Are you looking for ways to give back to your profession? Does patient advocacy interest you? Look no further. MPA has several ways that you can get involved and make a difference.

Phone calls, e-mails and writing letters are a few of the simple ways that you can donate your time to advocate for patients and the pharmacy profession. MPA offers many resources online to assist you in these actions.

There are many other ways to support pharmacy, including legislative visits, inviting your legislator to your pharmacy and donating to Michigan Pharmacy PAC. You can even sign up for annual, quarterly or monthly recurring donations on our Web site! Each of these examples is important in protecting patients and the profession.

In addition to the above, joining the Pharmacy Advocacy Response Team (PART) is a simple way to learn more about getting involved and having your voice heard! You can be a PART of a growing number of pharmacy professionals from all practice settings who recognize the value of being directly involved in advocating for the profession. MPA will make the necessary introductions, equip you with information and resources, and schedule appointments, legislative events or education opportunities. When there is an issue that pertains to your practice setting, we will let you know!

If you are interested in joining PART or learning more about other advocacy opportunities, please contact Amanda Lick, MPA manager of advocacy, governmental and regulatory affairs, at (517) 377-0254 or Amanda@MichiganPharmacists.org.

MPA now uses Gongwer to track legislation that has been introduced in the Michigan Legislature. Gongwer is a legislative news outlet that has been communicating political activism since 1906. The service allows us to track legislation and share the information with our members in real time. To learn more about a piece of legislation, you can click on the links included in the tracker.

MPA also updates positions taken by the Executive Board on legislation, as needed. You may notice that there are many items being tracked that are health care related, but are not pharmacy bills. This occurs so that we can keep an eye on bills that could affect the pharmacy practice, ensuring our voice is heard in protecting patients and the pharmacy profession.

Click here to learn more about the bills that MPA is currently following. Explore the different bills and gain greater insight into legislation that may affect your practice and your patients. Have questions about any of the legislation? Please contact Amanda Lick, MPA manager of advocacy, governmental and regulatory affairs, at Amanda@MichiganPharmacists.org.

Michigan law requires an annual inventory of controlled substances to be completed no more than 30 days prior to May 1 and no later than 60 days after May 1. Your copy must be submitted to the state between April 1 and June 30. Complete this important task by using the Controlled Substance Inventory List available from Pharmacy Services Inc. Contact MPA Administrative Assistant Sebastiana Harrell at (517) 377-0236, access a printable registration form or order the product online!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently investigated Tdap vaccination coverage around the time of pregnancy for more than 6,800 women who gave birth in 2011 in one of 16 states or New York City. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended in July 2011 one dose of a Tdap vaccine during pregnancy for women who had not been vaccinated before and, in 2012, that recommendation was expanded to advise women to receive the Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, to provide maternal antibodies for each infant. For the 17 jurisdictions studied, the median percentage of women with live births who reported any Tdap vaccination was 55.7 percent. The rate varied widely, however, with 38.2 percent in New York City and 76.6 percent in Nebraska. About 13.9 percent of women received Tdap before pregnancy, compared with 9.8 percent who received it during pregnancy and 30.9 percent who received it after delivery. According to the CDC, findings also showed wide variation among different demographic groups, and 20 percent did not know their vaccination status. Read more online in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on the subject.

On Tuesday, June 30 from 3-4 p.m., the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is holding a webinar on emergency planning opportunities, including how pharmacies can participate in public health preparedness and build partnerships with their local health department. Speakers will include representatives from Department of Public Health in Maricopa, Los Angeles, Seattle and King counties as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Strategic National Stockpile. Presenters will share strategies for working with pharmacies, overcoming challenges and maintaining long-term partnerships. Come ready with questions – a half-hour technical assistance session will follow! To register, visit the NACCHO Web site.