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Minnesotans could get their prescription drugs from Canada by 2017 if a state representative has his way…State Representative Joe Atkins plans to introduce a bill next legislative session that would make it legal for Minnesotans to buy…prescription drugs from Canada through their local pharmacies…"Right now – we're turning Americans into criminals. We've got Minnesotans driving up to Canada to buy these drugs at much lower prices.".. His bill would require the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services to establish the program where local pharmacies could sign up, as well as creating a web site for ordering prescriptions.

..recently the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association along with several partners came up with a Therapeutic Decision Cascade for Animal and Public Safety. This is a great tool for reminding all of us how to properly select drugs for any species we are treating. By considering that all we want is to look after the health of our patients and that what we do ultimately affects human health, this guide is invaluable to both veterinarians and their clients as a reminder of which medications are approved for each species.

Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services just released data on 2016's Medicare Part D plans…analysis reveals that 85% of Medicare Part D regional prescription drug plans will have a preferred cost sharing network in 2016…Preferred network plans are controversial (and generally disliked) by pharmacy owners. That’s because reduced pharmacy profits are the biggest source of cost savings from these networks. Despite ongoing complaints, it's still full speed ahead for preferred networks.

Senate passed legislation…intended to protect small and midsize businesses from increases in health insurance premiums…The bill,…eliminates a provision of the law that would have imposed tough, potentially costly new requirements on businesses with 51 to 100 employees…"This bill will make a helpful adjustment to the Affordable Care Act for small and midsize businesses by limiting potential premium increases and letting states determine what’s best for their market,"…

Montreal pharmacist who was fined a hefty $50,000 by the disciplinary council of the Quebec Order of Pharmacists for his lucrative, but unethical, practice of repackaging single doses of an expensive eye medication into three applications is now appealing the decision…John Di Genova,...has lost his license for 19 months　after the council concluded　that his repackaging of the drug Lucentis (ranibizumab),..was a violation of the professional code of pharmacists…After subdividing the single-dose…Di Genova proceeded to charge the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec for three full doses,…the Order found that Di Genova "illegally demanded money from the drug insurance board."

OCTOBER is AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH!

In celebration of our Pharmacists – we interview Donna Hazel – President of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association...completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy from Duquesne University in 1979. Donna has held many positions with Rite Aid Corporation and currently is a Regional Recruiter. She has been a member of PPA since 2005 when she moved back to Pittsburgh. She is a previous President and Chair of the Allegheny County Association. Previously she served as Southwest Director of PPA...currently the President of Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Alumni and member of Lambda Kappa Sigma Pharmacy fraternity’s Tau Alumni Chapter. Donna has enjoyed serving as Southwest Director of PPA, and is most proud of the affiliation agreement between ACPA and PPA. (podcast 13min)

Senator Lamar Alexander…called on the government to delay Stage 3 final rules – and offered five reasons why…"The whole purpose of this program is to benefit patients, so that they and their health care providers have quicker and better access to their health histories and their doctors and hospitals and pharmacists can provide them with better care,"…"There is no reason not to take time to do it right."

1. Stage 2 is so onerous, in fact, that just 12 percent of physicians and 40 percent of hospitals have managed to successfully attest.
2. Penalties and bonus payouts under the new Medicare payment system are inextricably tied with meaningful use compliance.
3. Many leading medical institutions with the best electronic health records systems also recommend proceeding with caution.
4. A recent GAO report that shows that, in many cases, MU mandates are actually hindering electronic health record interoperability.
5. The HELP Committee has worked to develop seven areas for legislation to drive interoperability:

• Decreasing unnecessary physician documentation;
• Enabling patients to have easier access to their own health records;
• Making electronic health records more accessible to the entire health care team, such as nurses;
• Stopping information blocking
• Ensuring that EHR certification "means what it says it does"
• Improving standards
• Ensuring the security and privacy of patient records.

The state is accusing the University of Washington Medical Center of not keeping critical pharmacy areas clean enough…Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission says this could affect public health, safety and welfare…"...daily cleaning of sterile compounding areas either had not occurred ... or were not documented."…It also found that, "multiple facility controls had rust, glue and dirt visibly present." And that there was "an open window to the area, high traffic in the area, and personnel who were not properly garbed."… both the director and manager of the Pharmacy - as well as the Pharmacy itself could face suspension or revocation of their licenses.

PharmTalk is a special production from the University of Arizona, College of Pharmacy that features Keith and Kevin Boesen.

More and more, student pharmacists, student nurses, student physicians and others learn together about the best ways to make patients' lives better.

We recently announced…Patient Engagement Advisory Committee …The Committee will provide advice to the FDA Commissioner on…issues relating to medical devices, the regulation of devices, and their use by patients…PEAC will bring patients, patient advocacy groups, and experts together for a broader discussion of important patient-related issues, to increase integration of patient perspectives into the regulatory process, and to help drive more patient-centric medical device innovation, development, evaluation, and access.