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newsletter National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® February 2006 / Volume 35 Number 2 aid to government Groups Advocate Various Plan B the profession the public Classifications as FDA Delays 1904 to 2006 Decision on OTC Application At the end of 2005, Food 1999. If taken as directed been realized. If women This Month on and Drug Administration within 72 hours after know about and have access www.nabp.net: (FDA) found itself unprotected intercourse to EC, proponents say, the embroiled in a controversy or contraception failure, number of unintended Special Items in the highly charged area these EC drugs have been pregnancies could be cut Register Online for the NABP of reproductive medicine shown to reduce the risk dramatically – as could nd 102 Annual Meeting or, more specifically, of pregnancy by 89%, and the subsequent emotional, 2005 Fall Educational emergency contraception they are more effective the financial, and physical Conference CE Summaries (EC). As of press time, earlier they are taken. Since costs to women; the costs Headlines FDA had yet to issue a final they largely impede pre- to society of overburdened Author Provides Insight into Development of Dangerous decision on whether or not fertilization events such as families, teen mothers, Doses at Fall Educational to categorize an emergency release of an egg from the or neglected children; Conference contraceptive marketed ovary or fertilization of the and the health care and as Plan B® as an over-the- egg by the sperm and do not social services costs to Upcoming counter (OTC) drug. interfere with an established governments. Moreover, Meetings Two dedicated EC pregnancy (after the it has been estimated that medications have been fertilized egg has implanted nearly half of unintended Thursday-Friday in the uterus), ECs are pregnancies are terminated February 23-24, 2006 available by prescription for Committee on Constitution the last several years – not medically or legally by induced abortion, so and Bylaws Preven®, containing considered abortifacients. widespread use of EC could NABP Headquarters substantially reduce the Mount Prospect, IL estrogen and progestin, Proponents of EC feel that which was approved by it holds great promise for abortion rate. Indeed, the Saturday-Tuesday Alan Guttmacher Institute April 8-11, 2006 FDA in 1998, and Plan B, improving public health NABP 102nd Annual Meeting containing only progestin, and affecting social policy, estimated in a 2002 report Westin St Francis, which was approved in some of which has already (continued on page 26) San Francisco, CA Sunday-Tuesday August 6-8, 2006 In This Issue. NABP/AACP District III Meeting Legal Briefs: Feature News: 102nd Annual State Board Charleston, SC Gimme a Break!!! NABP Testifies Meeting: News: Thursday-Saturday at Counterfeiting More Florida’s Strict August 10-12, 2006 Hearing Before Opportunities Law to Curb NABP/AACP District V Meeting Congressional to Share Counterfeit Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Subcommittee Information and Medications Saturday-Tuesday to Network Goes Into Effect May 19-22, 2007 in July NABP 103rd Annual Meeting Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Portland, OR 28 30 34 41 Feature News nabp newsletter Plan B behaviors, such as failing on the pharmacy owner, to take precautions that not the pharmacist. “This The NABP Newsletter (continued from page 25) (ISSN 8756-4483) is would prevent sexually rule creates a precedent for published ten times a that 51,000 abortions were transmitted diseases as well [the] government to use year by the National averted by women’s use as pregnancy. license capacity to coerce Association of Boards of EC in 2000, and that of Pharmacy (NABP) The issue has created a private business owners, 43% of the decrease in to educate, to inform, moral dilemma for some and the citizens they are, to total abortions between and to communicate the pharmacists as well. In abandon deeply held moral objectives and programs 1994 and 2000 could be the continuing education principals,” he says. of the Association and attributed to EC. its 66 member boards session “Refusal to A Third Class of pharmacy to the Efforts to broaden the Dispense” at NABP’s 2005 profession and the availability of EC are Fall Educational Conference of Drugs public. The opinions NABP has long advocated and views expressed in moving slowly on a state- in Sunny Isles Beach, FL, this publication do not by-state basis, giving many in December 2005, Edward an alternative classification necessarily reflect the public and women’s health R. Martin, Jr, JD, attorney for medications that do not official views, opinions, or advocates greater hope in and director of the Center seem entirely appropriate policies of NABP or any for OTC status, yet have board unless expressly so FDA’s consideration of an for Rights of Conscience at stated. The subscription application to allow the Americans United for Life, characteristics that present rate is $35 per year. marketing of Plan B as