Expert shares reasons why many women are behind on their annual breast cancer screenings, along with the latest cutting edge treatment in the breast cancer space. 

The Alzheimer disease treatment landscape is rapidly changing, with several new FDA-approved antibody therapies that target amyloid plaque and aim to slow disease progression. While the controversial approval of aducanumab faced challenges, newer drugs like lecanemab and donanemab have shown more promising results in clinical trials, demonstrating cognitive benefits. Additionally, the pipeline includes novel therapies targeting tau protein and other mechanisms. Advancements in biomarker development, including plasma and imaging tests, are also enabling earlier diagnosis and the potential for preventive treatments before the onset of clinical symptoms.

Experts Include:
Pamela Spicer, neuroscience expert and therapy area Director, Citeline
Martin Tolar, MD, PhD, founder, president, CEO, Alzheon
Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC, medical director, site principal investigator, Toronto Memory Program

On this episode of Pharmacy Focus, experts discuss World Psychedelics Day, which is June 20. Experts will also discuss goals of World Psychedelics Day in increasing awareness and appreciation of psychedelics' therapeutic potential while honoring traditional knowledge. Experts cover the history of psychedelics, current research on psychedelic therapies for conditions like PTSD and depression, and future directions. Proper education, screening, medication management and harm reduction practices are highlighted as best ways that pharmacists can get involved.

Guests Include:
Mark Achbar, WPD Founder
Sarah Butterfield, WPD Creative Director
Rev. Shannon Smadella, WPD Operations & Partnerships Director
Sandra Dreisbach, PhD, WPD Ethics Director
Dennis Mckenna, Director and President of the Mckenna Academy
Kevin Lanzo, PharmD, co-founder of the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association (PPA)
Kristin Speer, PharmD, BCPS, co-founder of the PPA

References
1. Pharmacy Times. Survey Shows 65% of Affected Americans Want Access to Psychedelic Treatments for Mental Health Conditions. February 8. 2022. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/survey-shows-65-of-affected-americans-want-access-to-psychedelic-treatments-for-mental-health-conditions
2. Gallagher A. Psychedelic Medicine Could Fill Care Gap in Psychiatric Care. Pharmacy Times. April 10, 2024. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/psychedelic-medicine-could-fill-care-gap-in-psychiatric-care
3. Gallagher A. Is 2024 the Year for Psychedelic Medicine?. Pharmacy Times. April 4, 2024. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/is-2024-the-year-for-psychedelic-medicine-
4. Antrim A. FDA Advisory Panel Rejects MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD. Pharmacy Times. June 4, 2024. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/fda-advisory-panel-rejects-mdma-assisted-therapy-for-ptsd

In this month's episode, Amanda Ryan, PharmD, BCGP, CPHQ, the director of Education for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), discusses a new PQA program to teach pharmacy and other health professions students the basics of quality measurement and strategies to improve medication safety, adherence and appropriate use.

Ryan leads the strategic direction of PQA’s educational activities. Before joining PQA, Ryan served for six years as the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist for Qsource, a nonprofit healthcare quality improvement and information technology consultancy. She also has six years of long-term care pharmacy experience, where she oversaw the pharmacy‘s continuous quality improvement program and provided education to nursing home staff.

In this week’s episode, we spoke with Mandy Reece, PharmD, CDCES, BC-ADM, BCACP, FADCES, vice chair and associate professor in the department of pharmacy practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, on diabetes care, change in treatment, and management.

This week's episode features Kathy Pham, PharmD, BCPPS, senior director of Policy and Professional Affairs at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), who discusses her experience at ACCP and why advocacy is important to health care and the profession of pharmacy.

Kathy Pham is the Senior Director of Policy and Professional Affairs at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Dr. Pham came to ACCP from the Pew Charitable Trusts, where she served as Senior Officer of the Drug Safety Project. Her previous clinical experience has been in pediatric pharmacy practice, with the majority of that time spent as the NICU clinical specialist and pharmacy residency director at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Pham earned her PharmD degree from Rutgers and completed her pharmacy residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Pham leads ACCP's interprofessional stakeholder engagement to advance medication optimization. 

https://www.brown.edu/news/2023-01-11/pharmacy-addiction-treatment

https://www.genoahealthcare.com/pharmacists-can-start-patients-on-road-to-recovery-from-opioid-use-disorder-study-shows/

In this month's episode, we spoke with Matt Gibbs, president of Capital Rx, to discuss alternative career paths for students, including independently owned PBMs.

