Pharmacy Leaders Toast Drug Topics

Pharmacy leaders toast Drug Topics Many o anniversary celebration pharmacy. Your journalists would be complete without a and editors keep a good bal- R.Ph.s see few toasts and brief speeches. ance as they prepare each Drug Topics NSo Drug Topics asked a sam- issue between the various pling of pharmacy leaders to reminisce segments of pharmacy prac- as a about what the magazine has meant to tice. Most important, there trusted them throughout the years and what they is a clear professionalism like most about the publication. that is displayed in the qual- Manasse friend Here are some of the nice things they ity of the writing and choice ASHP had to say: of topics and their elaboration. Bruce Roberts, R.Ph., exec- “Since joining ASHP, I have enjoyed Sandra Levy utive VP/CEO of the Nation- and appreciated the bond of friendship al Community Pharmacists and professional relationship that has de- Association, said, “Drug Top- veloped between the staff of Drug Topics ics has served the pharmacy and the ASHP ‘family.’ You cover the profession not only as an in- issues of health-system pharmacy in a valuable source of news and comprehensive fashion. You dig deep information on political, Roberts where required. Judy Chi and Tony Vec- practice, and business topics, NCPA chione are always active participants in but also as an advocate for the profession. our press briefings, and they are never This is a time when all pharmacists, re- shy about asking us the tough questions. gardless of their practice setting, need to Thanks for being part of our profession in stay informed on changes in pharmacy a sustained and committed fashion.” practice, legislative and regulatory devel- John Gans, executive VP/CEO of the opments, and marketplace pressures. American Pharmacists Association, rem- Drug Topics provides the kind of timely inisced, “When I look back at all of the is- news coverage pharmacists need to re- sues facing the pharmacy profession spond to the challenges of a changing, over the years, Drug Topics has been there competitive practice environment.” asking the tough questions Henri Manasse Jr., executive VP/CEO every step of the way. of ASHP, offered this assessment: “I have Here’s to another 150 years been an avid and constant reader of of excellent reporting.” Drug Topics since my student days. The John Rector, senior VP and current news in our profession, in addi- general counsel of NCPA, tion to the commentaries and analyses, commented, “Even in the has been an important part of my efforts Gans years 1971 to 1977 when I was to keep up with what is going on in APhA a chief counsel for the Senate Photos: Getty Images/Masterfile www.drugtopics.com DRUG TOPICS MARCH 19 2007 33 Judiciary Committee, my staff of very beneficial to me in my practice. David Brushwood, R.Ph., J.D., lawyers and investigators and I used Whether one is involved in pharmacy professor of pharmacy healthcare Drug Topics in a variety of ways: to management or in direct patient care, administration, University of Flori- understand the sector and the issues each issue provides a comprehensive da, declared: “Drug Topics has been a confronting the practice of pharmacy, overview of issues facing the profes- trusted source of information con- especially the local privately owned sion as well as interesting clinical per- cerning issues relevant to pharmacy business and for ideas for legislation spectives on a variety of topics. I’ve practice. They have never ducked a or leads for hearing subjects and/or come to rely on it.” controversy. As an academic, with a witnesses. Throughout my years as Larry Kocot, senior commitment to the profession, I am general counsel and senior VP with adviser to the adminis- grateful that Drug Topics has provid- the National Association of Retail trator at the Centers for ed easy access to what is on the Druggists [NARD] and now NCPA, I Medicare & Medicaid minds of practitioners.” have found Drug Topics to be a timely Services, offered these Timothy Covington, executive di- and reliable source of essential infor- congratulatory words: rector of the Managed Care Institute mation. Access on-line to the publica- “I have been an avid at Samford University, stated, “I tion and your frequent updates have reader of your publica- Beckner have read Drug Topics regularly for only served to enhance its value.” tion for as long as I can Ukrop’s my entire pharmacy career, begin- Mary Ann Wagner, R.Ph., senior remember. Drug Topics ning as a pharmacy student. I de- VP, policy and pharmacy regulatory has earned 150 years of unparalleled pend on Drug Topics to bring me affairs of the National Association of success because your publication re- timely and useful information about Chain Drug Stores, expressed this ports more than just the pharmacy clinical, economic, and