NABP Compliance Officer Training Supports Indiana Board

August 4, 2010 2:36 PM

Originally published in the August 2010 NABP Newsletter

In support of Indiana Board of Pharmacy compliance operations, NABP provided Indiana Board compliance staff a one-day comprehensive training and education program in May 2010. The two-part training session began with an overview of inspections and investigations from a national perspective, followed by a detailed discussion of approaches for conducting investigations.
The national overview portion of the training presented information about the kinds of inspection resources available in other states, such as type and background of inspectors utilized from state to state. That portion also reviewed issues related to scope of authority in various states, including how the board’s authority with regard to inspections varies according to different state regulations.

The second portion of the training presented compliance officers with a variety of approaches and strategies for conducting investigations for pharmacies and wholesale drug distributors, including strategies for routine inspections, for cause investigations, and fraud investigations. This portion provided nuts-and-bolts advice for compliance officers ranging from how to conduct oneself when initiating an investigation, to how to read and respond to behavioral signals from pharmacy staff in order to aid an investigation, to ensuring one’s safety during an investigation.

Both portions of the training gave Indiana Board staff the opportunity to learn about various resources and strategies so that staff can determine which approaches are most appropriate for the situations Indiana compliance officers encounter. Further, NABP aimed to keep the training broad in scope so that Indiana Board staff can assess and utilize the information as it applies to its efforts to help Indiana pharmacies and wholesale drug distributors maintain compliance with state pharmacy regulations.

“NABP’s continued willingness to assist state boards of pharmacy by providing training resources and institutional knowledge allows the Indiana Board to keep its staff well-trained and attuned to ongoing issues concerning pharmacy practice here in Indiana and across the nation,” stated Phil Wickizer, JD, director, Indiana Board of Pharmacy. “Indiana continues to be a leader in the growth of distribution centers focused on life sciences and pharmaceuticals, but with continued budget constraints, finds it difficult to keep staff abreast of new techniques and investigative tools for pharmacy compliance. NABP provides a unique service not available at the individual state level, and its inspectors represent the accumulated knowledge and years of practice from states across the country.”
 

NABP will be available to offer similar training and education programs to state boards of pharmacy as they work to regulate the practice of pharmacy for the protection of public health. Member boards may contact the Executive Office for more information at exec-office@nabp.net.