In this week's episode, Carina Dolan, PharmD, BCOP, senior director for Clinical Oncology and Pharmaceutical Outcomes at Vizient Inc, discusses the highlights and big picture moving forward for hospitals and health-system pharmacies.

This week's episode features Amina Abubakar, PharmD, AAHIVP, CEO of Avant Pharmacy & Wellness Center and president of Avant Institute, who discusses her experience in the pharmacy industry and the communities she serves.

Amina Abubakar graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy University of the Sciences in 2005. She is the owner and manager of Avant Pharmacy & Wellness Center formerly known as Rx Clinic Pharmacy in Charlotte, NC, and the founder of the Avant Institute. She is an internationally recognized award-winning clinical pharmacist, Certified HIV Specialty Pharmacist, a preceptor to UNC Chapel Hill residents and students from several schools of pharmacy. Recently, Amina was bestowed the honor by the National Community Pharmacists Association as 2020’s Independent Pharmacist of the Year and also received the 2020 Bowl of Hygeia from the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists for outstanding service to the community.

Today's episode features Ronna Hauser of the National Community Pharmacists Association and Olin and Scotty Sykes, accountants from Sykes & Company, who discuss DIR changes.

This month, we spoke with Joseph Araujo, Chief Scientific Officer at Mindset Pharma, to get a better understanding of the differences between natural and synthetic psychedelic medicines. 

In this week's episode, Deeb Eid, PharmD, RPh, regulatory affairs advisor in Pharmacy at CVS Health, discusses the future and advancing practice of pharmacy.

This week's episode features Tom Frieden, MPH, MD, who discusses his background and influence on public health and national policy.

Dr. Frieden was the director of the CDC and is currently the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. Resolve to Save Lives was created in 2017, and works with organizations around the world to prevent epidemics and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

This episode of Pharmacy Focus discusses the important role pharmacists can play in promoting mental health care for patients. Molly McGraw, PharmD, BCPS, coordinator of Pharmacy Quality UPMC Health Plan and Kim Castelnovo, RPh, Pharmacy Manager at Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, talk about the importance of mental health care for patients, how pharmacists can educate patients on their mental health medications, and implement clinical programs to optimize care. They also discuss challenges with medication adherence and how pharmacists can collaborate with other health care professionals to provide holistic care.

Judy Neville, from the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians and program director of the Pharmacy Technician Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, speaks with pharmacy technicians about the impact of pharmacy technician as vaccinators.

This week's episode features Alex Barker, PharmD, founder of The Happy PharmD, who discusses career development and pursuing a career in public health.

Alex founded The Happy PharmD to provide career coaching and career development classes, and since 2017, the company has helped over 1,500 pharmacists. His best-selling book, Indispensable: A Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career, has sold more than 4,000 copies and helped countless pharmacists love their profession again. When he isn’t working, he has fun with his wife and 2 beautiful daughters, plays Nintendo and Dungeon & Dragons, enjoys coffee and good guacamole (not at the same time), and reads comics.

This week's episode features Dr. Jaclyn Boyle, assistant dean for Student Success, and associate professor of Pharmacy Practice at Northeast Ohio Medical University, who discusses .

Jaclyn A. Boyle currently serves as Assistant Dean, Student Success, and Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). Dr. Boyle is a graduate o fthe Ohio State University, receiving a Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree in 2007 and Master in Pharmacology degree in 2008. She pursued her Doctor of Pharmacy training at Northeast Ohio Medical University, where she graduated in 2012. After graduation, Dr. Boyle completed her PGY-1 and PGY-2 in Internal Medicine and Academia where at UniversityHospitals Geauga Medical Center and received a Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Findlay in 2016.She served in a variety of roles within the ambulatory care setting before transitioning to her current role at NEOMED. She also currently serves as Chair for the ASHP Section of Ambulatory Care and is Past President of the Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists. At NEOMED, she serves as the vice chair of the College of Pharmacy Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. In her faculty role, she oversees a 4-year personal and professional development course series focuses on the student pharmacist finding their own definition of success through intense self-reflection and developing a lifelong strategy of leading oneself. Dr. Boyle also serves as LeadCoach at The Happy PharmD, where she develops the coaching team and provides career coaching for pharmacists to design fulfilling careers and develop businesses. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family (husband Paul, and daughters Gianna (6) and Giulia (5months), spinning, running and yoga.

