PRN - A dose from MPA

June 12, 2025

In This Issue:

CEO Perspective

Legislative and Regulatory

Kennedy Replaces Fired CDC Vaccine Panel Members, Includes Anti-Vaccine Proponents
FDA Approves Merck's RSV Antibody for Infants
FDA Approves Widaplik for Treatment of Hypertension

Professional Practice

Measles Vaccination Rates Dropped in U.S. After COVID-19 Pandemic
Register for the Clinical Pathways in a Hospital: Application for Congenital and Acquired Hemophilia Webinar

MPA News

Nominate Colleagues for MPA and Section Awards Now
Your Feedback Needed on Net Promoter Score Survey
On Rotation with MPA: Devin Stephens
Purchase Additional Years of Membership in the MPA Store
Register for Pharmacy Day at the Capitol Sept. 18, 2025
Save the Dates: 2025 MSHP Annual Meeting and UP Fall Conference

MPA CE Offerings

Upcoming Meetings and Events

CEO Perspective

I’m amplifying our call for nominations to serve as Michigan delegates to either the House of Delegates for the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) or the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

The MPA Executive Board Nominations Committee is responsible annually for recommending candidates to the Executive Board to serve as delegates for each organization's House of Delegates (HoD). MPA members selected to be delegates will be notified by Aug. 1, 2025.

If you are interested in serving as a delegate for APhA or NCPA, you must be a member of the organization and plan to attend the organization’s annual meeting. The APhA HoD will meet March 27 and 30, 2026, during the association’s Annual Meeting & Exposition March 27-30, 2026, in Los Angeles. In addition, APhA will hold virtual webinar/open hearing sessions in the fall of 2025 and winter of 2026. The NCPA HoD will meet Oct. 21, 2025, during the group’s Annual Convention & Exposition Oct. 18-21, 2025, in New Orleans.

Please complete the MPA Delegates Interest Form. The deadline to submit nominations is June 30, 2025.

I hope to see you as a Michigan delegate at either the NCPA or APhA House of Delegates!

Mark A. Glasper

CEO

Legislative and Regulatory

Kennedy Replaces Fired CDC Vaccine Panel Members, Includes Anti-Vaccine Proponents

Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. named eight members to serve on a key panel of vaccine advisers on Wednesday, including several who have advocated against vaccines, after abruptly firing all 17 members of the independent committee of experts.

They will sit on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which advises the agency on who should get the shots after they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The group of eight – the minimum number allowed by the ACIP founding charter – includes four who have previously worked on committees associated with either the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, or both.

Others have published papers, posted on social media, or written online biographies with anti-vaccine views, including against the mRNA vaccine technology used in some of the newest immunizations such as the COVID-19 vaccine.

Among them is Robert Malone, one of the most prominent voices opposing mRNA vaccines. He is aligned with Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again movement.

FDA Approves Merck's RSV Antibody for Infants

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Merck's preventive antibody shot to protect infants up to one year of age from respiratory syncytial virus during their first RSV season, the company said.

Merck's monoclonal antibody, called clesrovimab and branded as Enflonsia, is the first and only preventive shot that can be administered as a single dose regardless of birth weight in healthy pre-term, full-term and at-risk infants to protect them against mild, moderate and severe RSV. The company told Reuters the therapy will be priced at $556 per dose.

FDA Approves Widaplik for Treatment of Hypertension

The FDA approved telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide (Widaplik) for the treatment of hypertension in adult patients, George Medicines said in a release. The therapy, which includes all three medications in a single pill, is used to lower blood pressure and can also be used as an initial treatment.

Widaplik is available in three doses, a standard dose and two low doses, allowing it to deliver benefits to patients early in the treatment pathway. The therapy is the first and only triple combination therapy approved by the FDA for use as an initial therapy in patients who will likely need multiple medications to achieve blood pressure goals.

Professional Practice

Measles Vaccination Rates Dropped

in U.S. After COVID-19 Pandemic

Childhood vaccination rates against measles fell in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data – including in states that are battling outbreaks this year.

A Johns Hopkins University study, published in JAMA this week, illustrates where more vulnerable communities are located. The results mirror trends established at state and national levels: Routine childhood vaccination rates are dropping.

Most of the measles cases in the U.S. this year are in unvaccinated people. It has been spreading among communities due to international and domestic travel. Three people have died from measles during this year’s outbreaks and 2025 is inching closer to becoming the worst for measles in more than three decades.

On Wednesday, June 25 at noon, Novo Nordisk will host its Clinical Pathways in a Hospital: Application for Congenital and Acquired Hemophilia webinar. Be sure to register and attend.

