No matter where you are watching this from and no matter when you’re catching up on videos, I want to welcome you home. Just because we can’t come together in person again this year, our Annual Meeting remains the best opportunity to reconnect with each other, refresh our knowledge, and revitalize our profession.

Deaths attributable to COVID-19 continue to increase disproportionately in Black and Brown communities.1Centers for Disease Control and PreventionUnited States COVID-19 cases and deaths by state.https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7daysDate: Feb 18, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar Specifically, Black people represent 14·8% of all COVID-19 mortalities in the USA, which is greater than the proportion of Black individuals in the US population (13·4%). This disparate outcome is heavily attributed to the inter-relationship between structural racism and the social determinants of health inequities.1Centers for Disease Control and PreventionUnited States COVID-19 cases and deaths by state.https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7daysDate: Feb 18, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar, 2Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCOVID-19 racial and ethnic health disparities.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/what-we-do.htmlDate: Dec 10, 2020Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar The availability of COVID-19 vaccines are positioned to change these inequalities; however, decades of institutional distrust and inadequate access to health care, and ultimately, the absence of transparency in vaccine allocation to heavily disparaged areas, leave Black communities at a disadvantage.2Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCOVID-19 racial and ethnic health disparities.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/what-we-do.htmlDate: Dec 10, 2020Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar, 3Kennedy BR Mathis CC Woods AK African Americans and their distrust of the health care system: healthcare for diverse populations.J Cult Divers. 2007; 14: 56-60PubMed Google Scholar, 4The Associated PressRate of Black Americans receiving COVID-19 vaccines lags behind general population.https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronaviruspandemic-8329d1b165323313963b1ca4e28ef76fDate: Jan 30, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar, 5Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCOVID vaccinations in the United States.https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinationsDate: Feb 18, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar In the USA, particularly in California, the delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations to Black individuals continues to lag significantly behind that of their non-Hispanic white counterparts.5Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCOVID vaccinations in the United States.https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinationsDate: Feb 18, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar, 6The GuardianBlack and Latino Californians vaccinated at far lower rates than others.https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/09/california-coronavirus-vaccination-black-latinoDate: Feb 9, 2021Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar Medicare or other health insurance companies can cover the costs of vaccine administration, but vaccines are available to individuals free of charge. Loma Linda University (CA, USA) currently serves as the largest vaccination site in the San Bernardino County of southern California. Similar to other country-wide vaccination efforts, the Loma Linda University mass vaccination clinic is located in a suburban area, with appointments made online. Using this strategy, the Black community has been under-represented, as only 833 (3·6%) of 23 170 individuals who received their first vaccine dose over a 30-day period were Black (table). Even though there has been an increase in the number of Black individuals served at this mass vaccination clinic over time, a more proactive approach is clearly required.TableEthnicity of individuals vaccinated at the mass vaccination clinic versus the mobile community vaccination clinic in San Bernardino (CA, USA)Loma Linda University mass vaccination clinic (n=23 170)*Data were extracted on Feb 21, 2021; includes data from 30 days of vaccinations.Mobile vaccination community clinic (n=417)†Data were extracted on Feb 20, 2021; includes data from 1 day of vaccinations (administered on Feb 6, 2021).San Bernardino County population (n=2 180 085)Black833 (3·6%)351 (84·2%)168 946 (7·8%)American Indian or Native Alaskan109 (0·5%)1 (0·2%)7955 (0·4%)Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander38 (0·2%)1 (0·2%)6545 (0·3%)Asian3474 (15·0%)4 (1·0%)157 172 (7·2%)Latinx3021 (13·0%)31 (7·5%)1 186 808 (54·4%)White12 819 (55·3%)14 (3·4%)591 879 (27·0%)Other792 (3·4%)10 (2·4%)4572 (0·2%)Unknown2005 (8·6%)5 (1·2%)NKMixed ethnicityNKNK56 208 (2·6%)Data are n (%). Only data for first COVID-19 vaccine doses are shown. NK=not known.* Data were extracted on Feb 21, 2021; includes data from 30 days of vaccinations.