On this episode, Dr. Joanna Lewis and her friend Julia discuss 5 healthy habits to maintain during the holidays and 5 things to have in the medicine cabinet.

Judy Neville, from the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians and program director of the Pharmacy Technician Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, speaks with 2 pharmacy technicians who have made this path their career.

This week's episode features Dr. Katrina Skinner, president of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who discusses how pharmacists and pediatricians can support patients. 

Six weeks after residency graduation, Dr. Katrina Skinner opened the doors to her pediatric practice in her rural Alabama hometown. Twelve years later, she and her team serve thousands of their community’s children as a Patient Centered Medical Home. Dr. Skinner serves as the president of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, where she advocates for children and pediatricians across the state, from working with legislators to negotiating with payers to make sure Alabama’s children and the physicians who serve them are fairly represented. Dr. Skinner is also the founder of Women in Pediatrics, an organization that provides unique, practical educational content and opportunities for female pediatricians.

In this episode of Pharmacy Focus: Technician Edition With NHA. Jeremy welcomes guest, Shayla Smith, to be on the show. Shayla was the recipient of the 2022 Next Generation Pharmacist – Technician of the Year award. Shayla is a CPhT at Avita Specialty Pharmacy in Austin, TX. During the interview, Shayla discusses her pathway to having a technician career, and how her current role brings value and provides high quality care to the patients she serves. Shayla also provides some advice to those who want to become a pharmacy technician, as well as technicians who want to take on more roles and responsibilities. NHA was proud to sponsor this year’s Pharmacy Technician of the Year award, and we’re very proud of Shayla for her accomplishments and for being such a positive mentor and colleague to all pharmacy technicians!

On this week's episode, Dr. Joanna Lewis speaks with Dr. Brooke Griffin, professor and vice chair of Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University and a professional Coach in life and work, about why it's important to invest in yourself, identify your values, and commit to the highs and lows of your career.

Emotional, mental, and physical health are an important part of how individuals show up, navigate, and thrive in our world. In today's episode, Joanna gives listeners 6 tips to take charge of their well-being.
These techniques are divided into mental and physical wellness and will ultimately help listeners learn how to manage stress, feel better, perform better, and show up as their best selves.

Today's fourth and final installment in our American Pharmacist Month special features Dr. Crystal Yu, PharmD, Integrated Health Team at L'Oreal Active Cosmetics Divisions, who discusses her unique role in healthcare, including the importance of taking care of your skin for the long-term and other areas of dermatology.

In this special Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention month episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Emma White, the founder and president of the nonprofit organization Life Is Worth It, who shares her struggles with mental health as a teenager, and how she used her experience to educate others and give back to her community. White is also the Statewide Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Nevada’s Department of Education and works under the Office of Suicide Prevention managing Project AWARE, a SAMHSA grant.

Key Takeaways:

1. Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention: Emma White, founder of The Life Is Worth It Organization, emphasizes the importance of addressing all dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial—in suicide prevention. Her organization focuses on upstream prevention education, aiming to provide youth with tools and resources to manage their overall well-being to reduce the risk of suicide.
2. Personal Journey and Advocacy: White shares her personal story of surviving a suicide attempt at 15 years of age, emphasizing the lack of mental health education and support that she experienced during her crisis. Her journey from a survivor to an advocate showcases the importance of therapy, community support, and the normalization of discussing mental health struggles. White’s work with the state of Nevada and her professional speaking engagements aim to break the stigma and provide vital education on mental health.
3.  Breaking Stereotypes and Encouraging Vulnerability: Both White and Dr. Madison discuss the societal misconceptions about who can struggle with mental health issues, and they challenge stereotypes by sharing their experiences of being high-achieving individuals who have also faced mental health challenges. This conversation stresses the need for open discussions about mental health across all communities and the importance of seeking help without shame or stigma.

