APhA Policy Manual

1. APhA should continue to assist in the unification of the profession and the development of a national strategy by its continued support of the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy as the body responsible for the leadership, standards, public information and coordination of the professions voluntary credentialing programs.
2. APhA, in conjunction and cooperation with the Council on Credentialing and other national associations, should provide competence-based material and testing via technology, such as the APhA web-site and state association websites, to further the profession’s self-assessment.
3. APhA, in conjunction and cooperation with the Council on Credentialing and other national associations, should develop the necessary products and programs to educate the public, insurers, and health professionals on credentialing and make them available to state associations at cost.
4. APhA supports the development of programs and initiatives that demonstrate the value of pharmacists in improving clinical, economic, and humanistic patient outcomes.

1. APhA calls upon all employers of pharmacy personnel to promote and support participation in professional development activities.
2. APhA urges all employers of pharmacy personnel to include conference attendance as part of an employee’s compensation package, including allocated professional development days.
3. APhA encourages employers to offer comprehensive benefits packages that promote positive workplace environments and cultures.
4. APhA supports efforts to empower pharmacy personnel to advocate for compensated time for professional and leadership development, as well as benefits that align with their career goals.
5. APhA encourages pharmacy personnel to seek guidance in self-advocating for employment benefits that align with their career goals.

APhA shall support pharmacy educational programs on issues regarding generic medications, therapeutic equivalence substitution (generic substitution), and biosimilars and interchangeability.

1. APhA affirms pharmacy personnel must have knowledge and understanding of laws, regulations, and policies that affect their roles in the practice of pharmacy.
2. In the interest of protecting public health and safety, APhA supports the assessment of knowledge regarding pharmacy laws, regulations, and policies as a component of pharmacist licensure or registration.
3. To mitigate barriers to licensure, APhA advocates for state boards of pharmacy to work with relevant parties to design and implement optimal methods for assessing minimum pharmacy jurisprudence competency.
4. APhA encourages National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to collaborate with pharmacy educators to formulate measurable competency statements for use in developing pharmacy jurisprudence assessments.
5. APhA advocates for ongoing, timely, and transparent quality assurance and control for jurisprudence assessments.
6. APhA encourages state boards of pharmacy to publicly communicate when changes in laws, regulations, and policies will be reflected in jurisprudence assessments.
7. APhA encourages boards of pharmacy to provide free, timely, and readily accessible educational updates regarding changes in pharmacy laws, regulations, and policies.

1. APhA opposes the replacement of a pharmacist’s professional judgment or patient’s access to their pharmacist with artificial intelligence.
2. APhA calls on the profession of pharmacy and all related organizations to proactively assess and respond to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice and workforce dynamics.
3. APhA encourages judicious use of artificial intelligence by pharmacists and pharmacy personnel as a tool to elevate pharmacy practice and enhance patient care.
4. APhA advocates for the integration of pharmacists into the development, design, validation, implementation, and maintenance of artificial intelligence solutions.
5. APhA calls on regulatory bodies, employers, and other relevant parties to develop laws, regulations, and policies as applicable for artificial intelligence to ensure patient safety, privacy, public awareness, and public protection.
6. APhA calls on those providing artificial intelligence solutions to implement processes that identify and mitigate bias and misinformation in artificial intelligence.
7. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on the lawful, ethical, and clinical use of artificial intelligence.

1. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit DEA-registered and trained opioid treatment program clinicians and other providers the ability to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder and refer patients for additional services as needed.
2. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit community pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder and appropriate compensation for these services.
3. APhA supports partnerships and collaborations to increase patient access to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and clinicians.
4. APhA advocates for interprofessional education on laws, regulations, and policies regarding office-based prescribing and community pharmacy dispensing of methadone in curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs of all health professions.

1. APhA advocates for the identification of medical conditions that may be safely and effectively treated by community-based pharmacists.
2. APhA encourages the training and education of pharmacists and student pharmacists regarding identification, treatment, monitoring, documentation, follow-up, and referral for medical conditions treated by community-based pharmacists
3. APhA advocates for laws, regulations, and policies that allow pharmacists to identify and manage medical conditions treated by community-based pharmacists.
4. APhA advocates for appropriate remuneration for the assessment and treatment of medical conditions treated by community-based pharmacists from government and private payers to ensure sustainability and access for patients.
5. APhA supports research to examine the outcomes of services that focus on medical conditions treated by community-based pharmacists.

