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Discover NPTA: Spring 2010 Membership Drive

March 5th, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

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There has never been a better time to join NPTA! Throughout March, we will be conducting our Spring 2010 “Discover NPTA” Membership Drive. New members can now join for only $44, and they will receive a free gift: a copy of the NPTA CEO Mike Johnston, CPhT’s two-disc audio resource package – Exploring Your Career Paths in Pharmacy. That’s $25 off the entire year, and a free gift valued at $29–a total savings of $54!

NPTA is the leading professional organization for pharmacy technicians. Our members receive exclusive benefits including a free subscription to our award-winning magazine Today’s Technician; unlimited free ACPE-accredited continuing education courses; discounts on certification and pharmacy technician training programs; member-only discounts on study materials for the national certification exam; discounts on NPTA merchandise; and much more!

To take advantage of this special offer:

We encourage you to browse our home page and learn how NPTA can help you maximize your career as a pharmacy technician and beyond.

Current members can help by telling their friends, family members and co-workers who are also pharmacy technician professionals who have not yet joined NPTA.

To learn more about the “Discover NPTA” Membership Drive and the benefits to becoming a member of NPTA, go to:

http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/discover/

There has never been a better time to join NPTA. Discover the difference NPTA makes. Discover NPTA!

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Tech to Haiti Update

March 3rd, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Last month, we told you about a brave young hospital pharmacy technician named Gladys Battle from Pennsylvania who was trying to raise money to help the victims of the tragic disaster in Haiti by filling IVs.

When Gladys contacted NPTA for assistance, our pharmacy technicians jumped at the opportunity to help her. With your help, we raised $265 to help send Gladys to Haiti.

Unfortunately, Gladys was unable to make it to Haiti due to financial restrictions and travel difficulties, but she has asked us to donate the money to a Haitian relief charity on her behalf.

In her thank you message to us, Gladys had this to say:

“$265 may seem like a small amount to some but for the people that are in desperate need of food, tents, and medical supplies those numbers can seem so big. It would be a beautiful thing to see the funds you have collected donated to one of the Haiti Earthquake Relief funds in the name of the NPTA. Every little bit does count.”

We would like to thank all of our members who contributed to aid Gladys in her efforts to reach Haiti. We will graciously donate the money we have raised for her to the Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund.

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Roche Remains Positive about Avastin’s Potential Despite Latest Trial Failure

February 24th, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Hoffman-La Roche pharmaceuticals was disappointed to find out that its popular cancer treatment med Avastin failed to meet its target of prolonging the lives of patients with advanced stage stomach cancer.

According to the results of the company’s Phase III trial, Avastin was unable to extend the lives of patients with advanced stomach cancer when used in combination with its chemotherapy med Xeloda. Patients with stomach cancer were Roche’s primary target due to the limited amount of treatment options currently available to them.

“We are disappointed with these results because treatment options for stomach cancer are limited. However, we look forward to sharing the data with the medical community, including secondary endpoints,’’ said Hal Barron, M.D., executive vice president, Global Development and chief medical officer in the company-issued release. “We are committed to developing medicines for people with stomach cancer, including Herceptin and Xeloda.”

Stomach cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Because symptoms tend to develop in an advanced stage, the cancer is difficult to detect early. By the time symptoms do occur, the cancer has generally metastasized to other parts of the body. Approximately one million people are diagnosed each year with stomach cancer.

Avastin made history as the first commercially available angiogenessis inhibitor. The drug was originally developed by Genentech, a biotech pharmaceutical company headquartered in San Francisco. Roche acquired Genentech in 2009. Avastin’s ability to stop tumor growth by preventing the formation of new blood vessels in the tumor has made it a popular treatment of cancers that have metastasized to other parts of the body. It is used for a wide range of advanced-stage cancer treatments including colon, breast, lung and kidney. Roche plans to continue pushing forward with studies evaluating Avastin’s potential uses in treating other cancers as well.

Read Roche’s press release about the Avastin Phase III trial. What do you think about Avastin and its potential to treat other metastatic cancers? Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments section of this blog today.

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The Anniversary of Steel

February 10th, 2010 by rxmike | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Happy 11th Anniversary!Eleven years ago, while working one day in the pharmacy, I had a vision for creating a national organization specifically for pharmacy technicians—a group that would represent pharmacy technicians and provide us with a much needed voice in the industry. Most people thought I was crazy and said it would never work.

As it turns out, the naysayers were wrong.  On February 10, 2010 we celebrated the eleventh anniversary of the National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA), and this issue marks the commencement of our eleventh year publishing Today’s Technician magazine, the first full-color magazine ever created for pharmacy technicians.