† Data were extracted on Feb 20, 2021; includes data from 1 day of vaccinations (administered on Feb 6, 2021). Open table in a new tab Data are n (%). Only data for first COVID-19 vaccine doses are shown. NK=not known. In an effort to reach the Black community more effectively, Loma Linda University developed a three-tiered approach to establish a mobile vaccination clinic. This approach included the engagement of Black faith leaders, the delivery of education about COVID-19 vaccinations by a Black health-care professional, and the development of a multidisciplinary mobile vaccination effort, by holding the vaccination clinic in a church parking area in a mostly Black community. The USA is considered a highly religious nation, and prayer, as well as the promotion of medical treatment by religious leaders, has been shown to be very important in establishing trust in health care by Black people.7Carter JH Religion/spirituality in African-American culture: an essential aspect of psychiatric care.J Natl Med Assoc. 2002; 94: 371-375PubMed Google Scholar, 8Atchinson GJ The Black faith leaders at the forefront of public health crises.https://sojo.net/articles/black-faith-leaders-forefront-public-health-crisesDate: June 29, 2020Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar Leveraging a relationship with two organisations (the Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches [IECAAC] and the Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement), comprised of 20 churches dedicated to confronting prominent issues in the Black community, Loma Linda University organised a COVID-19 faith summit, which included a comprehensive COVID-19 information session to gain the pastors' support of the available vaccines. After the summit, the pastors advertised and coordinated educational webinars about the COVID-19 vaccinations, distributed registration paperwork, and managed appointment lists for their community members before they attended the vaccination clinic. The Black pastors' leadership was integral to the success of this initiative, as they are well acquainted and had established direct communication with individuals in the Black community. The medical establishment in the USA has a long history of discrimination and exploitation against Black individuals. This discrimination has resulted in lasting negative effects, such as health-care hesitancy and distrust, which are deeply engrained in the consciousness of the community.3Kennedy BR Mathis CC Woods AK African Americans and their distrust of the health care system: healthcare for diverse populations.J Cult Divers. 2007; 14: 56-60PubMed Google Scholar Nevertheless, it has been shown that the delivery of medical information from practitioners with similar identities to patients can lead to improved communication, translating to the development of trusting relationships.9Buga S Racial bias and unequal representation in healthcare.https://blog.amopportunities.org/2020/06/10/distrust-in-healthcare-racial-bias-and-representation/Date: June 10, 2020Date accessed: February 19, 2021Google Scholar Recognising the need for intentional education measures to decrease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, a Black pharmacist with specialised infectious disease training provided several COVID-19 vaccination webinars to the members of the Black community before the mobile vaccination clinic date. This pharmacist also managed transportation of the vaccines to the clinic and ensured that each vaccine was properly drawn from the vials before administration to individuals during the clinic visits. These efforts resulted in establishing a trusting environment of familiarity among the Black faith leaders and community members. There are various barriers to vaccination that disproportionately affect Black communities, such as limited access to the internet, a computer, and transportation, which make systems that rely on online scheduling and travel difficult to access.10Yu SWY Hill C Ricks ML Bennet J Oriol NE The scope and impact of mobile health clinics in the United States: a literature review.Int J Equity Health. 2017; 16: 178Crossref PubMed Scopus (116) Google Scholar Our mobile vaccination clinic was held on the grounds of an IECAAC-affiliated church, providing a location close in proximity to, as well as a familiar and familial atmosphere for the Black community members being vaccinated. Additionally, we used a completely paper-based registration process, with each individual being assigned a unique registration identification number, to ensure that internet access was not a barrier. The mobile vaccination clinic vaccinated a total of 417 people, 351 (84·2%) of whom were Black. Notably, the proportion of Black individuals served by the Loma Linda University mass vaccination clinics increased from 3·0% to 3·6% in the week following the mobile clinic, which could potentially be attributed to the promotion of the mass vaccination clinic during the mobile vaccination effort (table). In conclusion, the equitable allocation of the COVID-19 vaccines is essential to confronting the racial disparities magnified by the current pandemic. Strategies to reach the Black community include: engagement of Black faith leaders; promotion of vaccine education by Black health-care professionals; and increasing accessibility of vaccination clinics by holding them in Black communities, so that online registration and scheduling are avoided. We declare no competing interests. We thank the multiple disciplines, including dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, clinical operations, as well as information and web services, that assisted in the successful completion of this mobile vaccination clinic effort.