1. APhA asserts that pharmacists should have the authority and support to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and experience in delivering patient care.
2. APhA opposes burdensome legal and regulatory requirements beyond continuing professional development for the provision of patient care services.
3. APhA supports continuing efforts toward establishing a consistent and accurate perception of the contemporary role and practice of pharmacists by the general public, patients, and all persons and institutions engaged in health care policy, administration, payment, and delivery.
4. APhA supports continued collaboration with stakeholders to facilitate adoption of standardized practice acts, appropriate related laws, regulations, and policies that reflect contemporary pharmacy practice.
5. APhA supports the establishment of multistate pharmacist licensure agreements to address the evolving needs of the pharmacy profession and pharmacist-provided patient care.
6. APhA urges the continued development of consensus documents, in collaboration with medical associations and other stakeholders, that recognize and support pharmacists’ roles in patient care as health care providers.
7. APhA urges universal recognition of pharmacists as health care providers and compensation based on the level of patient care provided using standardized and future health care payment models.

1. APhA strongly believes that all pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians should be safe in their work and learning environments and be free from firearm-related violence.
2. APhA strongly recommends that technician training programs, schools and colleges of pharmacy, postgraduate training programs, and employers should develop programs to increase readiness in the event of an active shooter.
3. APhA strongly believes pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians should be trained to recognize and refer patients at high risk of violence to themselves or others.
4. APhA encourages pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians who are survivors of firearm-related violence to seek the help of counselors and other trained mental health professionals.

1. APhA advocates for implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity systems, safeguards, and response mechanisms to mitigate risk and minimize harm or disruption for all pharmacies and related parties who manage or access electronic health and business information.
2. APhA advocates for all pharmacies and related business entities responsible for electronic health and business information to have cyber liability insurance or an equivalent self-funded plan to protect all relevant parties in the event of a cyberattack and data breach.
3. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on cybersecurity laws, regulations, and best practices.

1. APhA encourages all stakeholders to develop and adopt evidence-based approaches to educate the public and all health care professionals to reduce the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses.
2. APhA supports the increased utilization of pharmacists and student pharmacists with appropriate training to actively participate in the care of patients with mental health conditions as members of interprofessional health care teams in all practice settings.
3. APhA supports the expansion of mental health education and training in the curriculum of all schools and colleges of pharmacy, postgraduate training, and within continuing professional development programs.
4. APhA supports the development of education and resources to address health care professional resiliency and burnout.

1. APhA calls for employers to adopt and implement just culture principles to improve patient safety and support pharmacy personnel.
2. APhA encourages transparency between employers and employees by sharing deidentified medication error and near-miss data and trends as well as actions taken to promote continuous quality improvement.
3. APhA urges the integration of non-disciplinary and non-punitive mechanisms for use by boards of pharmacy to promote just culture principles when addressing people, systems, and processes involved in medication errors.
4. APhA encourages national and state associations to advocate for laws, regulations, and policies to provide protections to individuals utilizing error reporting systems to promote just culture.
5. APhA encourages the creation of a mechanism for an industrywide effort to engage in confidential and transparent sharing of learnings and root cause findings helpful in reducing the risk of medication errors.
6. APhA supports the integration of just culture principles in PharmD and pharmacy technician education, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs.

1. APhA calls for education and collaboration among health professional organizations, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that all manufacturer, distributor, and repackaged marketed prescription drugs used in patient care have been FDA-approved as safe and effective.
2. APhA supports initiatives aimed at closing legislative, regulatory, policy and distribution-system loopholes that facilitate market entry of new prescription drugs products without FDA approval.
3. APhA encourages health professionals to consider FDA approval status of prescription drug products when making decisions about prescribing, dispensing, substitution, purchasing, formulary development, and in the development of pharmacy/medical education programs and drug information compendia.

