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The A. M. A.-A. Ph. A. Conference
THE A. M. A.-A. PH. A. CONFERENCE AR outshadowing in importance any and all but one not only answered "yes" Fother development at the 89th Annual but were enthusiastic over the possibilities Meeting of the AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION, held in Detroit, Michigan, during the week of August 17-23, was the formal invitation of the American Medical Association to this Association to participate in a joint conference on mutual problems of the two professions. The possibilities of this conference, which will be held within the near future, are unlimited. To appreciate fully the significance of this conference, one needs to know its background and the steps which led up to the issuance of the invitation. One of this Association 's comparatively new committees is that of Long Range Program of Policy. The Committee itself is divided into several sub-committees, each of which is charged with the study of a particular problem, anrl one of the more important of the sub-committees directs its attention to Interprofessional Relations. A year ago the chairman of this sub-committee, Dean Robert C. Wilson of the University of Georgia School of Pharmacy, after studying various programs of professional relations which had been carried on both successfully and unsuccessful1y by individual state pharmaceutical associations, decided to approach the subject frankly and earnestly. As the first step, he addressed an ,inquiry to the secretary of every state medical society in the country asking whether or not his association felt there was a place for an interprofessional relations program and, if so, would it take part in working one out. Thirty-eight out of fortyeight society secretaries replied to the letter,
of such a program. When this matter was brought to the attention of the Executive Committ~e of the American Medical Association, that body issued an invitation to the A. PH. A. committee composed of Dean Wilson, Secretary E. F. Kelly, and the late Dean C. B. Jordan to meet with it last February. After a frank discussion of the objectives of such an interprofessional relations program and a consideration of how best it could be developed, the A. M. A. suggested a national conference to be held under the sponsorship of its Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry. The suggestion was placed before the Board of Trustees of the A.M. A. at the Cleveland meeting in June, and it directed the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry to arrange the conference. Notice of the action appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association a few weeks ago. Pharmacy and Medicine have individual as well as a joint responsibility to the public and it is but proper that representatives of the two professions should meet from time to time to discuss this major subject. The time-worn subjects of counter-prescribing and doctor-dispensing are of minor signifiance in comparison to important matters which need attention. During the past decade the profession of pharmacy has raised its educational requirement to the point where its practitioners to-day are capable of rendering more effective services to physicians, services which will enable doctors to render more effective
320
PRACTICAL PHARMACY EDITION
services to the public. In order that the services of the pharmacist may be fully utilized by the physician, it would be well to discuss such subjects as the following :
1. The Possibilities of Reducing the Costs of Medicines to the Public.- This does not mean a glorified U. S. P. and N. F. propaganda campaign with proprietary prescription specialties "under fire." It does mean, however, a discussion of the place of official medication and the place of proprietary medication in the treatment of disease. Let no one fear that pharmacists are going to urge physiciafis to go back to the days of treating diabetes with fluidextract of horsetail or using hemlock as a sedative. Every fair-minded pharmacist knows that the vast majority of prescription specialties marketed by leading manufacturers under provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to-day represent distinct contributions to the treatment of disease. Every fairminded pharmaceutical manufacturer, on the other hand, knows that there are socalled prescription specialties on the market which are mere mixtures of common drugs which any pharmacist can prepare in his prescription room. The task is to utilize to the fullest extent the facilities of the manufacturer in the production of compounds which only he can make available and to utilize to the fullest extent the facilities of the pharmacist in the preparation of those pharmaceuticals which are within his ability to compound. 2. The Pharmacist and the Physician under Food, Drug and Cosmetic Laws.- The new federal and state laws have placed added responsibility on both the physician and the pharmacist. Regulations issued under the Act emphasize the importance of the pharmacist to the physician in supplying information concerning the composition, properties and uses of prescription pharmaceuticals. They also make it impossible for the pharmacist to dispense many drugs as he has in the past on the verbal order of the physician to the patient. If physicians will understand the problems facing the
321
pharmacist under these new laws, they can do much to prevent unnecessary irritation to the patient, to prevent unwarranted hardship on both physician and pharmacist, and to provide greater service to the public.
