Friday, April 1, 2022

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The Texas Pharmacy Association Nominating Committee, chaired by Immediate Past President Michelle Beall met Tuesday to interview candidates for positions with expiring terms on the Association’s Board of Directors. The committee released its 2022 slate of candidates as outlined below. Thank you to all nominees who expressed an interest in serving the Association and who took the time and energy to complete the process. Committee members—including past presidents Mary Klein, Mark Comfort, and Raj Chhadua, and TPA members Adam Bayer, Mari Ceballos, Amy Gillock, Karen Gonzales, Ron Jencopale, and Bruce McAnally—spent significant time and engaged in thoughtful deliberation to make tough decisions in choosing from a strong group of nominees. Candidate information will be published online in June and in print in the Summer 2022 issue of Texas Pharmacy magazine. Members will also have an opportunity to learn more about the candidates during the TPA Conference & Expo. Voting will take place following the conference in late July.

This year’s candidates are:

The Texas Pharmacy Association’s Independent Pharmacy Academy Board of Directors met Thursday to review finances and membership. The Academy aims to unite and strengthen the voice of independent pharmacy in Texas for more robust and effective pharmacy advocacy, as well as to advance independent community pharmacy practice by creating a forum to share innovative and entrepreneurial practices, discuss business challenges, and identify solutions. IPA membership is open to ALL independent pharmacy owners and staff pharmacists.

Robert Emfinger, Debbie Garza, Carter High, and J.D. Fain with Rep. Stephanie Klick (center).

Texas Pharmacy Association leaders attended the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute (TCCRI) 2022 Policy Forum on Thursday in Austin. TPA President-Elect Carter High, Independent Pharmacy Academy (IPA) Chair Robert Emfinger, IPA Board Member J.D. Fain, CEO Debbie Garza, and Lobbyist Duane Galligher represented pharmacy at this event featuring influential state politicians including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, as well as former Governor Rick Perry. TPA attendees also had the opportunity to meet and greet legislators with great influence over pharmacy issues, including House Public Health Committee Chair Stephanie Klick and House Insurance Committee Chair Tom Oliverson, as well as Senators Bryan Hughes, Charles Perry, and Kelly Hancock.

The Texas Pharmacy Association worked closely with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) and the governor's office to extend this rule suspension, which was set to expire March 31, to promote the safety of both patients and pharmacy staff in light of ongoing COVID-19 cases. TSBP asserted that strict compliance with the in-person consultation rule could prevent, hinder, or delay the delivery of services in relation to efforts to cope with the declared disaster.

• A second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• A second booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals (see below) 12 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals 18 years of age and older at least 4 months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• In addition, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Download updated EUA Fact Sheets:

• Updated Pfizer Emergency Use Authorization fact sheet
• Updated Moderna Emergency Use Authorization fact sheet
  

Any vaccine administration claims submitted in the Portal after April 5, 2022, will not be adjudicated for payment. Claims submitted by the deadline will be adjudicated and paid subject to their eligibility and the availability of funds. The program stopped accepting claims for testing and treatment on March 22, 2022. The Texas Pharmacy Association this week signed on to a letter to Congressional leaders from the American Pharmacists Association and other pharmacy groups requesting additional funding.

President Michael Muñiz (center) with the UT Austin NCPA chapter.

Texas Pharmacy Association President Michael Muñiz spoke on Monday to The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy’s chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). Muñiz emphasized the importance of advocacy and Association membership, and explained how TPA represents pharmacists in all practice settings. On Wednesday, TPA Immediate Past President Michelle Beall discussed similar themes with members of UT Austin’s chapter of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). “Advocating for our profession is vital for us to be able to fully utilize our training and education in our daily practice,” Beall said.

There are three components to the certificate training program:

• 12-hour (1.2 CEU) self-study modules with case studies and assessment exam
• 8.0-hour (0.80 CEU) live seminar via Zoom with final exam
• Hands-on assessment of intramuscular and subcutaneous injection technique

Date: Tuesday, April 12, 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. AND Wednesday, April 13, 12:00 p.m. – 6 p.m. (2-day course)

Price: $295 for TPA members; $395 for non-members.

• Bowl of Hygeia
• Pharmacist of the Year
• Distinguished Young Pharmacist
• Distinguished Student Pharmacist
• Distinguished Pharmacy Technician
• Distinguished Service
• Excellence in Innovation
• Robert L. Hays Outstanding Consultant Pharmacist
• Excellence in Patient Outcomes

Review the list of awards requirements and submit the online nomination form no later than April 15, 2022. View a list of 2021 award winners and past honorees online.

