Congratulations to MPA member Jesse Hogue, who was elected and installed as chair of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' (ASHP) House of Delegates June 11! Hogue's term as chair will expire in 2027. The chair presides at all meetings of the House of Delegates, is a member of the ASHP Board of Directors and represents the House of Delegates at all Board meetings. Specific responsibilities include: Guides the House of Delegates in its interpretation of the ASHP governing documents, precedents, and Robert's Rules of Order as they relate to the business of the House. Advises the Board of Directors on issues and actions likely to be raised by the House of Delegates. Recognizes certified delegates or alternates appearing before the House [...]

The the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a monovalent JN.1-lineage vaccine composition for the fall COVID-19 vaccine formula. Based on the totality of the evidence, the FDA advised manufacturers of the licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines that the COVID-19 vaccines for use in the United States beginning in fall 2024 should be monovalent JN.1 vaccines to more closely match currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Read more

The Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) proudly announces the promotion of Farah Jalloul to chief pharmacy officer. Jalloul's exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication and outstanding contributions to the Association have positioned her as the ideal candidate for this pivotal role. During her tenure with MPA, Jalloul has consistently represented the state and the pharmacy profession with professionalism and integrity. Her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing pharmacy today, coupled with her visionary approach, make her exceptionally well-suited to guide the Association into the future. "We are thrilled to announce Farah Jalloul's promotion to chief pharmacy officer," MPA CEO Mark Glasper said. "Her leadership, passion and vision will undoubtedly propel MPA forward as we continue to advocate for the profession of [...]

MPA member Jim Kaski recently had an editorial on immunization status published in the Detroit News. Click here to read Kaski's piece. NOTE: A Detroit News subscription is required to view the article.

Frustrated patients in Michigan and around the country have had to pay out of pocket for medicine for chronic diseases and other illnesses or go without in the fallout from a cyberattack of a major health care company. The tech company, Change Healthcare, has restored access to many of its systems in the weeks since the Feb. 21 attack announcement. However, some services remained down as of Thursday, March 21, including the system that processes discount/savings cards to bring down drug prices for patients. Local pharmacists said for a while they couldn’t verify what a customer’s insurance would cover for their medication, or how much of a copay was necessary at the transaction point. Patients had the option of paying [...]