Background Over the past 2 decades, pharmacists have positioned immunization services as an important aspect of their expanding role in patient care. Objectives To examine how community chain pharmacists view time spent on immunization, available in-store resources and barriers, and pharmacy technician involvement in the context of their views about the achievement of key National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) Standards of Adult Immunization Practice in their workplace. Methods A representative, nationwide survey was administered electronically to chain community pharmacists over a 4-week period. Community pharmacists offering year-round immunization in retail chain, supermarket, and mass-merchant settings, randomly sampled from a database maintained by the American Pharmacists Association. We examined several sets of interrelated relationships regarding pharmacists' perceived achievement of 3 key NVAC standards (assessment, recommendation and administration), time spent on the overall immunization process, the effectiveness of available in-store resources, immunization impediments, and the endorsement of increased technician involvement in community pharmacy-based immunization service (PBIS) delivery. Results A sample of 590 survey responses was obtained from 9717 e-mails delivered, with 489 deemed eligible (5% response rate). Sizeable numbers of pharmacists acknowledged that several activities integral to achieving optimal immunization levels were not being addressed. Although pharmacists accepted that appropriately trained pharmacy technicians should be able to ask (77%) and assess (66%) patients, only 24% agreed that technicians should be able to administer vaccine doses. Pharmacists satisfied with in-store immunization resources and technicians' involvement were more likely to report achieving the 3 key NVAC standards. Paradoxically, how pharmacists viewed their immunization time expenditures was unrelated to whether they agreed that pharmacy technicians should have an expanded role in asking, assessing, or administering vaccines to their patients. Conclusion Overall, community pharmacies would likely better meet national immunization goals by achieving all 3 key NVAC standards and incorporating expanded roles for appropriately trained and supervised technicians in PBIS.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has begun utilizing a new recommendation known as "Shared Clinical Decision-Making." This recommendation from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls upon health care providers, including pharmacists, to have more engaged conversations with patients regarding their vaccine needs. This commentary is designed to provide pharmacists with clarifications on the intent behind this terminology, and dispel myths that have frequently been attributed to the category of recommendation. Pharmacists must continue to take action to immunize patients and not be confused by a new approach to recommendation terminology.

Early reports of potential treatment for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have raised concerns related to pharmaceutical distribution. Despite the lack of high-quality evidence, the mere hope of effectiveness of potential treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine, has led to surges in demand for these products, and many pharmacists are already informally reporting shortages through social channels. As manufacturers and wholesale distributors struggle to fulfill orders for drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, short-term price increases may seem reasonable in a free market when demand increases. However, any price increases by manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and pharmacies might be seen as exploitive gouging of consumers during a declared emergency. In addition to concerns of price gouging, increases in prescription drug utilization during the pandemic may lead to increases in spending for all payers as members may be treated for COVID-19. This article explores pharmaceutical supply chain and drug pricing nuances that may cause problems for payers and pharmacies as the country battles this global pandemic. Copyright (C) 2020, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVES:To assess (1) the practices, attitudes, and perceptions of immunizing chain community pharmacists regarding implementation of immunization services per the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) Standards of Adult Immunization Practice and (2) how community pharmacists view the effectiveness of corporate initiatives toward improving immunization volumes. DESIGN:Following extensive formative research and pilot-testing, a cross-sectional survey was administered electronically to chain community pharmacists over a 4-week period. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:Respondents were chain community pharmacists engaged in year-round immunization in the United States, randomly sampled from a list of 9717 maintained by the American Pharmacists Association. OUTCOME MEASURES:Pharmacists' reports of immunization volumes, patterns of time use, perceptions of time spent on the immunization process, immunization attitudes, and confidence in completing NVAC standard components. Pharmacists also evaluated the utility of corporate goals, feedback, and incentives received. RESULTS:The survey yielded 590 responses, with 489 meeting the eligibility criteria (5% response rate) and distributed from across the country. In total, 84% of respondents reported giving 26 or more vaccinations/week during the influenza season, whereas only 6% reported as many outside of the influenza season. Pharmacists spent, on average, 29% of their day addressing the immunization process during the influenza season and 12% outside of the influenza season. Only 29% of respondents were confident that their patients' complete immunization needs were assessed at each patient encounter and only 46% were confident that their patients received strong recommendations regarding their specific immunization needs. Most pharmacists viewed corporate goals and the messages and strategies to achieve them as limited in scope and largely inadequate. CONCLUSION:In the context of their current role expectations, most community pharmacists who responded were not confident that key NVAC Standards were being implemented to improve patient immunization rates and did not view corporate initiatives as effective toward that effort.