KXAS-TV (March 28, 2022) Castro, Bianca

STATE NEWS

The March 2022 biannual Specialty Drug List (SDL) is now available. The SDL includes drugs that managed care organizations (MCOs) may exclusively provide through their specialty pharmacy network. Refer to the Specialty Drug Handbook for more information about the SDL.

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (March 30, 2022) Vendor Drug Program

Certain pharmacy professionals may apply to the Rural Communities Health Care Investment Program (RCHIP) student loan repayment program for their summer application cycle. The State Office of Rural Health (SORH) awards $10,000 student loan repayment/stipends to eligible, non-physician, licensed healthcare providers in response to the recruitment and retention needs of medically underserved communities in Texas.

Texas Department of Agriculture

North Texas pharmacies and health departments are gearing up to give additional COVID-19 vaccine boosters to eligible patients. Walgreens is already offering walk-in appointments for the extra shot, and patients will be able to schedule appointments beginning Friday, the company announced Wednesday. CVS has not yet said when patients will be able to make such appointments.

Dallas Morning News (March 31, 2022) Wolf, Marin

Pharmacist and former TPA member Lonnie Meredith moved to Haskell in 1991 to work at the local pharmacy, The Drug Store, a business he bought nine years later. Residents in this slice of the Big Country rely on the local pharmacy for prescriptions and other medicines. Though he retired in 2020 and sold The Drug Store to another independent owner, Meredith remains active in the community as a cattle rancher.

Texas Highways (March 24, 2022) Graves, Russell

NATIONAL NEWS

Following FDA’s regulatory action on Tuesday, the CDC updated its recommendations to allow certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial COVID-19 booster dose at least 4 months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection. In addition, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (March 29, 2022)

Data show that primary immunizations and booster doses for COVID-19 have dipped to the slowest level since a nationwide vaccination campaign kicked off in December 2020. On March 23, the 7-day average of vaccinations fell below 182,000 per day — the lowest since the initial days of the campaign. Booster doses have been most common since October.

Washington Post (March 25, 2022) Shammas, Brittany, et al

According to a CDC survey of blood donor samples, conducted in December and updated last month, an estimated 95% of Americans ages 16 and older have developed identifiable COVID-19 antibodies. Those come from both vaccinations and prior COVID-19 infections. That’s one potential reason some experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, don’t expect another sharp rise in cases just yet.

CNBC (March 29, 2022) Scipioni, Jade

The Small Business Administration sent a comment letter to CMS supporting pharmacy’s stance on the Medicare Part D proposed rule for Contract Year 2023. The SBA submitted these comments on behalf of small business pharmacies. The agency highlights several issues including clarification on claw-backs, a more complete definition to capture PBM fees, a standardized set of performance measures, and potential ways to address cash-flow issues.

U.S. Small Business Administration (March 7, 2022) Clark, Major and Sharma, Prianka

U.S. health officials last Friday stopped the further deployment of the COVID-19 treatment sotrovimab to places where the BA.2 coronavirus variant is now causing the majority of infections, given laboratory studies showing the treatment likely doesn’t work against the variant. Additional states in the midwest and west/southwest were added on March 30 to states in the northeast already on the list. These states will no longer receive shipments.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (March 30, 2022) ASPR

President Biden on Wednesday called on lawmakers to authorize billions of dollars in pandemic relief funding that has stalled in Congress. Without new funds, the administration is cutting back on the distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments to states, while a program to pay for tests and treatments for the uninsured is out of money. Officials say there is not enough money to purchase additional booster shots if a fourth vaccine dose is needed.

The Hill (March 30, 2022) Weixel, Nathaniel

Late last week, the CDC Fluview update showed that rates of flu activity in the United States are increasing in a second wave of activity, though numbers are still below baselines for the 2021-22 flu season. Influenza A (H3N2) accounts for almost all influenza case detections, and 7.7% of submitted clinical lab samples were positive for flu in the past week. States in the Midwest and Southwest saw the highest levels of influenza positivity.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (March 25, 2022)

The American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA’s) House of Delegates (HOD) passed policy in order to break down barriers that stand in the way of patients’ ability to receive optimal and accessible care through pharmacists. That includes opposing restrictive policies and practices by the American Medical Association (AMA) and other professional organizations.

