In This Issue:

MPA CEO Perspective

MPA News

• Register for ACE 2024
• Join the MPA Referral Program Today and Earn Rewards!
• MPF Adopt-a-Student Program
• It's Time to Renew Your Membership

CE Events

• Upcoming MPA CE Offerings
• Try MPA's Home Studies

Professional Practice

• MSHP Board Member Appears on WILX to Discuss Inhaler Switch

Legislative and Regulatory News

• Pfizer Allows Imports of Syphilis Drug to Combat Shortages
• Prescription Drug Affordability Among Early Priorities for Michigan Legislature
• FDA: Drugs Like Ozempic, Wegovy Show No Link With Suicide
• Recall Issued for Merck's Vaxneuvance
• Update to Medicaid Health Plan Pharmacy Reimbursement

I am happy to announce we’ve made room for MPA’s new special interest groups (SIGs) to meet in person at the Annual Convention & Exhibition (ACE) from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, with breakfast provided. We’ll have a room with separate tables for all 10 SIGs and members who signed up for multiple SIGs can float between tables to network with even more members in different topical areas of pharmacy.

Even if you haven’t signed up for this new member benefit, you can still participate. Just email me at Mark@MichiganPharmacists.org and we’ll get you more details about our new SIGs which include: Compounding, Educators, Health System/Clinical Care, Independents, Legal/Regulatory, Outpatient, Preceptors, Specialty, Third-Party Payer and 340B.

But don’t forget you have to register for ACE to participate in our new SIGs. After ACE, SIGs will meet quarterly via virtual meetings when it’s convenient for each group to meet. The best part is this represents a great opportunity for you to network with your peers without agendas, minutes or being assigned any work! 

I look forward to having these discussions!

ACE 2024 Registration Is Open!

It's time to start planning for ACE 2024! The signature event of MPA, ACE, will take place Feb. 23-25, 2024, at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit. This will be MPA's last ACE in the Motor City for a while as we hit the road for Traverse City in 2025 and Lansing in 2026, 2027 and 2028, so don't miss out!

ACE is the premier continuing education event for pharmacists, pharmacy students and pharmacy technicians in Michigan. There will be something for everyone at ACE.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Hotel Information

Reserve your room by Feb. 1, 2024, at this link for your discounted room rate. You may also make your room reservation by calling 877-901-6632 and mentioning the Michigan Pharmacists Association 2024 Annual Convention for your discount.

Join the MPA Referral Program Today and Earn Rewards!

Joining the MPA Member-Get-A-Member Program is a breeze and the rewards are just a few steps away. Here's a simple breakdown of how it all works:

Share Your Passion: Log in to your MPA profile on the MPA website. Click “Profile” in the upper left-hand corner after logging in. Next, click on the “Member Referral” tab and enter your colleague’s name and email address. An automated email will be sent to your colleagues asking them to join MPA. When your colleague joins MPA, they must use the email address you provided. There are no limits on the number of referrals and associated rewards you can receive.

Welcome New Members: Once your referrals have successfully joined MPA, they'll be welcomed into our vibrant community.

Earn Your Rewards: Here's where the magic happens! You, as the referrer, will be issued a reward coupon within your MPA profile as a token of our appreciation. For each pharmacist you recruit, you'll receive a generous $30 coupon and $20 for each pharmacy technician.

Use Your Rewards: In your user profile, you'll find a "coupons" section under the "My Invoices” tab. Here, you can view any coupons you've received. These reward coupons can be applied towards your membership dues or any MPA-sponsored event, such as the Annual Convention & Exposition.

It's that simple! By spreading the word and bringing new members into MPA, you not only contribute to the growth of our community but also reap the rewards. Join the Member-Get-A-Member Program today and be a catalyst for positive change in pharmacy practice in Michigan.

Thank you for your commitment to MPA, and we look forward to celebrating your success as a member recruiter! 

Sign Up for the MPF Adopt-a-Student Program at ACE

Click the button below to register for ACE 2024 and be sure to select the appropriate option under "Michigan Pharmacy Foundation 2024" to participate in the Adopt-a-Student program.

It's Time to Renew Your Membership

There are many benefits to renewing your membership with MPA, including:

• Direct access to experts who can answer law and practice questions
• Networking opportunities with pharmacy professionals, such as complimentary membership in our local county associations and practice sections
• Free and discounted CE opportunities such as the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition – the state’s largest pharmacy conference
• Being part of the collective voice advocating for the future of the profession
• Competitive home, auto and business insurance through MPA’s affiliated PSI Insurance Agency

MPA exists for and is effective because of its members. Renew today to ensure that your benefits are secured and that MPA has the resources to move the mountains ahead for you, for the profession and for patients.

Pharmacy Technician Immunization Administration – Self Study

Live date: Jan. 20, 2024

10-11:30 a.m.

(Self study must be completed

before live date)

Medical Cannabis Applications: Mastering the Delivery Systems, Dosages and Medical Applications for Cannabinoid Medicine

Jan. 30, 2024, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Point-of-Care Test and Treat Training

Live date: Jan. 31, 2024

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

(Self study must be

completed before live date)

Note: Registration for this training is being hosted on the MPA website. Make sure you are logged in to your MPA account

when registering.

Pharmacy-based Immunization Training

Live date: March 13, 2024

9-11 a.m.

(Self study must be

completed before live date)

Note: Registration for this training is being hosted on the MPA website. Make sure you are logged in to your MPA account

when registering.

ALS: The Incurable Acronym – But Not Untreatable

April 23, 2-3:30 p.m.

Note: This will be a virtual and live, in-person session that will take place April 23 at MPA headquarters, 408 Kalamazoo Plaza in Lansing. Space is limited for the in-person session.

