News & Media

The 50 Stories from 50 States Challenge, an initiative from the ACT Pharmacy Collaborative, amplifies the vital patient care services that community pharmacies are providing nationwide. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified the value of pharmacists, especially those in community pharmacies who are highly accessible to the public.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy today announced the recipients of its top awards, which recognize four individuals, one institution and one scholarly paper, for their outstanding contributions made to pharmacy education, research, patient outcomes, community service and publication. Recipients will be honored at AACP’s annual meeting, Pharmacy Education 2022, July 23-27, in Grapevine, Texas.

Today, 14 pharmacy organizations urged the Biden Administration to remove barriers preventing pharmacists from ordering oral antivirals and expand patient access to the “Test to Treat” initiative announced last week during the State of the Union. In a letter sent to President Biden, the groups called for the removal of a limitation placed on the emergency use authorization (EUA) of COVID-19 antivirals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The limitation prevents pharmacists from ordering the medications

The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, AACP’s flagship journal, has appointed two new associate editors. Anandi Law, Ph.D., is associate dean for assessment and professor of pharmacy practice and administration at Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy, in Pomona, California, where she has been since July 1999. Kyle John Wilby, Ph.D., is an associate professor for program evaluation at the College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Wilby will join as an associate editor with an emphasis on international affairs.

Arlington, Va. — On behalf of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Board of Directors, President Stuart T. Haines has announced the selection of Lee C. Vermeulen, M.S., FCCP, FFIP, as the Association’s seventh Executive Vice President and CEO. On July 1, 2022, Vermeulen will succeed Lucinda L. Maine, Ph.D., FAPhA, FFIP, who has served as AACP’s EVP and CEO since July 2002, and who is retiring.

My favorite season of the year is definitely spring. I used to get a bit depressed if on February 2nd the news reported that the groundhog saw his shadow. As I grew wiser (and time flew faster), I realized that no matter what happened that day, the first official day of spring was truly six weeks away.

Dr. Marina Suzuki is pushing for pharmacists to take an increasing role to promote safe use of drugs among patient-athletes. As the Olympic Winter Games take place this month in Beijing, there will be plenty of competition in the 109 medal events. At the same time, there will also be scrutiny regarding anti-doping efforts.

The new center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy leverages clinical and transdisciplinary expertise in the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. In 2014, the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus became the site of the first Phase 1 clinical trial for psilocybin.

AACP’s new Transformation Center will promote and disseminate innovations in pharmacy practice and education to further optimize patient care. Against the backdrop of a pandemic, pharmacists are taking more active roles in public health. Pharmacy schools are rethinking the reach of education, delivering healthcare to communities that need it.

A mental health education focus area at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy encourages comprehensive patient care. Health experts across the United States are looking for every opportunity to ease an increasing demand for mental health services. Mental health patients can have complex needs and often require the expertise of multiple providers. Minnesota is no exception to this demand.

As pharmacy deserts proliferate, more must be done to examine barriers to access and prepare future pharmacists to address the needs of underserved communities. The term “pharmacy deserts” is popping up with greater frequency as pharmacy closures become more widespread and independent pharmacies struggle to survive in some areas. Even chain drugstores are not immune from the changing healthcare landscape.

As I prepared to compose this final opening letter for Academic Pharmacy Now for 2021, the word “transformation” was top of mind. That is no accident, as AACP celebrated the official launch in November of the Center to Accelerate Pharmacy Practice Transformation and Academic Innovation.