Earn Up to Five CE Hours at NABP's 100th Annual Meeting

March 29, 2004 12:00 AM

Attendees to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy®'s (NABP®'s) 100th Annual Meeting and Centennial Celebration, "NABP 100 Years: Building a Regulatory Foundation for Patient Safety," held April 24-27, 2004, at The Fairmont Chicago in Chicago, IL, will have the opportunity to earn up to five continuing education (CE) hours. Over two days of CE programming, attendees can choose from sessions that focus on such topics as drug importation, the improvement of the practice of pharmacy for America's patients, Canadian standards for the investigation of Internet/Online pharmacies, and the treatment of hypertension.

Monday, April 26 — CE Sessions

To kick off the CE programming on Monday, April 26, from 8:30 to 10:30 AM, NABP has assembled a Joint CE Programming panel discussion entitled Drug Importation: A Public Policy Discussion, sponsored by Merck & Co, Inc. The panel will consist of Michael J. Albano, former mayor of Springfield, MA; Joseph L. Bast, president of The Heartland Institute; Rebecca H. Deschamps, executive director of the Montana Board of Pharmacy; and Ronald Guse, registrar of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association. This program will attempt to view and discuss drug importation from a public policy perspective. Former Mayor Albano, who implemented a Canadian drug importation program for the city employees and retirees of Springfield, will provide insight on his experiences with his drug importation program. Joseph Bast is the president and chief executive officer of The Heartland Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan center for public policy research located in Chicago, IL, which held a national symposium on drug importation in October 2003. Executive Director Rebecca Deschamps recently worked to regulate online pharmacies in Montana to curb the proliferation of rogue Internet pharmacies. She also received the support of Food and Drug Administration when she filed a petition for injunctive relief against the proprietor Rx Depot, which ultimately resulted in the closing of the company. Finally, the Canadian viewpoint will be represented by Ronald Guse, who, as the registrar of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, ensures that members of the Association adhere to its mission of protecting the public interest in the area of pharmaceutical practice in Manitoba. Participants can earn 0.20 continuing education units (CEUs), or 2.0 contact hours, by attending this session.

After the Joint CE Programming session, attendees will have a choice of three CE sessions to attend from 10:45 AM to 12:15 PM. During this session, which is geared toward board of pharmacy executive officers and board members, Thomas R. Clark, RPh, MHS, director of Policy and Advocacy for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists will discuss how pharmacy services for a senior citizen in a nursing home differs from pharmacy services in a traditional community pharmacy setting, the impact of the new Medicare drug benefit, and other topics during Improving the Practice of Pharmacy for America's Patients, sponsored by Cephalon, Inc. Participants can earn 0.15 CEUs, or 1.5 contact hours, by attending this session.

Also in this time slot, featured speakers Ronald Guse, registrar at the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, and Barbara A. Wells, executive director of the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, will speak to board of pharmacy compliance officers on the investigation challenges, procedures, and processes for the International Prescription Service Pharmacies operating in Canada; the identification of the legal challenges in developing standards and enforcement issues; and the gaps in existing standards for patient care, confidentiality of personal information, and delivery of patient care at a distance during Canadian Standards for the Investigation of Internet/Online Pharmacies, which is sponsored by Roche. Participants will earn 0.15 CEUs, or 1.5 contact hours.

The third session from which attendees can choose on Monday, April 26, is JNC VII Update on the Treatment of Hypertension. This session is intended for those who practice pharmacy. Dr Carmita A. Coleman, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, Division of Clinical and Administrative Sciences at Hampton University, will discuss the new features and key messages of the recently released JNC VII Report, including the classification and management of hypertension among adults, and the identification of the pharmacist's role in hypertension management through the use of case scenarios. This session is sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Group. Participants can earn 0.15 CEUs, or 1.5 contact hours, by attending this session.

Tuesday, April 27 — Joint CE Session

The last CE session during the Annual Meeting, from 9 to 10:30 AM, will be the Joint CE Programming session entitled Error Reporting Systems: New Directions led by Dr Bruce L. Lambert, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Administration and clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Sponsored by Medco Health Solutions, Inc, the objectives of this session include the comparison and contrast of a culture of safety with a culture of blame, the identification of the six core principles of patient safety reporting systems, and the identification of three key obstacles to the widespread adoption of non-punitive error reporting systems. This session gives attendees 0.15 CEUs, or 1.5 contact hours.

To learn more about the 100th Annual Meeting continuing educational programming, call the NABP Meetings Desk at 847/698-6227 or visit the Association's Web site at www.nabp.net.

Renee Renganathan