IBT Home Studies

Couldn't make it to a live implicit bias training (IBT) session? Not to worry, our IBT home studies could be right for you! MPA currently offers two IBT home studies. Both meet all current Michigan licensing requirements. Click the buttons below to get started!

Looking for Something Else? Try MPA's Home Studies.

In addition, MPA offers other home study pharmacy CE on a variety of topics that can be accessed 24/7/365 on its website. Click the button below to view our catalog of programs.

MPA and MSHP board member Nada Farhat, right, appears on WILX in a recent interview segment.

MSHP Board Member Appears on WILX to Discuss Inhaler Switch

MSHP board member Nada Farhat recently appeared on WILX's Mid-Michigan Matters segment to discuss the change from brand-name Flovent to a generic drug to treat asthma.

Check out her excellent interview by clicking on the button below! Farhat is also a member of a statewide collaborative quality initiative called INHALE (Inspiring Health Advances in Lung Care), whose goal is to improve asthma and COPD care in Michigan.

FDA Allows Imports of Syphilis Drug to Address Shortages

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will temporarily allow the import of a syphilis drug made by France's Laboratoires Delbert, the company said on Jan. 10.

Laboratoires Delbert said it was coordinating with the health regulator to bring extencilline into the United States to address syphilis drug shortages, according to a letter on the FDA's website.

In June, Pfizer warned that it would soon run out of supply of its drug, Bicillin L-A, used to treat syphilis and other bacterial infections in children, because it has had to prioritize versions made for adults due to a spike in syphilis infections in that population at the time.

According to the FDA's website, Pfizer's penicillin products have been in shortage since April.

Prescription Drug Affordability

an Early Priority for Michigan Legislature

Both chambers of the Michigan Legislature gaveled into session for the first time in this year Jan. 10. The new year presents a chance for lawmakers to finish priorities they started last year but didn’t get done. Among the Legislature's priorities will be action on prescription drug affordability.

“We’ve got stuff on prescription drug affordability, we’ve got auto-no fault stuff that’s still very much in conversation, we’ve got economic development policies that we’re continuing to work through some issues on. And we hope to see movement on those kinds of things pretty quickly,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids.

House leadership listed similar goals.

“I think there are some real opportunities around continuing to lower costs when you look at prescription drugs, we did the drug immunity bill. Obviously, the budget, there are some real opportunities there. And community and economic development,” House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, told reporters.

FDA: Drugs Like Ozempic, Wegovy Show No Link With Suicide

A preliminary review of side effects from popular drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity shows no link with suicidal thoughts or actions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Jan. 11.

But the agency also said officials could not definitively rule out that “a small risk may exist” and that they’ll continue to look into reports regarding more than a dozen drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Patients taking the drugs should report any concerns to healthcare providers, the FDA said.

The review follows a recent federally funded study that showed that people taking semaglutide, the medication in Ozempic and Wegovy, had a lower risk of suicidal thoughts than those taking other drugs to treat obesity and diabetes. The review came after European regulators said they were investigating anecdotal reports that people taking semaglutide had thoughts of self-harm.

Recall Issued for Merck's Vaxneuvance

Merck has initiated a voluntary recall for the following 10 lots of Merck’s Vaxneuvance (NDC# 00006-4329-03) in the US market:

• W037992
• W027275
• W036242
• W039033
• X004289
• X005583
• X011328
• X011332
• X012044
• X011735

Merck has received reports of breakage at the syringe flange and/or hub that could be identified:

• when the syringe was inspected before administration,
• while the healthcare professional was securing the needle to the syringe,
• during vaccine administration or
• during post-administration (e.g., when activating a safety needle)

The breakage resulted in a small number of injuries, including laceration and needle puncture. Corrective Actions and Preventative Actions (CAPA) have been implemented at the syringe manufacturer to improve processes to help prevent these defects from recurring in future lots. Merck is informing healthcare providers of the glass breakage issue with the syringe and is providing guidance for handling and administration to further mitigate the risk of injury for the remaining material on the market until post-CAPA material is supplied.

Merck recommends that if you have Vaxneuvance from any of the recalled lots at your facility, you immediately quarantine and discontinue the use of these doses and return the vaccine according to the procedure described in the attached documents. This product was distributed between Nov. 16, 2022, through July 28, 2023. If you have further re-distributed this product, please immediately identify those sites and notify them of this product recall.

For questions about this recall or to report any adverse events following vaccination, please contact:

• Merck National Service Center: 800-672-6372; select prompt No. 1, then prompt No. 2 (8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday)

Recall Notification Letter

Customer Notification Letter

BUSINESS REPLY CARD For VFC (Vaccines for Children) or CDC Adult Vaccine

Update to Medicaid Health Plan Pharmacy Reimbursement

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a letter advising that as of Feb. 13, 2024, Medicaid Health Plans (MHPs) will be contractually required to reimburse pharmacies in Michigan that have seven or fewer retail outlets in total in accordance with Section 105i of 2023 Public Act 279.

PA 279 requires that Medicaid-managed care organizations (MCO) utilizing a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reimburse pharmacies with seven or fewer retail outlets for drug products at the lesser of:

• the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) plus a professional dispensing fee;
• the Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) plus a professional dispensing fee;
• or the pharmacy’s usual and customary fee

Pharmacies with seven or fewer outlets are identified by MDHHS and PA 279 as pharmacies "where any individual owner of the pharmacy does not have 5% or more ownership/ownership interest in eight or more retail outlets."

Pulse: Free Tool to Stop Fake Meds

NABP created Pulse to allow pharmacists to verify DSCSA data for medicine easily. It’s a free tool. Click the button below to watch a video to learn how it works.