In January, out of curiosity, I started doing some research into the symbolic celebration of an eleventh anniversary. I was surprised to discover that steel is the symbol for an eleventh anniversary. “Really…steel…,” I asked myself. It didn’t seem very inspiring although it’s steel (pardon the pun) better than cotton, which symbolizes a second anniversary. So I started doing some more research and pondered the significance of steel. What I came to learn left me feeling that this metallic milestone is more than fitting for our organization.

steel (stēl): n. a strong, durable and malleable alloy of iron and carbon; adj. very firm or strong: a steel grip

Steel, as it turns out, is a great analogy for the National Pharmacy Technician Association.

We have a firm grip on the position and needs of our profession; we are strong and durable as an organization, yet we are also flexible. Our strength comes not from one person or element, but just like steel our strength comes directly from combining multiple elements together. Those multiple elements are you. Our members.

The more integrated, or involved, our members become, the more durable, strong and effective we will become as an organization. We’ve come a long way from February 1999 when NPTA started with myself and only three local pharmacy technicians. Today, NPTA is the largest organization of pharmacy technicians worldwide, representing over 35,000 individuals. We’ve made great strides and accomplishments over the past eleven years, but I firmly believe that our best days are still ahead.

Whether you’ve been a part of this organization for the entire eleven years or it’s only been eleven days, I want for you to know that your participation and support is vital to our collective strength and success. So join us as we celebrate this milestone and then take a moment to learn how you can become more involved.

Happy anniversary from all of us at NPTA!

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Prescription for Cold Medicine?

February 4th, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

SudafedClaritinDA recent article in USA Today brought up the subject of cold and allergy medications made with pseudoephedrine. Certain states are considering passing legislation requiring consumers to have a prescription to take cold and allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine such as Sudafed and Claritin D. These states include Missouri, California, Kentucky and Oklahoma.

Pseudoephedrine is often purchased in stores and pharmacies to produce methamphetamine, also known by its street name crystal meth. Despite efforts to track sales, the DEA says that the drugs are still being used in illegal meth labs to make crystal meth.

Meth labs, often created in homes and hotel rooms, produce dangerous toxic substances and can explode or catch fire, putting bystanders at risk and requiring costly clean ups. By tightening restrictions on pseudoephedrine, legislators hope to stop the development of meth labs. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon cites his state as the perfect example that a prescription requirement law works. Oregon is the only state right now that requires a prescription to use pseudoephedrine, and, according to the senator, Oregon had only ten meth lab seizures in 2009.

Organizations such as the Missouri Pharmacy Association and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association are against requiring consumers to have a prescription to get access to these meds. Though they agree that meth lab production is a serious problem that must be stopped, they are concerned that requiring a prescription will drive up consumer costs through doctor’s visits and co-pays.

A possible alternative to a prescription requirement law is a law adopting mandatory electronic PSE tracking system. States such as Illinois and Louisiana have proposed a multi-state implementation of the National Precursor Log Exchange system or NPLEx to combat production of methamphetemines. They believe such a system would better detect and stop excessive pseudoephedrine purchases. The Consumer Healthcare Produces Association released a statement in November of last year supporting mandatory implementation of NPLEx.

The full article is available on USA Today. It contains a list of states considering prescription requirement legislations as well as more details from both sides of the argument. We are curious to see what pharmacy technicians believe. Do you think a prescription law would put a stop to the production of meth labs? Or is a law requiring states to use an electronic tracking system the answer? What do you think either legislation would mean for consumers and for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians?

Tell us your thoughts on our PSE law poll today.

You may also post your comments on our blog, join the discussion on Facebook or Tweet us.
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Please make a donation to help us send a pharmacy technician to Haiti. If just 300 pharmacy technicians donated $10, we would reach our goal of $3,000. Just $10 makes all the difference. Make a donation today on our Help Send a Tech to Haiti fundraising page.

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NPTA members! We’ve got an app for you!

January 28th, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

184714Do you want the latest NPTA news right now? Want to study our CEs over the phone? Or are you just a pharmacy tech who’s as addicted to phone apps as we are?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of those questions, then NPTA has just the prescription for you. NPTA is proud to announce the release of the NPTA iPhone app! With this app, you can view the latest NPTA news articles, blog entries and NPTA events. What we’re really excited about is the CE section. Now pharmacy technicians can read the content of our latest online CEs over the phone. Study the content on your own time in the break room, on a plane or anywhere else you can’t get to a computer so that the only thing you have to do at home is take the test online. The NPTA app is free and available for download now in the iTunes store.

Get the latest NPTA news, blog entries and CE courses on your phone.

