MPA COVID-19 Update

Feb. 24, 2021

State Clarifies Pandemic CE Requirements

Registration still OPEN for MPA virtual Annual Convention & Exposition, CEs Available

Pharmacists who are applying for renewal after Oct. 1, 2020, will be required to have completed all requisite continuing education (CE) credits, and will not be exempted based on previous pandemic orders, according to additional guidance from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) received clarification about the guidance this morning.

For pharmacists in need of additional CE, the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition offers up to 13 hours of live credit during the virtual event, plus an additional 15.75 hours of non-live credit after the event. Registration closes Thursday, Feb. 25, at noon.

During the pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order that, among other things, allowed pharmacists to count hours worked toward their live CE requirement. However, the Michigan Supreme Court in October struck down the governor’s executive orders, immediately nullifying them.

According to LARA’s new guidance, “Although previous Executive Orders allowed the Bureau to waive continuing education (CE) requirements for health professionals licensed under the Public Health Code, effective Oct. 2, 2020, BPL (the Bureau of Professional Licensing) no longer has this legal authority. Therefore, health licensees renewing after 11:59 p.m. Oct. 1, 2020, are required to have completed all required CEs or request a waiver as permitted under the Michigan Public Health Code.”

This guidance affirms that any licensee who applied for renewal before Oct. 2, 2020, would be allowed to count their hours worked toward their CE requirement. However, anyone who applied after that date would need to receive their CE in the usual manner, consisting of board-approved live educational programming.

Health licensees are able to request a waiver of continuing education by their profession’s board – for pharmacists, the Michigan Board of Pharmacy – as laid out in MCL 333.16205 of the Michigan Public Health Code. Please note, requests must be received before the expiration date of the license. However, approval of a waiver is not guaranteed and the final determination rests with the board. If requesting a waiver, a licensee is encouraged to provide documentation to support his or her written request.

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Receives Positive Analysis

FDA EUA Approval Pending Weekend Meetings

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) staff analysis of the new Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has emerged as positive ahead of scheduled meetings this week about whether to approve an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the United States. EUA approval is expected as early as next week, pending meeting outcomes.

Johnson and Johnson applied for an EUA on Feb. 4, and FDA staff has been reviewing the data. The release of the analysis comes ahead of a Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting on Friday. Once the committee meets, it will discuss and provide recommendations on whether the vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risk in patients aged 18 or older. If approved, the FDA will release additional information, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will weigh in on recommendations.

Johnson and Johnsons’ vaccine represents an option with a less demanding supply chain as the nation continues to amplify mass immunization. It is the first one-dose vaccine and can remain stable for two years at -20°C (-4°F) and for three months when stored in most standard refrigerators 2°-8°C (36°F–46°F). It is supplied in a multidose (five doses) vial that does not contain a preservative.

In the primary analysis of nearly 40,000 participants, the vaccine demonstrated a vaccine efficacy of 67 percent for the prevention of moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring 14 days after vaccination and 66 percent for the prevention of cases occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.

Common side effects generally resolved within one to two days and included:

Injection site pain (49 percent)
Headache (39 percent)
Fatigue (38 percent)
Myalgia (33 percent)

There were more frequent, generally mild to moderate reactogenicity in participants aged 18-59 than in those over 60. More serious adverse events were not able to be attributed to the vaccine at this time.

Fact Sheet Designed to Assist with Vaccinations at Pharmacies

A fact sheet, created by the Pharmacy Section of the American Public Health Association, has been designed to help the public navigate the process of getting a COVID-19 vaccine at a community pharmacy.

The fact sheet, at left, can be downloaded and shared to help inform consumers. It is aimed at helping to improve the vaccination process at pharmacies.

Please feel free to share this fact sheet with staff, community partners, patients and others.