Many folks who have a minor ailment, a question about medicines, or a health concern in general often stop by their local pharmacy to ask the pharmacist for advice. I grew up in a rural area of Southern Illinois that did not have a fulltime physician. The health department clinic was only open on select mornings each week to administer vaccines. The pharmacist was the only healthcare professional that my family could easily see within 30 miles. Regardless of where we live, we've likely taken for granted that there is a pharmacy nearby. Today those pharmacies are often owned by CVS or Walgreens or are situated in a grocery store or big box retailer like Wal-Mart, Costco or Target. Health systems like Loma Linda University Health also own community pharmacies. There are still nearly 22,000 privately owned pharmacies in the U.S.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 36 million people die annually from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), representing over 60% of deaths worldwide, 15 million of which occur before the age of 70 years. Prevention and control of NCDs and their risk factors require interventions that are therapeutically cost-effective, affordable by the patient and/or health systems and feasible, based upon local resources. This commentary paper sets a basis of global evidence to advocate, nationally and internationally, for an expanded role for pharmacists in NCD management by compiling best practices and examples. It encourages pharmacists around the world to act upon NCDs, from prevention and screening activities, to patient referral when appropriate, and to pharmacist-led, patient-centred NCD management to improve outcomes and quality of life. Priority NCDs fall into four areas: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Building on the key roles they already play as primary healthcare professionals in the community, pharmacists can provide focused interventions, specialised counselling and care coordination, improving patient engagement to achieve better outcomes in the global fight against NCDs.

Interest in global engagement among schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States and Asian countries is growing. To develop fruitful relationships and engage in mutually enriching experiences, the cultural aspects of these countries need to be understood and respected. The aim of this paper is to facilitate culturally sensitive interactions between practitioners, faculty members, and students in the United States and those in Asian countries when they engage in health care practice and/or education. This paper introduces general information about China (including Macau and Hong Kong), Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Unique characteristics of the health care system and pharmacy education are described for each country. Stereotypes and misconceptions are discussed. Recommendations are included for initiating interactions and developing learning programs and scholarly collaborations while promoting culturally sensitive engagement. These recommendations are provided for US scholars, health care professionals, and students traveling to these countries as well as for those hosting visitors from these countries in the United States.

Objective. To provide a resource for schools and colleges of pharmacy in different regions of the world that are considering sending their students and faculty members to the United States for training. Methods. A literature review (2000-2018) was conducted that involved database and Internet searches using specific keywords and terms. Information was also solicited from authors in different regions of the United States who have hosted international students and faculty members. Recommendations for pharmacists and other health care practitioners on culturally sensitive engagement were formulated. Results. Global engagement between schools and colleges of pharmacy from different regions of the world and the United States is increasing. In addition to various cultural aspects, general information about the US health care system, pharmacy education programs, and pharmacy practice were found to be available to individuals who are charged with organizing and facilitating these exchanges. Common stereotypes and misconceptions about the United States were also identified. Conclusion. For international learners to have an enriching and fruitful engagement while in the United States, an understanding of American culture in general as well as the unique cultural aspects of different regions of the country as provided in this paper is critical.

Schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States increasingly interact with those in Asian countries for various purposes such as education and research. For both those visiting and those hosting, it is important to understand and respect the culture of the other's country to enrich these interactions. This paper, the second of two manuscripts on Asian countries, focuses on India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam. For each country, the following information is provided: general introduction, health care system, pharmacy practice, and pharmacy education, stereotypes and misconceptions, recommendations for US-based health care professionals, faculty members, and students who visit these Asian countries, and recommendations for them to host visitors from these Asian countries. The aim of this paper is to assist US health care professionals, faculty members, and students in initiating and promoting a culturally sensitive engagement.

International pharmacy service trips by schools and colleges of pharmacy allow students to provide health care to medically underserved areas. A literature review (2000-2016) in databases and Internet searches with specific keywords or terms was performed to assess current practices to establish and maintain successful pharmacy service trips. Educational documents such as syllabi were obtained from pharmacy programs and examined. A preliminary draft was developed and authors worked on sections of interest and expertise. Considerations and current recommendations are provided for the key aspects of the home institution and the host country requirements for pharmacy service trips based on findings from a literature search and the authors' collective, extensive experience. Evaluation of the trip and ethical considerations are also discussed. This article serves as a resource for schools and colleges of pharmacy that are interested in the development of new pharmacy service trips and provides key considerations for continuous quality improvement of current or future activities.