Get the latest NPTA news, blog entries and CE courses on your phone.

This app is just the latest in our commitment to remaining up to date on the latest technology and to encourage open communication and convenience for all of our pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. As technology becomes more present in our daily lives, people are relying more and more on their phones and their computers for staying in touch with friends, family and co-workers and staying informed. The medical field is following suit, and physicians and pharmacists are turning to their phones to maintain communication with their patients. APhA has had an ongoing campaign to improve medication therapy management (MTM), and one of their primary methods of doing so is by using the latest in technology.

Johns Hopkins Children’s Center recently published an article about doctors who are using text messaging to help patients keep up with their meds and appointment dates.  One study involving children with diabetes found a link between texting and improved blood glucose reads. Another study on patients on immunosuppressive drugs after a liver transplant found that texting helped improve medication adherence and therefore caused a significant drop in acute liver rejection episodes.

Technology can even have life-saving applications. MSNBC reported that an earthquake victim in Haiti who was able to survive under tons of rubble and debris for 65 hours thanks in part to his phone. Using a technique he learned from a first-aid app he had downloaded to his iPhone, the victim fashioned a tourniquet and a bandage made from his shirt for his leg and head injuries.

In addition to releasing our NPTA app, we are also building a list of iPhone apps beneficial to pharmacy App head shottechnicians. Look for it in the of next issue of Today’s Technician.

We’re curious to see what NPTA members think about new technology and its uses in pharmacy. Do you have an app that you use on a daily basis in the pharmacy? Have you heard of any new tech coming out that you think could have uses in pharmacy? What are some places in the pharmacy you work in that new technology could help improve? Join in on the discussion on Facebook and in the comments section of this blog, or Tweet us.

Don’t forget to download our new iPhone app from Apple’s app store, and let us know what you think!

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Cannabis as Treatment: Legitimate or No?

January 21st, 2010 by Kristina Michel | 1 Comment | Filed in Uncategorized

CannabisThe debate over legalizing cannabis (or marijuana) as a legitimate treatment method has stirred controversy since its inception. Last week, New Jersey Governor Corzine signed into law a bill allowing for prescription cannabis as a treatment method for cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and other diseases in which patients suffer severe chronic pain, nausea, seizures, or severe and persistent muscle spasms. New Jersey’s law requires that patients have an identification card, and only state-monitored dispensaries can distribute the drug for medical use.

With New Jersey following California, Colorado and 11 other states that have legalized medicinal cannabis, it seems that cannabis is gaining more recognition as a legitimate treatment method. Last year, the federal government announced it would not prosecute people in states that have legalized cannabis for medicinal use provided they act in accordance with the state law.

Pharmaceutical companies have been researching the possibilities of cannabis as a treatment for a while, in particular the use of cannabinoid, an organic compound found in cannabis. Sativex, a nasal spray made from an extract of cannabis, produced by GW Pharmaceuticals in the UK, has been approved for use in Canada to treat multiple sclerosis and cancer pains.

The FDA has approved two synthetic cannabinoid dugs, Marinol and nabilone. However, it has argued in a 2006 statement that while synthetic drugs based on the chemicals in cannabis are legal, smoking cannabis is still very dangerous for itself with a high potential for abuse.

NPTA recently published a CE about the legal issues pertaining to cannabis. As the debate over the medicinal uses of cannabis continues, we are wondering what our members think. What do you, as pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, think about the new law passed in New Jersey? What is your opinion about cannabis as treatment? Do you believe that the FDA or pharmaceutical companies should research more into the potential medical uses for cannabis? Post your comments on our Facebook page, in the comments section of this blog, or Tweet us.

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National Flu Vaccination Week

January 11th, 2010 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

mom_150x125This week is National Influenza Vaccine Week, and NPTA is encouraging all its members, fans and followers who have not yet gotten their H1N1 vaccine to do so this week.

Originally, when the vaccine was in short supply, it was available first to high-priority groups like youth, pregnant women and patients with chronic illnesses. Seniors, who are usually among the high priority groups for the seasonal influenza vaccine, were not included this time as the younger have been more susceptible to complications. Now, however, over 136 million doses are available, and with more and more becoming available each day, the CDC is now urging anyone and everyone to get vaccinated.