professional sentiment, “Congratulations to Drug news. Drug Topics is unique in its re- trends and issues. Drug Topics deliv- Topics on your 150th anniversary! porting on pharmacy issues and pol- ers quality and useful information We commend you for continuously icy as it captures the perspectives of with a high degree of journalistic keeping pharmacists abreast of cur- pharmacists, pharmacy academia, competence and integrity.” rent issues and trends in the profes- and pharmacy professionals like no Janet Engle, Pharm.D., associate sion. Personally, I enjoy reading the other pharmacy publication. Also, dean for academic affairs and clini- letters to the editor to see what phar- the Drug Topics Web site has become cal professor of pharmacy practice, macists across the country have on a wonderful extension of the publi- University of Illinois at Chicago their minds and how they react to the cation for those of us that can’t get College of Pharmacy, remarked, various articles that are published.” the hard copy of Drug Topics fast “Drug Topics is unique as the writ- Lucinda Maine, Ph.D., R.Ph., ex- enough.” ers and editors provide pharma- ecutive VP of the American Associa- Jack Fincham, R.Ph., A. W. Jowdy cists with practical, current infor- tion of Colleges of Pharmacy, offered Professor of Pharmacy Care, Uni- mation that can’t be easily found these words, “I have consistently versity of Georgia College of Phar- anywhere else. From late-breaking thought of Drug Topics as pharma- macy, observed, “I have always re- news to government affairs, tech- cy’s Newsweek. The editorial staff lied on Drug Topics to provide an nology and business to what is new without fail found the news that was important perspective on issues im- in the Rx and OTC arena, you can ‘fit to print’ and also delved into pacting our profession. It is some- find up-to-date information quickly contemporary areas of pharmacy thing I review with every issue to and easily in Drug Topics. It’s been practice and politics that helped get a ‘take’ on the pulse of pharma- on my must-read list for more than every reader keep on top of changes cy practice.” 20 years.” in the profession.” William Popomaronis, director of Finally, Rick Kingston, Pharm.D., John Beckner, R.Ph., pharmacy specialty services, NCPA, president of regulatory and scien- director of pharmacy noted, “I’ve been reading Drug Top- tific affairs, SafetyCall International, and health services, ics since opening my first pharmacy called Drug Topics “one of the few Ukrop’s Super Markets, more than 20 years ago. The maga- pharmacy-focused magazines that reflected, “I have been zine has always presented timely provides a concise, timely, and en- reading Drug Topics for business subjects that help pharma- gaging view of emerging topics im- almost 25 years and cists ask the right questions to important to all pharmacy practition- Maine have found it to be ex- prove the value they offer to their ers. Thanks for keeping us informed AACP tremely informative and patients and communities.” in such an enjoyable way.” DT 34 DRUG TOPICS MARCH 19 2007 www.drugtopics.com pharmacists duplicate European The evolution of the R.Ph.: No products that were either unreliable or unavailable. longer ‘seen but not heard’ More than 300 pharmacy cook- books were published in the United Fred Gebhart charcoal, pots, and pans imported States during the 19th century, Harris from Europe. noted. One of the most active pub- hen you start look- “The idea of retail, the pharmacist lishers was the American Pharma- ing, “you find phar- who sells both beach balls and health ceutical Association, founded in 1852. macists at every level care, is really where we came from,” When the Civil War broke out, W of every endeavor Harris said. “I remember counting pharmacists on both sides were and every industry that touches on out threads of saffron in the 1960s be- scaling up familiar compounding health care,” said pharmacy con- cause pharmacies were the only techniques into vast factories that sultant Marsha K. Millonig, MBA, places that carried such exotica.” churned out such vital medicinals R.Ph., president of Catalyst Enter- as whiskey and morphine. prises in Minneapolis. “Pharma- Expect change During Prohibition, many phar- cists have gone from making drugs Pharmacy changed as America macists turned to distillation to meet to managing the use of changed, Harris contin- continuing demands for potable al- drugs. But in a larger sense, ued. By the time of the cohol. During the Great Depression, pharmacists are doing what American Revolution, demand shifted to cold cream and we have always done, pharmacists had become other cosmetics that pharmacists evolving with society to smugglers and counter- had the skill to create. find a role and fill it.” feiters.

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