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At NABP's 99th Annual Meeting, Member Boards of Pharmacy Experience Comradeship and Education
New programs and interactive sessions successfully created an atmosphere of education and networking at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy®'s (NABP®) 99th Annual Meeting, themed "Continuing Professional Development: The Key to Your Future," May 3-7, 2003, at the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. The Association's member state boards of pharmacy not only networked and interacted with pharmacy organizations, educators, and industry representatives, but they furthered their educational and professional growth through continuing education (CE) and special programs focusing on today's hot topics.
This year, NABP effectively increased dialogue between its members with two new program opportunities. The presentation of poster sessions, whereby different boards of pharmacy displayed current topics of interest in the Educational Presentation Area on May 3 and 4, stimulated discussions about Board issues. Participating boards included the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, Maine Board of Pharmacy, Nebraska Board of Pharmacy, New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, North Carolina Board of Pharmacy, North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy, Virginia Board of Pharmacy, and Washington State Board of Pharmacy. Topics discussed were telepharmacy, delegated dispensing, small and specialty hospitals, and labeling for Hispanics. The other new program item at the Annual Meeting was the Meet the Candidates Session. At this time, voting delegates and attendees were able to learn more about those candidates who ran for open positions on the Executive Committee as well as their opinions on current issues.
The Annual Meeting also featured the Association's annual business sessions. During these sessions, meeting attendees elected members and officers to the Executive Committee and discussed resolutions proposed by the districts and member boards. Resolutions discussed included changing NABP's name, mandating continuing education on medication safety, limited access to prescription medication programs, changing role of pharmacists, reimportation of medications, easing pharmacist licensure transfer requirements, federal regulation of nutritional supplements containing ephedrine derivatives, and continuing pharmacy practice competency.
Attendees were able to earn up to six and a half hours of American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE)-approved CE credit on programs including continuing professional development, the new security regulations stemming from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, medication error data review, the regulation of listed chemicals, the return and reuse of medications in long-term care settings, substance abuse treatment, and recent regulatory cases heard by professional boards. Meeting participants had the option to choose from CE sessions in three programming tracks targeting board of pharmacy executive officers and members, compliance staff, and pharmacy practice issues.
Exciting and heated discussions included the accreditation equivalency of Canadian pharmacy programs led by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education and an update on foreign medications that was led by representatives of the Food and Drug Administration.
NABP is the independent, international, and impartial Association that assists its member boards and jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for the purpose of protecting the public health.
The Keynote Address was delivered by General Henry Hugh Shelton, past senior military advisor to President George W. Bush's administration and recipient of the United States Congressional Gold Medal, who spoke about the new war on terrorism that America faces.
Familiar sessions were the Public Board Member Session and the New Member Seminar with the first session providing a place for public members to meet and discuss topics of interest and the second acting as a forum for newly elected executive directors and/or representatives of the member state boards of pharmacy to gain a deeper understanding of the Association's programs and services.
Other special events included the President's Welcoming Reception honoring 2002-2003 NABP President John A. Fiacco, the NABP/USP Breakfast, and a tour of The Physick House and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Association's Annual Awards Dinner honored the efforts of NABP's president, honorary president, and the recipients of such prestigious awards as NABP's Lester E. Hosto Distinguished Service Award, Fred T. Mahaffey Award, and Henry Cade Industry Award.
The special Annual Meeting issue of the NABP Newsletter, to be released in mid-June 2003, includes the resolutions adopted by the Association membership; profiles of NABP's award recipients and the 2003-2004 Executive Committee; and the reports given by NABP's president, incoming president, treasurer, chairman, and executive director/secretary.
For more information about the 99th Annual Meeting or NABP, please contact the Meetings Desk at 847/698-6227, or visit the Association's Web site at www.nabp.net.
Courtney Karzen