3. The Instruction a Physician Should Receive to Enable Him to Utilize More Effectively the Professional Services Which the Pharmacist Is Qualified to Give.-Some believe that this problem is the root of many of our current difficulties. Do medical students need more instruction in prescription writing; and, if so, can pharmacy help in any way? 4. The Pharmacy as a Headquarters for Public Health Information.- Public health authorities are more and more appreciating the influence of the pharmacist in his community. It has been said that more cases of disease come to him first than go to the physician first. Obviously, therefore, the pharmacist has a real responsibility to advise his customers wisely and properly. Can the influence of the pharmacist be guided more effectively in the interest of public health? Should he recommend specific physicians? What type of literature should he have available? The possibilities of utilizing the pharmacy as a headquarters for the dissemination of public health information offer great promise under wise guidance. These are but a few of the problems which may well be discussed at the A . M. A.A. PH. A. Conference. The Committee will welcome suggestions from pharmacists as to additional subjects which should be covered. The American Medical Association has stated that it is "looking forward to this conference with enthusiasm." So is the AMERICAN
PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.
This meeting promises to be the most important ever held in the history of these two professions.
of such a program. When this matter was brought to the attention of the Executive Committ~e of the American Medical Association, that body issued an invitation to the A. PH. A. committee composed of Dean Wilson, Secretary E. F. Kelly, and the late Dean C. B. Jordan to meet with it last February. After a frank discussion of the objectives of such an interprofessional relations program and a consideration of how best it could be developed, the A. M. A. suggested a national conference to be held under the sponsorship of its Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry. The suggestion was placed before the Board of Trustees of the A.M. A. at the Cleveland meeting in June, and it directed the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry to arrange the conference. Notice of the action appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association a few weeks ago. Pharmacy and Medicine have individual as well as a joint responsibility to the public and it is but proper that representatives of the two professions should meet from time to time to discuss this major subject. The time-worn subjects of counter-prescribing and doctor-dispensing are of minor signifiance in comparison to important matters which need attention. During the past decade the profession of pharmacy has raised its educational requirement to the point where its practitioners to-day are capable of rendering more effective services to physicians, services which will enable doctors to render more effective
320
PRACTICAL PHARMACY EDITION
services to the public. In order that the services of the pharmacist may be fully utilized by the physician, it would be well to discuss such subjects as the following :
1. The Possibilities of Reducing the Costs of Medicines to the Public.- This does not mean a glorified U. S. P. and N. F. propaganda campaign with proprietary prescription specialties "under fire." It does mean, however, a discussion of the place of official medication and the place of proprietary medication in the treatment of disease. Let no one fear that pharmacists are going to urge physiciafis to go back to the days of treating diabetes with fluidextract of horsetail or using hemlock as a sedative. Every fair-minded pharmacist knows that the vast majority of prescription specialties marketed by leading manufacturers under provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to-day represent distinct contributions to the treatment of disease. Every fairminded pharmaceutical manufacturer, on the other hand, knows that there are socalled prescription specialties on the market which are mere mixtures of common drugs which any pharmacist can prepare in his prescription room. The task is to utilize to the fullest extent the facilities of the manufacturer in the production of compounds which only he can make available and to utilize to the fullest extent the facilities of the pharmacist in the preparation of those pharmaceuticals which are within his ability to compound. 2. The Pharmacist and the Physician under Food, Drug and Cosmetic Laws.- The new federal and state laws have placed added responsibility on both the physician and the pharmacist. Regulations issued under the Act emphasize the importance of the pharmacist to the physician in supplying information concerning the composition, properties and uses of prescription pharmaceuticals. They also make it impossible for the pharmacist to dispense many drugs as he has in the past on the verbal order of the physician to the patient. If physicians will understand the problems facing the
321
pharmacist under these new laws, they can do much to prevent unnecessary irritation to the patient, to prevent unwarranted hardship on both physician and pharmacist, and to provide greater service to the public.
3. The Instruction a Physician Should Receive to Enable Him to Utilize More Effectively the Professional Services Which the Pharmacist Is Qualified to Give.-Some believe that this problem is the root of many of our current difficulties. Do medical students need more instruction in prescription writing; and, if so, can pharmacy help in any way? 4. The Pharmacy as a Headquarters for Public Health Information.- Public health authorities are more and more appreciating the influence of the pharmacist in his community. It has been said that more cases of disease come to him first than go to the physician first. Obviously, therefore, the pharmacist has a real responsibility to advise his customers wisely and properly. Can the influence of the pharmacist be guided more effectively in the interest of public health? Should he recommend specific physicians? What type of literature should he have available? The possibilities of utilizing the pharmacy as a headquarters for the dissemination of public health information offer great promise under wise guidance. These are but a few of the problems which may well be discussed at the A . M. A.A. PH. A. Conference. The Committee will welcome suggestions from pharmacists as to additional subjects which should be covered. The American Medical Association has stated that it is "looking forward to this conference with enthusiasm." So is the AMERICAN
PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.
This meeting promises to be the most important ever held in the history of these two professions.