NABP 109th Annual Meeting to Arrive at the “Gateway to the West” for Important Business Sessions, Timely CPE Programs, and Unique Networking Events

Set in St Louis, MO, the geographic hub of the United States, this year’s National Association of Boards of Pharmacy^® (NABP^®) 109th Annual Meeting, “Gateway to Shared Responsibility and Success,” will provide attendees an opportunity to explore the “Gateway to the West” while participating in important NABP Business Sessions, during which delegates elect new Executive Committee officers and members learn of proposed amendments to the NABP Constitution and Bylaws. In addition, attendees may earn up to nine contact hours (0.9 CEUs) of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit while networking with peers. The meeting will take place May 18-21, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency St Louis at the Arch, in St Louis, MO.

Continuing Pharmacy Education

Timely and informative CPE sessions designed to address current issues affecting the regulation of pharmacy practice will be available to attendees of the 109th Annual Meeting. These sessions, led by educators, regulators, and others who will share their knowledge, experience, and insight to the regulation of pharmacy practice, will provide attendees the opportunity to earn up to nine hours (0.9 CEUs) of CPE credit. Four joint CPE sessions are available to attendees, including the annual Educational Poster Session; “gTLD and LegitScript Investigations Update”; “Veterinary Pharmacy Issues: Identifying Illegal Practices and Distinguishing Supply Chain Variations”; and “Are Biosimilars the Same as Generics? Point-Counterpoint.” One of two concurrent sessions are also available, including the session “Virtual Pharmacy Practice – Out of Thin Air,” geared for state board of pharmacy executive officers and members and “Pill Mills, Non-Therapeutic Drug Use, and Prescription Drug Monitoring: What to Look for During Investigations,” geared toward compliance officers, inspectors, and investigators. In addition, there will be one pre-meeting CPE session, “The Compounding/Manufacturing Debate: When Is a Duck Not a Duck?” on Saturday, May 18, from 2 to 4 PM.

The Educational Poster Session, which is themed “Sharing Responsibility for Public Protection,” will take place on Sunday, May 19, from 8 to 11:30 AM, and offers attendees a unique opportunity to earn one contact hour (0.1 CEU) of CPE credit. This highly interactive joint CPE session allows board of pharmacy members and staff, as well as schools and colleges of pharmacy, the opportunity to display posters that share information about their organization’s latest legislative issues, technology, policy development, and/or patient or public safety initiatives as they relate to sharing responsibility for public protection. The deadline to reserve a spot as a poster presenter is March 8, 2013. Those interested in participating should contact NABP Professional Affairs Senior Manager Eileen Lewalski via e-mail at prof-affairs@nabp.net.

More information about the CPE sessions offered at the Annual Meeting can be found in the schedule on the NABP Web site.

Keynote Address

Sharing a story of profound personal and professional change, this year’s keynote address will inspire attendees to become a driver on the freeway toward their dreams. By the time he was 19, Keynote Speaker Jeff Henderson was running a weekly $35,000 crack-cocaine operation in Southern California. He was arrested at 24 for drug trafficking, but while serving jail time he realized he would much rather run kitchens instead of drug operations. Now known as Chef Jeff, he is an award-winning chef, television culinary star, and New York Times best-selling author. With hard work and dedication, Chef Jeff was able to turn his life around and become an inspiration to others. During the keynote address, Chef Jeff will deliver his speech, “From the Streets to the Stove: The Power of Potential,” where he will provide attendees with simple and effective ways to implement strategies they can use to navigate through the detours and roadblocks along the way.

Chef Jeff is most famously known for The Chef Jeff Project on Food Network, where he took six at-risk young adults and gave them the opportunity to start a new life with a culinary career. Today, he continues to inspire audiences with his story of redemption, and encourages others to reach their full potential. Chef Jeff was named as one of Grio’s 100: History Makers in the Making, Class of 2012, which honors African-Americans for the positive contributions they are making in shaping the futures of others. He is also the recipient of several role model and culinary awards. Chef Jeff currently co-stars on the television show, Beat the Chefs on Game Show Network. Sponsored by Humana Pharmacy Solutions, the Keynote Address will take place Sunday, May 19, at 12:30 PM, during the meeting’s First Business Session.

Special Events

Board members who have recently been appointed to a board of pharmacy, or those attending their first NABP Annual Meeting, will want to attend the Annual Meeting and District Meeting Orientation on Saturday, May 18, from 5 to 6 PM. The program offers a look at the events taking place and the procedures followed during the Annual Meeting.

Honoring NABP President Michael A. Burleson, RPh, the President’s Welcome Reception will offer attendees the opportunity to catch up with old friends and acquaintances on Saturday, May 18, from 7 to 10 PM.

The Hospitality Brunch, which is sponsored by Omnicare, Inc, and takes place on Sunday, May 19, from 8 to 11:30 AM, will offer attendees a chance to network with their colleagues while enjoying a buffet brunch. The brunch will be held in the same area as Educational Table Top Displays, during which attendees can speak with representatives from federal regulatory agencies, NABP, and other associations about important issues and programs.

In addition, the NABP/USP Breakfast, sponsored by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, will be held Monday, May 20, from 7 to 8:15 AM. Meeting participants are invited to attend the breakfast, which will provide an opportunity for both organizations to discuss timely and relevant topics in the practice of pharmacy.

Closing the NABP 109th Annual Meeting is the Association’s Awards Dinner Reception and Annual Awards Dinner, held on Tuesday, May 21. The Awards Dinner Reception will take place from 5:45 to 6:45 PM and the Annual Awards Dinner will follow at 7 PM. The Annual Awards Dinner honors those individuals who have contributed their time and talents to advancing the principles of NABP and the practice of pharmacy. This special evening recognizes the efforts of the 2012-2013 NABP president and 2013 honorary president, and the recipients of various NABP awards.

For more information on the 109th Annual Meeting, please contact the NABP Meeting Services Department at 847/391-4406 or via e-mail at custserv@nabp.net. Online registration and additional information may also be found in the Meetings section of the NABP Web site.

NABP and the NABP Foundation is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. ACPE Provider Number: 205. Participants may earn ACPE-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit by completing a Statement of Continuing Pharmacy Education Participation and submitting it electronically to NABP. Full attendance and completion of the program evaluation and learning assessment for each session are required to receive CPE credit and a Statement of Continuing Pharmacy Education Credit.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Policy: NABP staff will be available to assist attendees on an individual basis to apply for CLE credit for attending CPE sessions. To apply for CLE credit, attendees must initiate the program approval process in their own states by completing and submitting the appropriate application materials and forms. NABP will provide documentation as necessary.

NABP is the independent, international, and impartial Association that assists its member boards and jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for the purpose of protecting the public health.