Unfortunately, the number of people getting vaccinated has not followed the rise in available vaccines, and with lingering fears of a resurgence in H1N1 with people back to work from the holidays, President Obama has declared this week National Influenza Vaccine Week. The national schedule is as follows:

Sunday, January 10 Kickoff
Monday, January 11 General audience and health care workers
Tuesday, January 12 People with chronic health conditions that put them at high-risk of serious influenza-related complications
Wednesday, January 13 Children, pregnant women, and caregivers of infants less than 6 months old
Thursday, January 14 Young adults (19 through 24 years old)
Friday, January 15 Seniors
Saturday, January 16 Wrap up

Along with the nation-wide roundtable discussions and webinars, several health organizations have planned local events to raise awareness of the vaccine. A full calendar is available on the CDC web site. Organizations involved include the American Medical Association, the American Red Cross, and the National Community Pharmacists Association.

NPTA encourages its members to spread the word and encourage fellow members, friends and loved ones who have not yet gotten the H1N1 vaccine to do so . We also encourage you to get the seasonal flu vaccine if you have not. For more information on National Influenza Vaccination Week and for brochures and flyers to print out, consult the information page on Flu.gov. And as always, stay safe and stay healthy!

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Reflections on 2009

December 28th, 2009 by Kristina Michel | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

As 2009 draws to a close, we at NPTA would like to take a moment to look back on our progress over the year. NPTA has come a long way from its humble beginnings at a Holiday Inn Express in Northwest Houston, and we expect to go even further in 2010.

NPTA seen much in 2009. We have seen the passage of Emily’s Law in Ohio. Our RxPO conference has helped develop the careers of hundreds of pharmacy technicians. As a nation, we have faced the onset of the deadly H1N1 flu virus, and we have come that much closer to the landmark passage of a health care reform plan that will affect every man, woman and child in the United States. We have witnessed much, and we have accomplished much. However, the accomplishment that matters most is how we have benefited you, the individual. Ultimately, you determine the progress of our organization: where we came from, how far we’ve come, and how much further we can go.

That is why in these last days of the year, we are deferring our New Year’s resolution to you, the members–the pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and students who have helped make our organization the largest of its kind. We’re asking all who are involved with NPTA to give us their own reflections on how we have served you and how we can continue to build this successful organization.

As you’re celebrating the coming of 2010, take a moment to reflect on your time with our organization. What motivated you to join, and what have you enjoyed most? What would you like us to do better for you? What are some new areas where we could serve? What can we do to ensure that your experience with NPTA in the next year surpasses your experience this year?

Please post your year’s end reflections and your suggestions on how we may best serve you in the comments section of this blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter account, or our LinkedIn group.

As we say goodbye to 2009, we would like to thank every last member of our organization for being a part of NPTA and helping make our organization so large and so strong. If you are new to the organization, we welcome you with open arms, and we hope we may continue to assist you in your career in the coming year. We wish you all the best in these last days of 2009 and strive for a better, greater 2010.

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NPTA’s Favorite Christmas Movies

December 21st, 2009 by Kristina Michel | 1 Comment | Filed in Uncategorized

It's a Wonderful Life, one of our favorite holiday picsChristmas is only a few days away, and we know you’re excited. Just think. In a few days, you’ll be opening presents, eating Christmas cookies and candy after a great holiday feast, and sitting down with your friends and family to a good Christmas movie.

Christmas movies, it seems, have been with us ever since the invention of celluloid. Do a study, and we’re pretty sure you’ll find that there are as many Christmas movies and TV specials as there are stars in the night sky. And every year, TV and Hollywood manage to add more to the infinite list. But through the crowd of made-for-TV mediocrity and cheesy Hollywood cash cows, we all manage to find that one movie, TV episode or special that truly speaks to us and shines as bright as a well-lit Christmas tree.

Elf, another of our favsWhether it’s a timeless classic like “It‘s a Wonderful Life,” or a modern comedy like “Elf,” we all have that one holiday film or TV special that has become such an important part of our Christmas tradition that it may as well be a member of the family. In celebration of the long tradition of Christmas media, our wonderful NPTA staff has named some of its favorite Christmas specials on film and TV, and we’d like to know yours too.

Here is the NPTA Staff’s List of Favorite Christmas Specials:

Mike: Christmas Vacation
Kristina: Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s “Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future”
Wendy: Frosty The Snowman
Jody: South Park’s “It’s Christmas in Canada”
Francisca: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Laura and Elda: Elf
Amber: A Christmas Story
Harrell: It’s a Wonderful Life
Becky: A Christmas Carol
Nathan: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Mariza: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Josh: The Polar Express
Laurel: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Post us some of your favorite Christmas flicks in the comments section, our discussion board on Facebook, or Tweet us. Tell us, NPTA members, what one Christmas special has you crying your eyes out, laughing ’til your sides ache, or somewhere in between.

Don’t forget to check this blog every Monday in December as NPTA continues its month-long celebration of the holidays. We wish all our pharmacy technician members, friends, fans and followers a very merry Christmas!

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