A Look Back on Accomplishments and New Programs in 2017, and a Look Forward to What's in Store for 2018 (Part Two)


IACP Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.
A Message from Your Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.

Thank you for all of the messages I've received from you on yesterday's first installment of "A Look Back on Accomplishments and New Programs in 2017."  I am thrilled to hear from you that we're hitting the mark on our activities! 

When I was named IACP's Executive Vice President (EVP) last year, one of my main goals for the remaining six months of 2017 was to return IACP to a member-driven organization and to increase transparency. It was incredibly vital to me that IACP hear directly from IACP Members what you needed to succeed. As an organization, it also was critical that IACP be transparent, communicating clearly with you what programs we would be creating and implementing per your feedback.

In today's conversation with you, I'll discuss what we have in store for you in 2018! As always, we want to continue receiving your feedback. Email us any time at [email protected], or call us at 281.933.8400.
A Look Forward to What's in Store for 2018

While we have accomplished so much together in 2017, we must keep the momentum going in 2018! As we can expect to encounter obstacles in our mission to preserve patient access to vital compounded medications,  I'd like to share with you my father's wisdom. Something that many may not know about me is that I was an All-State athlete. My father was as well, and when we spoke daily, we often talked about whatever obstacles I was facing in life. My father always had such unwavering and insightful advice. 

For the big life lessons, he always used sports analogies, and when facing a really big obstacle in my life, my dad would paint this picture - in basketball, as you break down the court, there are times you look up to realize you are outnumbered by the defense. It can be a chilling sight - you against five defense players who only have you within their sights. In that moment, my father would say, you have two options, pull up in the hopes of a three-point shot, or lower your shoulder and drive the lane.  My father would go on to explain that in life, when you know you're on the right team, and when you know your mission is honorable and of service, always lower your shoulder and drive the lane. 

So, here's how we're going to lower our shoulders and drive the lane in 2018:

Increasing Membership Initiatives

We are going to continue IACP's new membership initiatives implemented during 2017, and strongly build upon them in 2018 by:
  • Expanding Membership with New Incentives and Discounts, and Thanking IACP Members: We are so thankful for IACP members! We are working hard to recognize IACP members and to say, THANK YOU for joining IACP! We hope you enjoyed our new IACP Member and Corporate Member awards at 2018 Educational Conference! In addition to recognizing IACP members at all IACP events, the IACP Membership Committee continues to work to expand IACP membership benefits. We will be launching a New Membership Category in 2018! It's coming soon and will offer IACP members additional options for choosing which IACP benefits are best for you. Your IACP Membership Committee also will debut additional discounts and incentives for you! Get excited for membership competitions coming soon with amazing prizes - all in 2018!
  • Expanding IACP Relationships with Allies to offer Members Additional Benefits: We heard your membership survey feedback on how you'd like to see IACP work with other organizations to offer IACP discounts, and we have responded by working with a host of other organizations to bring you discounts. For example, we recently worked with United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to offer IACP members special Early Bird Discount Rates for USP Live Courses <800>, <797>, <795> - Spring Session. We are going to continue to expand IACP relationships and keep those additional membership benefits coming in 2018!
  • Providing More Educational Programs for IACP Members: IACP will be launching a new Webinar program this year custom-tailored for our members. The IACP Education Committee, stewarded by IACP President-elect Jennifer Burch, PharmD, RPh, CDE, CPP, is developing a program which will offer you an expanded range of speakers, topics, and pricing options. The Education Committee thoroughly reviewed your membership survey responses and has some really exciting webinars in the works for 2018 to address your needs! Stay tuned for IACP communications on programming and pricing! 
  • Strengthening the IACP Strategic Plan: The IACP Strategic Planning Committee continues to work to ensure a strong Strategic Plan. IACP will be releasing an enhanced 2018 Strategic Plan, incorporating your feedback on the five Strategic Planning questions included in the recent Membership Survey. We are looking forward to releasing this new Strategic Plan and will be calling on you to provide ongoing feedback.
  • Increasing International Membership Base and Developing Meaningful International Member Resources: The International Committee led by IACP Board Member Marisol Lopez, RPh, MPh, is developing incentives to increase International membership, coordinating IACP efforts with our international members, developing resources and working to expand overall IACP International presence. Are you interested in serving on this new International Committee - let us know!
  • Inducting IACP Fellows: The IACP Fellowship Committee chaired by Richard Moon, PharmD, RPh, FIACP inducted two new Fellows in 2017 and one so far in 2018. IACP's Fellowship Program offers pharmacists the opportunity to be recognized by their colleagues and to be distinguished in their communities as specialists in the art and skill of pharmacy compounding. Established in 1997, the Fellowship Program distinguishes pharmacists who are exemplary in their professionalism and commitment to the practice of pharmacy compounding.
  • Raising Funding for IACP's One Fund and Legal Defense Fund: The IACP Fundraising Committee continues to look for ways to make it easy for members to donate to IACP. Your contributions allow us to provide the programs and resources IACP members have indicated through the membership survey are important!
  • Continuing Transparency of IACP's Finances: The IACP Finance and Audit Committee remains driven to increase the transparency of how IACP's dues and donations are handled, and to look for ways to decrease expenses and provide cost-effective solutions. We will continue to make sure you know how your membership dues are spent. 
Strengthening Corporate Member Relationships and Programs