Vaccines are among most cost-effective public health strategies. Despite effective vaccines for many bacterial and viral illnesses, tens of thousands of adults and hundreds of children die each year in the United States from vaccine-preventable diseases. Underutilization of vaccines requires rethinking the approach to incorporating vaccines into practice. Arguably, immunizations could be a part all health care encounters. Shared responsibility is paramount if deaths are to be reduced. This article reviews the available vaccines in the US market, as well as practice recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Transitions are inevitable in academia, but changes in leadership personnel seem to have increased over the past several years. Participants at the 2016 AACP Interim Meeting learned that CEO dean positions are open in more than 20 of 135 colleges and schools of pharmacy. While this number seems

Background: Previous research revealed that matriculating first-year pharmacy students held generally favorable opinions about mandatory drug testing despite expressing definite concerns regarding practical issues. The objective of this study was to examine the changes in their attitudes toward drug testing as the result of actual participation in drug testing.Methods: The study was an anonymous, voluntary survey that was composed of 30 pretested Likert-type questions relating to knowledge, concerns, and beliefs about drug testing. The survey was administered during orientation week (pre-testing) and then again at the end of the academic year (post-testing).Results: The survey was completed by 129 (100%) students in the pre-testing phase and 91 (71%) students in the post-testing phase. Nine items showed statistically significant changes from pre- to post-testing. Interestingly, there was greater agreement with various concerns about drug testing, including cost of testing, being called for testing when busy with other matters, accidentally missing drug testing, consequences of missing drug testing, and being in situations in which showing up for drug testing would be difficult to impossible. Students' responses revealed less agreement that drug screening had the potential to decrease illegal substance use among students and that it was important to detect a substance use problem in a pharmacist.Conclusion: First-year pharmacy students' attitudes toward drug testing remained generally positive and were relatively unaffected by their actual participation in drug testing during the academic year; however, some concerns about drug testing were heightened, and changes in two of the belief questions were rather disconcerting. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The past year has been a remarkable one for APhA–APPM. Having fully transitioned at the beginning of the year to a new structure of special interest groups (SIGs), the Academy has focused on more actively engaging APhA members in advancing our profession. APhA President Jenelle Sobotka charged our Academy with core goals to support the APhA Strategic Plan. The Academy then developed specific objectives and action plans to move these goals forward.

Objectives: To identify factors that have led to successful involvement of pharmacists in patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices, identify challenges and suggested solutions for pharmacists involved in medical home practices, and disseminate findings.Data sources: In July 2011, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmacy Practice & Management convened a workgroup of pharmacists currently practicing or conducting research in National Committee for Quality Assurance-accredited PCMH practices.Data synthesis: A set of guiding questions to explore the early engagement and important process steps of pharmacist engagement with PCMH practices was used to conduct a series of conference calls during an 8-month period.Conclusion: Based on knowledge gained from early adopters of PCMH, the workgroup identified 10 key findings that it believes are essential to pharmacist integration into PCMH practices.

For the more than 20 years that I have been a part of this great profession, recognition by patients, payers, and other health care providers of the nondispensing health care services of pharmacists has been a topic of discussion. Literature going back to at least the 1970s discusses this issue. Numerous times, the profession has thought this “holy grail” of recognition was just around the corner, starting with former APhA CEO Bill Apple's “professional fee” initiative (now known as the dispensing fee) and continuing more recently with recognition of payment for certain medication therapy management (MTM) services under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.

Substance use and abuse among pharmacy students is a concern of pharmacy schools, boards of pharmacy, and training sites alike. Pharmacy students must complete approximately 30% of their academic coursework in experiential settings such as community pharmacies, hospitals, and other health systems as part of any accredited pharmacy school's curriculum, and these training sites are starting to require drug testing of pharmacy students as part of their contractual agreements with schools of pharmacy. The authors describe the implementation of a mandatory random urine drug screening program at their school as well as the changes that occurred owing to assessment of the program. The authors report the basic results to date of the drug screening program. The authors also speculate on secondary benefits of the drug screening program. Finally, the authors describe current and future evaluations that they are undertaking regarding this program.