MPA News

Nominate Colleagues for MPA and Section Awards Now

Nominate one of your colleagues for a prestigious MPA award to recognize their professional accomplishments! The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 29. MPA is accepting nominations for the following awards:

MPA Awards

MPA Pharmacist of the Year
Bowl of Hygeia
Executive Board Medal
Excellence in Innovation
Pharmacists^TM Mutual Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award
Fred W. Arnold Public Relations Award
Fellow of MPA
Ernie Koch Striving for Excellence Award

Section Awards

CSPM

CSPM Pharmacist of the Year Award

MSCP

MSCP Pharmacist of the Year Award

MSHP

MSHP Pharmacist of the Year Award
MSHP Joseph A. Oddis Leadership Award
MSHP Professional Practice Award
MSHP Presidents Award
MSHP Excellence in Wellness Practice Award*

MSPT

MSPT Technician of the Year Award
MSPT Service Award

Nominate Now

*The MSHP Excellence in Wellness Practice Award is a new award and will be presented for the first time this year at the MSHP Annual Meeting. The MSHP Excellence in Wellness Practice Award is presented to an individual (pharmacist, pharmacy resident, student pharmacist, pharmacy technician), department, or group for their involvement in a wellness practice initiative. Whether through promoting mental health awareness, advocating for physical well-being, or supporting work-life balance, the Excellence in Wellness Practice Award celebrates those who make a meaningful impact on the wellness culture within the health care sector.

The criteria for the award is as follows:

Applicant(s) is a Michigan pharmacist, student pharmacist, pharmacy resident, pharmacy technician, pharmacy department, or group of pharmacists/students/residents/technicians. The nominee (or at least 1 nominee in the group if a group is nominated) must be an active member of MPA.
Project has been undertaken, modified, or expanded within the last five years.
Project must demonstrate impact on wellness culture in a pharmacy or health care setting.

We Want Your Feedback:

Keep an Eye Out for Our Net Promoter Score Survey

We’re always looking for ways to improve your experience and your feedback helps guide us. This Friday, you’ll receive a short Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey in your inbox.

NPS is a simple, one-question survey that asks how likely you are to recommend us to a friend or colleague. It’s a quick and powerful way for us to understand how we're doing –and how we can serve you better.

The below image is an example of what the survey will look like in your inbox. It only takes a minute and your input makes a big difference. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!

On Rotation with MPA: Devin Stephens

MPA is excited to welcome Devin Stephens, a P4 pharmacy student from the University of Toledo, on rotation through June 30.

Stephens is a proud metro Detroit native. He earned his undergraduate degree in human biology from Michigan State University. Stephens chose to complete an APPE rotation with MPA "to gain a deeper understanding of the behind-the-scenes processes involved in proposing, planning and implementing pharmacy policy across the state of Michigan."

He has aspirations of pursuing a juris doctor following pharmacy school and is "passionate about advocating for the profession and contributing to a stronger, more progressive future for the field of pharmacy."

Purchase Additional Years of Membership in the MPA Store

Did you know MPA offers the ability to purchase two additional years of membership at a reduced cost? If you are a current MPA member, take advantage of this opportunity to receive a 10% discount by extending your membership.

Simply visit the MPA Store and select the extension product that matches your current membership. Note: This offer can only be redeemed in the MPA Store and is not available through your Member Compass.

MPA Store

Pharmacy Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for pharmacy professionals to educate legislators on their value as health care professionals. Volunteers are given unique one-on-one time with Michigan’s elected officials to provide wellness demonstrations, including blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, immunizations, emergency preparedness and healthy lifestyle practices. In addition, participants have a chance to utilize talking points to discuss key pharmacy issues with lawmakers.

This event is held in conjunction with Michigan Pharmacists Association’s Medication Disposal Event at the Capitol, which provides a venue for the public to safely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications and showcases the value of pharmacists in keeping patients and communities safe. For sponsorship opportunities, contact MPA Director of Government Affairs Eric Roath.

Save the Dates: 2025 MSHP Annual Meeting

and UP Fall Conference

The weekend of Oct. 24-25 will be packed with CE opportunities for pharmacy professionals across the state with the MSHP Annual Meeting and the Upper Peninsula Division Fall Conference.

Registration for these events will be announced later this summer, but for now save the dates of Oct. 24 for the MSHP Annual Meeting at the Hilton DoubleTree Dearborn and Oct. 25 for the UP Fall Conference at the Northern Center in Marquette. See you there!

MPA CE Offerings

APhA Pharmacy-Based

Immunization Training

Live Webinar – July 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mixed Format - Self Study Required

APhA Pharmacy-Based

Immunization Training

Live Webinar – Sept. 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mixed Format - Self Study Required

NCAP Develops Substance Abuse Disorder Training Program

The North Carolina Association of Pharmacists has developed a comprehensive, one-time training program designed to give healthcare professionals a thorough understanding of preventing, detecting, and managing patients with substance use disorders. The program addresses prevention, treatment, and recovery, conceptualizing substance use disorder as a chronic brain disease affected by genetic, behavioral, cultural, and socioeconomic factors. The program will emphasize opioid use disorder (OUD) and is designed to equip participants with the information needed to treat and manage patients living with OUD effectively.

The target audience for this advanced-level training includes physicians, nurse practitioners/nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists as well as clinicians who see patients with addiction in primary care, emergency/urgent care, treatment centers, or general psychiatry settings.

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!

Original MPA IBT Home Study

IBT 2.0 Home Study

Looking for Something Else? Try MPA's On-Demand CE

In addition, MPA offers other on-demand 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 Home Study CE