We want to continue recognizing IACP Corporate Members and all of the resources and tools they provide to IACP members. We want to provide Corporate Members with the resources they need by undertaking the following actions: 
  • Launching an IACP Corporate Member Tier Program: Incorporating Corporate Member input from the recent Corporate Member Survey, the Corporate Member Committee is finalizing details on a brand-new IACP Corporate Member Tier Program to be introduced in 2018! The ongoing support of IACP Corporate Members for our Academy, our members and the patients we serve has helped to make IACP a stronger organization. We greatly appreciate our Corporate Members and all the resources and tools they have provided to IACP members.
  • Recognizing Corporate Members on the IACP Website: As IACP launches its redesigned Website, we will be recognizing Corporate Members and the incredible support they provide to IACP by featuring a dedicated Corporate Member section and identifying all IACP Corporate Members along with their designated Corporate Member Tier. We also will make public the benefits of becoming a Corporate Member, the fee structure, and additional ways to engage as a Corporate Member.
Increasing Member Communications


For 2018, we will continue our weekly Capitol Connections Member Newsletter and IACP News Roundup and enhance meaningful communication with our members by: 
  • Launching a Revised IACP Website Addressing Your Needs: Your IACP Communications/Advocacy Committee led by Chair Kim Hansen, RPh, is working to restructure the IACP website to be more clear, concise, and to readily provide you with the resources you need. The Communications/Advocacy Committee is incorporating your feedback from the Membership Survey to make sure the IACP website is providing you with the resources you need, and delivering these resources in a clear and easy to find way. Get excited - because we will be launching this new website in 2018!
  • Debuting New Articles and Columns from your IACP President, Executive Committee (EC), Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, EVP and Staff: We will expand the 2 017 monthly President and Executive Vice President articles to provide you with ongoing updates from your President, EC, Board of Directors, EVP and Staff  to keep you in the know as to what IACP is doing for you, and how you can become more engaged with your Academy.
Expanding Federal Government Affairs


We are going to build on the momentum we achieved in 2017, and continue moving the ball forward in 2018 by taking the following actions:
  • Obtaining a Congressional Hearing: Working with our Champions in Congress and the DQSA Coalition, the United States House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee called a hearing focused on the patient access issues which have resulted from the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA's) implementation of the Drug & Quality & Security Act (DQSA) in a manner not consistent with Congressional intent. IACP Vice President, Shawn Hodges, PharmD, testified during the hearing and submitted written testimony. IACP also submitted Questions for the Record and worked with the DQSA Coalition to develop Hearing materials.
  • Meeting Face-to-Face with Commissioner Gottlieb and Addressing FDA Implementation Actions Impacting Patient Access: Commissioner Gottlieb has granted the DQSA Coalition's request to meet in person to discuss FDA's implementation of the DQSA. IACP is now working with FDA to confirm a date for the meeting. IACP also is working with the DQSA Coalition on attendance and messaging.
  • Continuing to Increase IACP Efforts to Federal Agency Actions Impacting Pharmacy Compounding and Patient Access: We were very pleased to see that in response to the efforts of IACP along with the DQSA Coalition: 
    • The draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was withdrawn; 
    • Commissioner Gottlieb pledged during the E&C Congressional Hearing to reopen discussion on the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) structure and process such as including a voting compounding pharmacist on PCAC; and, 
    • The Animal Compounding Guidance was withdrawn followed by Commissioner Gottlieb's statement during the Congressional hearing that FDA "had gotten it wrong."
IACP will continue to actively respond to every federal agency action impacting compounding.
  • Increasing Efforts with Congress to Enforce DOJ's Recent Announcement that Federal Agency Guidance Documents are Unenforceable: On January 25th, the Associate Attorney General issued a memorandum that prohibits the Department of Justice from using civil enforcement authority to "convert agency guidance documents into binding rules." According to the Memorandum published on the Department of Justice website, Justice Department civil litigators are prohibited from using guidance documents - or noncompliance with guidance documents - to establish violations of law in affirmative civil enforcement actions.Further, in that same news release, DOJ Associate Attorney General Brand stated, "Although guidance documents can be helpful in educating the public about already existing law, they do not have the binding force or effect of law and should not be used as a substitute for rulemaking." IACP continually has asserted that FDA's Guidance Documents are not legally binding, and do not allow for public shareholder input. IACP will continue to work with Congress to enforce EOJ's recent announcement and ensure that all FDA actions take into account stakeholder input.
  • Working on Efforts by PBMs: IACP's Reimbursement and Insurance Committee, led by Scott Popyk, RPh, FIACP is reviewing the announcement from Arkansas that it is investigating PBM reimbursement rates. The Committee will continue to monitor the situation.
Expanding State Government Affairs and Tracking
  • During 2017, IACP responded to each and every state action impacting pharmacy compounding. IACP will continue these efforts in 2018 and work closely with State Pharmacist Associations and State Boards of Pharmacy to support all state action preserving patient access to compounded medications. The IACP Legislative Committee chaired by Board Member Anthony Grzib, RPh is continuing to look for additional ways that IACP can engage in preserving patient access to compounded medications.
Increasing Grassroots Efforts