1. APhA calls for employers to develop policies and procedures to support pharmacy personnel’s ability to retreat or withdraw, without retaliation, from interactions that threaten their safety and well-being.
2. APhA encourages the development or utilization of educational programs and resources by the Association, employers, and other institutions to prepare pharmacy personnel to respond to situations that threaten their safety and well-being.

1. APhA affirms that pharmacists play a vital role in improving outcomes in patients with or at risk of sexually transmitted infections.
2. APhA supports the pharmacist's role in the development of education and resources for individuals with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) in order to increase awareness and access.
3. APhA advocates for revision of state practice acts to permit pharmacists to independently prescribe for individuals with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) therapy.

1. APhA supports the enactment of laws, regulations, and policies to end discriminatory practices that limit access to care for persons who are transgender or gender-diverse.
2. APhA encourages equity in care for persons who are transgender or gender-diverse through: (a) Continuing education on the pharmacist’s role in transgender care, gender-affirming therapy, and health disparities in patients who are transgender or gender-diverse. (b) Systematic integration and utilization of affirmed name and pronouns, gender identity, and anatomical inventory. (c) Availability and implementation of education and resources related to gender-diverse care for all persons employed in health care settings.

1. APhA encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy and pharmacy technician training programs to facilitate educational opportunities for student pharmacists, and student pharmacy technicians in the principles of veterinary pharmacotherapy.
2. APhA encourages the availability of professional development opportunities in the principles of veterinary pharmacotherapy for pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.

1. APhA denounces all forms of racism.
2. APhA affirms that racism is a social determinant of health that contributes to persistent health inequities.
3. APhA urges the entire pharmacy community to actively work to dismantle racism.
4. APhA urges the integration of anti-racism education within pharmacy curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing education requirements.
5. APhA urges pharmacy leaders, decisionmakers, and employers to create sustainable opportunities, incentives, and initiatives in education, research, and practice to address racism.
6. APhA urges pharmacy leaders, decisionmakers, and employers to routinely and systematically evaluate organizational policies and programs for their impact on racial inequities.

1. APhA calls on all national and state pharmacy organizations, colleges/schools of pharmacy, and other stakeholders to support the development of a profession-wide effort to address harassment, intimidation, and abuse of power or position.
2. APhA supports the development of a profession-wide guideline on reporting harassment, intimidation, or abuse of power or position in their pharmacy education and training, professional practice, or volunteer service to pharmacy organizations.
3. APhA recommends all pharmacy organizations incorporate harassment, intimidation, and abuse training in their member professional development and education activities.

1. APhA supports the integration of social determinants of health screening as a vital component of pharmacy services.
2. APhA urges the integration of social determinants of health education within pharmacy curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing education requirements.
3. APhA supports incentivizing community engaged research, driven by meaningful partnerships and shared decisionmaking with community members.
4. APhA urges pharmacists to create opportunities for community engagement to best meet the needs of the patients they serve.
5. APhA encourages the integration of community health workers in pharmacy practice to provide culturally sensitive care, address health disparities, and promote health equity.

1. APhA supports education about digital health technologies and integration in pharmacy practice, in pharmacy school curricula, and for the pharmacy workforce.
2. APhA supports inclusion of pharmacists in the design and development of digital health technologies.
3. APhA supports that digital health technologies be interoperable with and integrated into pharmacy management systems and electronic health records.
4. APhA supports pharmacists applying digital health technologies to optimize patient care outcomes.

1. APhA supports labeling of all prescription and nonprescription products, as well as dietary supplement products, to indicate the presence of gluten.
2. APhA encourages manufacturers to formulate drug products without use of wheat, barley, rye, or their derivatives whenever possible.
3. APhA supports additional research on the effects of gluten intolerance and celiac malabsorption, particularly as it relates to medication absorption.
4. APhA supports pharmacist education regarding celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
5. APhA encourages the development of analytical methods that can accurately detect lower levels of gluten than the current standard (20 ppm) and for the establishment of evidence-based gluten-free standards for the labeling of foods, excipients, dietary supplements, and prescription and nonprescription products.