Emma White can be found on LinkedIn, Instagram (@emmamwhite) and Facebook (Emma White). Her TED Talk can be viewed here.

More information on the nonprofit organization Life Is Worth It can be found on the website and on social media:

• Website: www.lifeisworthit.org
• Instagram: @lifeisworthitorg
• Facebook: @LifeIsWorthItOrg
• Email: lifeisworthitorg@gmail.com

This month, we spoke with Earl Ettienne, BScPharm, MBA, from Howard University, and Dietmar Berger, MD, PhD, of Sanofi, about their recently-announced partnership and fellowship program. By supporting pharmacy students at Howard University, Ettienne said the fellowship hopes to expand the number of pharmacists of color in industry.

Today's third installment in our American Pharmacist Month special features Dr. Timothy Gauthier, Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Manager for Baptist Health South Florida, who discusses his work in the infectious disease space and how the public health community can make it a priority to stay informed on these types of issues, such as misinformation and sources for treatments and diseases. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions in this podcast are that of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policy or position of any previous, current, or potential future employer.

Judy Neville, from the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians and program director of the Pharmacy Technician Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, speaks with Bridget Darby from AAPT, about the next generation of pharmacy technicians in honor of National Pharmacy Technician Day!

Today's second installment in our American Pharmacist Month special features Dr. Autumn Zuckerman, Director of Health Outcomes and Research at Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, who discusses her experience in the specialty pharmacy space and how she is aiming to make an impact in public health.

Today, on the On The Shelf podcast, we talk about skincare with Crystal Yu, PharmD. Crystal is part of the Integrated Health team at L’Oreal Active Cosmetics Divisions.  Her role is to support the pharmacy community with skin health resources from brands Cerave, La Roche-Posay and Vichy. Dr. Yu is committed to optimizing care and accessibility for patients affected with skin conditions by strengthening partnerships with healthcare professionals and driving awareness on the clinical benefits of dermatological skincare.

Listen as we talk about the skincare and beauty industry, the pharmacists role in skincare selection and about eczema in honor of October being Eczema Awareness Month.

In this month's episode, Ed Cohen and John Beckner from NCPA discussed the upcoming flu season and why it's important to get your shots sooner rather than later. This episode also marks their first live recording, which took place at this year's NCPA conference! 

This month, we spoke with Paul Thielking, MD, who has been investigating the use of psychedelic medicines in palliative care environments. For patients facing end-of-life care, Thielking psychedelic medicines may offer a chance to feel connected with themselves and others during such a difficult time.

Today's first installment in our American Pharmacist Month special features Neil MacKinnon, BSc (Pharm), MSc (Pharm), PhD, FCSHP, FNAP, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia’s only public academic health center, who discusses his time in academia and how he hopes to impact the pharmacy community through public health. 

Jill Murphy from Pharmacy Times® spoke with Public Health Matters host Dr. Christina Madison, On the Shelf host Dr. Joanna Lewis, and Dr. Brooke Griffin about all things pharmacy, including the importance of Women Pharmacist Day and what they hope to see in the future of pharmacy. Enjoy!

In this week’s episode, we will be discussing integrated care models in pharmacy and how to enhance the patient experience with Tony Willoughby, PharmD, and president of Catalyst Health Group. If you would like to nominate a pharmacist or pharmacy staff member as a Pharmacy Hero, email AAntrim@pharmacytimes.com!

Pharmacists from Mayo Clinic recap some of the latest treatment opportunities to advance patient care in the oncology space. 

This week's episode features Brenda Cassidy, DNP, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, associate professor and vice chair of Health Promotion and Development, about the concept of confidential care, adolescent treatment plans, and the impact it has on the LGBTQ+ community. 

This month, we spoke with Dr. Brandon Dyson, PharmD, BCOP, co-founder of TL;DR Pharmacy, to hear about his resources for pharmacy students as well as how students can improve essential communication skills that may not be taught in an academic environment. In this month's Mental Health Minute, Dr. Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP, tackled common myths about burnout. 

For more information on TL;DR Pharmacy, check out https://www.tldrpharmacy.com/ 

To learn more from Dr. Jessica Louie, check out https://drjessicalouie.com/ 

On this week's episode, host Joanna speaks with Charlie Conway, PhD, chief scientific officer at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals about migraine function, care, and treatment. Conway has 30 years of research experience, including 17 years of drug discovery and development, and specializes in neuroscience.