American Pharmacists Association (March 28, 2022)

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' ERISA Working Group has released a draft analysis of Rutledge v. PCMA, in which the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously found that federal law does not preclude states from enforcing reimbursement and pricing regulations against PBMs. NAIC will include the analysis in its ERISA Handbook, a go-to resource for state insurance departments.

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (February 16, 2022)

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) has created the USP Medicine Supply Vulnerability Insights Series, which leverages information from USP's Medicine Supply Map. The map focuses on the use of USP quality standards in more than 22,000 locations worldwide, covering 92% of generic medicines approved in the United States. One initial finding highlights the significance of large Indian facilities in manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

U.S. Pharmacopeia (March 14, 2022)

The Pharmacy Quality Alliance seeks interested pharmacy and payer partners to participate in proof-of-concept pilots to implement high priority blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c measure concepts in value-based payment arrangements (VBAs). PQA is issuing this request for interest (RFI) to gauge interest and willingness to participate in these pilots.

Pharmacy Quality Alliance (March 28, 2022)

TRENDING NEWS

More than a dozen states have expanded what pharmacists can do to include testing and treating people for illnesses such as strep throat, flu, and urinary tract infections and preventing HIV. Some states allow pharmacists to prescribe oral contraceptives or drugs to help people quit smoking. Typically, pharmacists have prescribing authority under agreements with doctors or rules called statewide protocols.

Kaiser Health News (March 31, 2022) Andrews, Michelle

Confusion about why costs for patients keep rising isn’t an accident. Health insurance plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who work for and are owned by the same companies as health insurance plans, continue to mislead people about their role in determining the price you pay at the pharmacy counter. Their shell game makes it easier to deflect attention from how they spend the mammoth discounts.

Real Clear Policy (March 11, 2022) Gluck, Adam

The in-store pharmacist was once shopper’s first destination for wellness advice. The person at the counter today might be a pharmacy technician, student or retail sales associate, but based on research, that person is no longer someone shoppers trust for medical advice. The direction of future pharmacy interactions, including sales, are headed online. And that will come at a cost, unless retailers step in.

WSL Strategic Retail (March 23, 2022)

About three-quarters of US patients who needed therapy for opioid use disorder in 2019 did not receive it, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. The study included data from more than 2.2 million people, 80% of whom had co-occurring substance use disorders.

Healio (March 28, 2022) Marabito, Maria

Researchers have discovered an association between antibiotic use and later cognitive decline in middle-aged women, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. The group analyzed the data of 15,129 female nurses and discovered that those who have used antibiotics for at least two months had lower scores on cognitive tests seven years later, compared with those who only took them for a short amount of time or not at all.

Medical Xpress (March 24, 2022) Yirka, Bob

A buzzy new animal study offers another contender in the search for a male form of birth control. Researchers at the University of Minnesota created a birth control pill for male mice, which proved 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. The contraceptive targets a protein in the body that receives a form of vitamin A, which is involved with sperm production and fertility. The animals showed drastically lower sperm counts.

New York Times (March 25, 2022) Blum, Dani

When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for a cumbersome U.S. health care system made more generous, flexible and up-to-date technologically through a raft of temporary emergency measures. Winding down those policies could begin as early as the summer.

Associated Press (March 31, 2022)  Alonso-Zaldivar, Ricardo

There is now a growing body of research that's offering at least some reassurance for those who do end up getting infected with COVID-19— being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID. A study conducted in Israel found that people who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were 50% to 80% less likely to experience seven of the 10 most frequent symptoms of long COVID.

National Public Radio (March 24, 2022) Stone, Will

The anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, which has surged in popularity as an alternative treatment for COVID-19 despite a lack of strong research to back it up, showed no sign of alleviating the disease, according to results of a large clinical trial published on Wednesday. The study effectively ruled out the drug as a treatment for Covid, the study’s authors said.

New York Times (March 30, 2022) Zimmer, Carl

Federal prosecutors have unveiled a rare criminal case alleging that Celina, TN pharmacy owners intentionally courted opioid seekers by filling dangerous prescriptions that would have been rejected elsewhere. The pharmacies are accused of giving cash handouts to keep customers coming back, and one allegedly distributed its own currency, “monkey bucks,” inspired by a pet monkey that was once a common sight behind the counter.

Kaiser Health News (March 29, 2022) Kelman, Brett

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Texas Pharmacy Today
Editor: Brian Sparks, Division Director, Communications and Marketing
(512) 615-9140 • bsparks@texaspharmacy.org

Texas Pharmacy Association
Debbie Garza, R.Ph., Chief Executive Officer
(512) 615-9170