1. APhA encourages all health care personnel to receive training and provide services to identify, assist, and refer people at risk for, or currently experiencing, a mental health crisis.
2. APhA encourages employers and policy makers to provide the support, resources, culture, and authority necessary for all pharmacy personnel to engage and assist individuals regarding mental health and emotional well-being.
3. APhA supports integration of a mental health assessment as a vital component of pharmacist-provided patient care services.

1. APhA emphasizes genomics as an essential aspect of pharmacy practice.
2. APhA recognizes pharmacists as the health care professional best suited to provide medication-related consults and services based on a patient’s genomic information. All pharmacists involved in the care of the patient should have access to relevant genomic information.
3. APhA supports processes to protect patient data confidentiality and opposes unethical utilization of genomic data.
4. APhA demands payers include pharmacists as eligible providers for covered genomic interpretation and related services to support sustainable models that optimize patient care and outcomes.
5. APhA urges pharmacy management system vendors to include functionality that uses established and adopted electronic health record standards for the exchange, storage, utilization, and documentation of clinically actionable genetic variations and actions taken by the pharmacist in the provision of patient care.
6. APhA recommends pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists lead the collaborative development of evidence-based practice guidelines for pharmacogenomics and related services.
7. APhA recommends the inclusion of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in the collaborative development of pharmacogenomics clinical support tools and resources.
8. APhA encourages pharmacists to use their professional judgment and published guidelines and resources when providing access to testing or utilizing direct-to-consumer genomic test results in their patient care services.
9. APhA urges schools and colleges of pharmacy to include clinical application of genomics as a required element of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
10. APhA encourages the creation of continuing professional development and post-graduate education and training programs for pharmacists in genomics and its clinical application to meet varying practice needs.
11. APhA encourages the funding of pharmacist-led research examining the cost effectiveness of care models that utilize pharmacists providing genomic services.

1. APhA advocates that all pharmacists become knowledgeable about the subject of nutrition.
2. APhA encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy as well as providers of continuing pharmacy education to offer education and training on the subject of nutrition.

APhA supports education and training by schools and colleges of pharmacy, as well as providers of continuing pharmacy education, to prepare pharmacists to perform physical assessments of patients.

1. APhA supports pharmacists using professional judgment to make informed decisions regarding the appropriateness of use or the sale of complementary and alternative medicines.
2. APhA shall assist pharmacists and student pharmacists in becoming knowledgeable about complementary and alternative medications to facilitate the counseling of patients regarding effectiveness, proper use, indications, safety, and possible interactions.

APhA recognizes the urgent need for education and training of pharmacists and student pharmacists relative to the therapeutic and diagnostic use of pharmaceutical biotechnology products. APhA, therefore, supports the continuing development and implementation of such education and training.

1. APhA supports the education and training of pharmacists in the ordering and interpretation of laboratory tests as they may relate to the usage, dosing, and administration of drugs.
2. APhA opposes requiring certification of pharmacists as medical technologists for the practice of pharmacy.

1. APhA supports the establishment of secure, portable, and interoperable electronic patient health care records.
2. APhA supports the engagement of pharmacists with other relevant communities in the development and implementation of multidirectional electronic communication systems to improve patient safety, enhance quality care, facilitate care transitions, increase efficiency, and reduce waste.
3. APhA advocates for the inclusion of pharmacists in the establishment and enhancement of electronic health care information technologies and systems that must be interoperable, HIPAA compliant, integrated with claims processing, updated in a timely fashion, allow for data analysis, and do not place disproportionate financial burden on any one health care provider or relevant party.
4. APhA advocates for pharmacists and other health care providers to have access to view, download and transmit electronic health records. Information shared among providers using a health information exchange should utilize a standardized secure interface based on recognized international health record standards for the transmission of health information.
5. APhA supports the integration of federal, state, and territory health information exchanges into an accessible, standardized, nationwide system.
6. APhA opposes business practices and policies that obstruct the electronic access and exchange of patient health information because these practices compromise patient safety and the provision of optimal patient care.
7. APhA advocates for the development of systems that facilitate and support electronic communication between pharmacists and prescribers concerning patient adherence, medication discontinuation, and other clinical factors that support quality care transitions.
8. APhA supports the development of education and training programs for pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals on the appropriate use of electronic health records to reduce errors and improve the quality and safety of patient care.
9. APhA supports the creation and non-punitive application of a standardized, interoperable system for voluntary reporting of errors associated with the use of electronic health care information technologies and systems to enable aggregation of protected data and develop recommendations for improved quality.

