LAS VEGAS -- Interest is expected to be high at next week's meeting of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, where a late-breaking session will address the ongoing meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated products from the New England Compounding Center, highlighting the role of health-system pharmacists in preventing such events in the future.
The session, entitled "A Compounding Tragedy -- A National Response," will feature a speaker from the FDA, a representative of ASHP, and a member of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
"We plan to present the advocacy efforts we have undertaken so far and highlight what still needs to be done," said JoAnn Harris, RPh, who directs the ASHP's educational services division.
Among the measures the society has put in place is the creation of a members' checklist for sterile compounding services, with instructions for reviewing all existing contracts with compounding facilities and assessment of adherence to quality control policies and state and federal requirements for licensure.
The ASHP checklist also calls for members to "work with organizational executives and other departments within the health system to ensure that the pharmacy department is involved in all decisions through the health system in regard to procurement and use of drug products obtained from external compounding facilities."
Another highly anticipated event at the meeting will be a keynote address given by former President Bill Clinton.
In "Embracing our Common Humanity," Clinton will describe the growing challenges of globalization and interdependence, and outline his vision for "a common future based on shared goals and values."
The meeting "will have something for everyone -- students, pharmacy managers, clinical specialists, and front-line pharmacists, and will have all-time record attendance," Harris said.
"ASHP is no longer simply a hospital pharmacy group. We represent all types of ambulatory care pharmacists, including those who work in clinics, accountable care organizations, and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes," she told MedPage Today.
Other important topics that will be featured at the meeting include the role of the pharmacist in reducing hospital readmissions and optimizing medication safety.
Sessions also will be devoted to general pharmacy-related topics such as stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, the emergence of resistance to gram-negative infections, and the use of neutraceuticals for pain management.
The meeting begins on Monday morning and continues through Thursday.
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