharmacies” (Support)

The committee voted “Aught Not to Pass“, effectively wiping out the hope of any PBM regulation in Maine.

Summary

This was a day of mixed emotions for our pharmacy legislative group…two bills (LD612 and LD1364) carried over…wins on LD1406 and LD1485 and big disappointments on LD1116 and LD1487, the committee voting to support big, out-of-state corporations VS Maine pharmacy, something we did not think would happen in this session.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Morrissette

Government Affairs Liaison

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