This month, we spoke with Craig Freyer, PharmD, BCOP, clinical pharmacy specialist at Penn Medicine, to learn about how CAR T therapies are potentially revolutionizing the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). 

 In this episode, Jeremy and Jessica speak with guest, Christine Cline-Dahlman, founder of “PharmTechForward,” a firm that produces educational materials for pharmacy technicians who want to advance their career by learning advanced clinical skills their pharmacies can provide.  Their discussion includes the importance of available advanced training for technicians and how they can shift the way they think and practice, while remaining within their scope of practice.  Christine also discusses the CPESN (Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network) and the role they play in training of, and assisting in the third party reimbursement for pharmacy provided clinical services. 

In this week’s episode, we will be discussing the “We’ll Be There” Campaign and other areas of health systems pharmacy with Craig Dolan, PharmD, MBA, vice president of Business Development & Innovation at McKesson.
 
McKesson’s newest “We’ll Be There” campaign sheds light on the expanding role of health system pharmacists and offers a dynamic and powerful take from the POV of the pharmacist. Watch the video from the campaign here.

This week's episode features Danielle Colayco, PharmD, MS, Executive Director of Komoto Family Foundation, about her work at the foundation and the different services they provided to further assist migrant health and better community health messages.

This week, Joanna speaks with Lydia Fenet, ambassador at Christie’s Auction House and best-selling author of The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You, to discuss the professional side of wellness.

In this month's episode, John Beckner from NCPA speaks with Bruce Berger, PhD, FAPhA, President of Berger Consulting, LLC, about motivational interviewing in terms of solving common pharmacy issues, such as vaccine hesitancy and fatigue. 

This month, we spoke with Joseph Araujo, co-founder, director, and chief scientific officer at Mindset Pharma, to get an overview of the differences between synthetic and natural psychedelic medicines. By developing synthetic versions of natural medicines, scientists may be able to minimize adverse effects while gaining a better understanding of their efficacy and durability.

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Kate Gainer, PharmD, CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) to discuss the significance of state pharmacy associations in advocating for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, advancing public health initiatives, as well as shaping legislative priorities. Dr. Gainer also walks through her journey into pharmacy advocacy, emphasizes the importance of engagement in legislative advocacy.

Key Takeaways:

1. Importance of State Pharmacy Associations: The episode underscores the critical role of state pharmacy associations in advocating for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, supporting legislative initiatives, and facilitating collaborations with public health departments. State associations also serve as a bridge between pharmacists and policymakers, and have the ability to provide pharmacists opportunities for involvement and advocacy at the state level.
2. Advocacy and Legislative Initiatives: Dr. Kate Gainer highlights the ongoing advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives pursued by state pharmacy associations. These initiatives include updating pharmacy practice acts, advocating for payment reform to support pharmacists' expanded roles, and collaborating with legislators to advance policies that benefit the pharmacy profession and patient care.
3. Professional Development and Engagement: The conversation emphasizes the importance of professional development and engagement for pharmacists, encouraging them to get involved in their state pharmacy associations. Dr. Gainer shares her own journey into association leadership, emphasizing that it's never too late to get involved and make a difference, and that by engaging in advocacy, networking, and professional growth opportunities, pharmacists can contribute to positive change within the profession and the health care system.

Connect with Dr. Kate Gainer on LinkedIn.

Today's special episode features our very own host from the Public Health Matters podcast, Dr. Christina Madison, who joins Dr. Tina Opie, associate professor of Management and award-winning teacher and researcher, and Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, Regional Clinical Director of Carbon Health and Urgent Care Medical Director and Physician at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, to discuss speaking your voice and amplifying your message through platforms like Ted and TedX. 

This week's episode features Casey Villhauer, PharmD, Chief Executive Officer of VaxiTaxi, about this business venture and how the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced this idea to help eliminate barriers to patient care. 

On this week's episode, Joanna discusses her recommendations for sunscreen, what to look for when choosing sunscreen, tips about sunscreen, and what pharmacists picked as their favorite sunscreen product in the OTC Guide.