May 2, 2018 -- Volume 7, Number 18
ASRS, DQSA Coalition Urge FDA to Close Critical Gaps in Patient Access to Compounded Drugs
 
On Monday, the ASRS met with Julie Dohm, J.D., Ph.D., Senior Science Advisor for Compounding, at the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CEDR), along with a coalition of organizations representing patients, physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers united in a mission to preserve patient safety and access to compounded medications.
 
ASRS provided FDA a list of compounded medications not available from compounding pharmacies registered under Section 503B and explained how the FDA requirement for a patient specific prescription prior to obtaining these medications from 503A pharmacies leaves retina specialists without sufficient stock of important antibiotics, including those administered in emergencies. We pointed out the irony that despite enactment of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) five years ago, which aimed to improve the safety and availability of compounded drugs, retina specialists face increased difficulty obtaining ophthalmic medications and patients are unable to receive the prompt emergency care for fungal eye infections that they received before the DQSA.

ASRS urged the FDA to allow physicians to administer critically necessary compounded drugs to patients when those drugs are not available from 503B facilities. ASRS, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS), and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) will follow up with a letter to the agency providing a joint list of compounded drugs ophthalmologists cannot obtain from 503B facilities and request an exemption to the prescription requirement. 
 
Please help us provide the FDA with a comprehensive list by sending information on compounded drugs you are unable to obtain from a 503B pharmacy to members@asrs.org . Please include concentration, dosage, route of administration and indications for each drug.

Good News -- CMS Will Automatically Reprocess First Quarter Medicare Claims 

A provision of the Balanced Budget Act of 2018 extends a provision that raises the WorkGeographic Practice Cost Indices (GPCI) to 1.000 for all localities that currently have a Work GPCI of less than 1.000. Medicare Administrative Contractors in the affected localities were informed they had 6 months to automatically reprocess any claims submitted to Medicare prior to mid-March. For a full list of localities and states impacted by the work GPCI provisions, click here .
Challenge the 'Masters' at this Year's Annual Meeting

How often do you have the chance to present a great case to an audience of your peers and engage them in lively case-related discussion? 

Don't miss the chance to present your most compelling case at the "Challenge the Masters" course, Friday, July 20 from 1:00 to 2:15 PM at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Please be sure to check your availability before submitting a case! 

If you're interested, please email  Calvin Mein, MD , a short summary of the case by May 30. The meeting schedule will allow time for 10 cases, so we ask that presentations be no more than 4 minutes to allow for 5 minutes of discussion. Cases will be selected based on their potential for stimulating lively conversation among our audience of retina "Masters."

Selected case presenters will be notified on June 11 and will receive instructions on how to upload their final presentation -- due by July 5 for peer review. 
Enter the Winning Pitch Challenge at ASRS 2018

Pitch your innovative solution to a retina problem and win $10,000 and guidance from experts!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 11, 2018

2018 ASRS Annual Meeting 
Sunday, July 22, 2018

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION:

  • $10,000 1st Place prize 
  • $5,000 2nd Place prize
  • Defray some of your IP expenses!
  • Valuable feedback from Judges and Advisory Board members
  • Exposure to potential investors
  • Access to Advisory Board mentorship program
  • Network with other innovative retina specialists
  • Contribute to innovation in retina! 

Obtain more information and apply at:  www.WinningPitchChallenge.net  

See Enhancements to this
Trusted Resource!
  • Dynamic visual layout
  • Redesigned landing pages
  • More intuitive navigation
  • Expanded content sections
  • Handy homepage links for key resources
  • Convenient drop menus
  • Social media connectivity
 
Coming Soon!
  • ASRS Retina Career Center
  • ASRS Multimedia Library
Image of the Week
Congratulations to Paulo Bueno, MD, from Oftalmo Taubaté in Taubaté, Spain , w hose image Commotio Post-Blunt Trauma has been selected as the Image of the Week. 
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