We will continue to expand grassroots efforts by: 
  • Expanding the Patient Advocacy Website (P3) and Resources: Your Communications/Advocacy Committee is working to expand the message and use of Partnership for Personalized Prescriptions (P3). With more than 150,000 individuals who have signed up to receive alerts from the P3 website, the Communications Committee is developing ways IACP can increase awareness, engage patients, and share more patient stories. 

Developing New Programs and Events to Meet Your Needs


We heard your requests to update IACP events and implement new programs! In 2018, we are going to debut new programming at all IACP events!
  • Debuting New Programs and Events to Recognize Members: Your Education Committee, led by IACP President-elect Jennifer Burch, has worked diligently to choose speakers who address your specific content requests, and has implemented new programs recognizing IACP Members and IACP Corporate Members. We hope you enjoyed our new programs at January's Educational Conference! We were so pleased to recognize several IACP Members and Corporate Members during the January 2018 Educational Conference held in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
  • Creating New Events: We also created the inaugural President's Gala as a festive way to install our Board of Directors, and to recognize Committee Chairs. The President's Gala along with IACP Board Chair Baylor Rice's monthly member articles have been provided to help clarify IACP's fundraising efforts, and how the Academy applies your dues to achieve the activities and goals you've indicated are important.
Expanding IACP COMP Political Action Committee (PAC) Presence


The  COMP PAC Committee led by IACP Vice President Shawn Hodges, PharmD, will continue to expand our strategic support efforts. In 2018, your COMP PAC Committee will be:
  • Launching a New PAC Tiers Program: Stay tuned for details! Your COMP PAC Committee has developed a very unique and awesome PAC Tier Program that will be debuted in 2018! You won't want to miss these benefits! Stay tuned for the details.
  • Launching a New Membership Donation Program: Your PAC Committee has developed a new membership donation program which will provide you with options on supporting your profession. It's coming soon in 2018!
  • Debuting a New PAC Newsletter: The COMP PAC Committee intends to keep you in the loop on all PAC activities. In 2018, the COMP PAC Committee will introduce a new PAC newsletter to keep you informed on all PAC events, PAC donations, how you can become more engaged, and how you can support Members of Congress. This definitely will be a publication you don't want to miss!
Strengthening and Empowering Committees

Whatever obstacles we face, may my father's words of wisdom ring in our ears. May we lower our shoulders and drive the lane in 2018, and:
  • Be the unified voice for every patient who is struggling without vital access to compounded medications. 
  • Work hand-in-hand with our physician and pharmacy allies on our DQSA Coalition to be the strong voice for patients everywhere. 
  • Work with other pharmacy associations to move the ball forward in preserving patient access to vital and life-saving compounded medications. 
  • Stand with our Congressional champions, and educate all through our patients' moving testimonials. 
  • Make our message heard around the world - Patient Access is a Patient Safety Issue.
We have much to accomplish, and the stakes have never been higher. This is not the time to sit on the sidelines.  IACP needs YOU, and most importantly, YOUR patients need YOU! 
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