an and Luke Vander Bleek, compelling reasons to OTC drug. This proposal RPh, owner of Fitzgerald remove the drug from National Association of has, however, also raised and Eggleston Pharmacies, the prescription-only Boards of Pharmacy category: Create a third, 1600 Feehanville Drive great concerns among other discussed their stance on Mount Prospect, IL 60056 groups, and the prospect of current state legislation that transitional or “counseling” 847/391-4406 making Plan B available on affects pharmacists’ rights of class of drugs that could www.nabp.net an OTC basis has met with be dispensed without a [email protected] conscience. Martin, lawyer less than universal support. for Vander Bleek in his prescription, but only by licensed health care Carmen A. Catizone Based on responses lawsuit against the state of professionals authorized to Executive Director/ provided to FDA during Illinois, which has ruled that prescribe and/or dispense Secretary a recent comment period pharmacies must dispense prescription drugs. Dale J. Atkinson, JD regarding the Plan B emergency contraceptives Laurel Berger O’Connor despite their moral beliefs, NABP has been urging the Contributing Editors application, some of this resistance stems from a pointed out that 45 states adoption of this counseling Larissa Doucette have conscience laws that class of drugs since 1995, Editorial Manager basic confusion of Plan B with abortion-inducing only protect certain health when the Association passed Don Talend care professionals and st Technical Editor drugs such as mifepristone. a resolution at its 91 Annual Others object to EC on are focused on abortion, Meeting calling for its Lara R. Jackson Editor the grounds that it might and three states have no creation. In his comments protections. Shortcomings to FDA this fall, NABP Lisa Huxhold prevent implantation, and Proofreader the belief that life begins of current conscience laws Executive Director/Secretary with fertilization of the are that they often only Carmen A. Catizone wrote, ©2006 National egg, not implantation cover abortion and not “NABP believes that a Association of Boards of Pharmacy. All rights of the fertilized egg in emergency contraception, counseling class of drugs reserved. No part of the uterus. Still others cloning, or research. could significantly contribute this publication may are concerned that some Vander Bleek discussed to the overall safety of be reproduced in any women, particularly young how Illinois’ rule, which the public health as more manner without the written permission of teens, would rely on Plan states that pharmacies must drugs are transitioned from the executive director/ B as their primary means provide all contraceptives, ‘prescription drug’ status. secretary of the National of birth control and would including Plan B, or none A counseling class of drugs Association of at all. He noted that the Boards of Pharmacy. increase their sexual activity or risk-taking onus of the rule is being put (continued on page 36) 26 Association News february 2006 2006-2007 Open Executive Committee Executive Officer, Member Positions Announced Committee In accordance with NABP’s The Executive Committee meet all qualifications for Donna M. Horn Constitution and Bylaws, member representative for office shall be eligible to be Chairperson, District I the following individuals District I, John R. Dorvee, nominated from the floor. One-year term are seeking a position has declared his intent to The letter of intent should Dennis K. McAllister President, District VIII on NABP’s Executive seek the office of Treasurer include a short (no longer One-year term Committee. The election on NABP’s Executive than one page) narrative Lawrence H. Mokhiber will be held during NABP’s Committee. This creates highlighting relevant President-elect, District II 102nd Annual Meeting, April an open member position experience and attributes One-year term 8-11, 2006, at the Westin for District I for a one- that qualify the affiliated Charles R. Young St Francis Hotel in San year term. member for consideration Treasurer, District I One-year term Francisco, CA. District V to be nominated to the Charles Curtis “Curt” Barr (one-year term) Executive Committee, the Officer Positions Member, District V Open term expiration date on President-elect Serving second year of a The Executive Committee the active member board (one-year term) three-year term member representative for on which the affiliated Charles Curtis “Curt” Reginald B. “Reggie” Dilliard District V, Charles Curtis member presently serves, Member, District III Barr, Nebraska Board of “Curt” Barr, has declared his and a current résumé or Serving first year of a three- Pharmacy intent to seek the office of curriculum vitae. year term Oren M. Peacock, Jr, President-Elect on NABP’s John R. Dorvee, Jr Texas State Board of Schedule Executive Committee. This Member, District I Pharmacy During the First Business Serving first year of a two- creates an open member Treasurer (one-year term) Session on Sunday, April 9, year term position for District V for a John R.