1. APhA opposes the replacement of a pharmacist’s professional judgment or patient’s access to their pharmacist with artificial intelligence.
2. APhA calls on the profession of pharmacy and all related organizations to proactively assess and respond to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice and workforce dynamics.
3. APhA encourages judicious use of artificial intelligence by pharmacists and pharmacy personnel as a tool to elevate pharmacy practice and enhance patient care.
4. APhA advocates for the integration of pharmacists into the development, design, validation, implementation, and maintenance of artificial intelligence solutions.
5. APhA calls on regulatory bodies, employers, and other relevant parties to develop laws, regulations, and policies as applicable for artificial intelligence to ensure patient safety, privacy, public awareness, and public protection.
6. APhA calls on those providing artificial intelligence solutions to implement processes that identify and mitigate bias and misinformation in artificial intelligence.
7. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on the lawful, ethical, and clinical use of artificial intelligence.

1. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit DEA-registered and trained opioid treatment program clinicians and other providers the ability to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder and refer patients for additional services as needed.
2. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit community pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder and appropriate compensation for these services.
3. APhA supports partnerships and collaborations to increase patient access to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and clinicians.
4. APhA advocates for interprofessional education on laws, regulations, and policies regarding office-based prescribing and community pharmacy dispensing of methadone in curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs of all health professions.

1. APhA advocates for implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity systems, safeguards, and response mechanisms to mitigate risk and minimize harm or disruption for all pharmacies and related parties who manage or access electronic health and business information.
2. APhA advocates for all pharmacies and related business entities responsible for electronic health and business information to have cyber liability insurance or an equivalent self-funded plan to protect all relevant parties in the event of a cyberattack and data breach.
3. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on cybersecurity laws, regulations, and best practices.

1. APhA advocates for nationwide integration and uniformity of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP) that incorporate federal, state, and territory databases for the purpose of providing health care professionals with accurate and real-time information to assist in clinical decision making when providing patient care services related to controlled substances.
2. APhA supports pharmacist involvement in the development of uniform standards for an integrated nationwide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) that includes the definition of authorized registered users, documentation, reporting requirements, system response time, security of information, minimum reporting data sets, and standard transaction format.
3. APhA supports mandatory prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) enrollment by all health care providers, mandatory reporting by all those who dispense controlled substances, and appropriate system query by registrants during the patient care process related to controlled substances.
4. APhA advocates for the development of seamless workflow integration systems that would enable consistent use of a nationwide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) by registrants to facilitate prospective drug review as part of the patient care process related to controlled substances.
5. APhA advocates for continuous, sustainable federal funding sources for practitioners and system operators to utilize and maintain a standardized integrated and real-time nationwide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP).
6. APhA supports the use of interprofessional advisory boards that include pharmacists to coordinate collaborative efforts for (a) compiling, analyzing, and using prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data trends to identify misuse of controlled substances and/or fraud; (b) providing focused provider education and patient referral to treatment programs; and (c) supporting research activities on the impact of PDMPs.
7. APhA supports education and training for registrants about a nationwide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) to ensure proper data integrity, use, and confidentiality.

1. APhA opposes the sale of e-cigarettes and other vaporized nicotine products in pharmacies until such time that scientific data support the health and environmental safety of these products.
2. APhA opposes the use of e-cigarettes and other vaporized nicotine products in areas subject to current clean air laws, regulations, and policies for combustible tobacco products until such time that scientific data support the health and environmental safety of these products.
3. APhA urges pharmacists to become more knowledgeable about e-cigarettes and other vaporized nicotine products.

1. APhA supports the delivery of informatics education within pharmacy schools and continuing education programs to improve patient care, understand interoperability among systems, understand where to find information, increase productivity, and improve the ability to measure and report the value of pharmacists in the health care system.
2. APhA urges that pharmacists have read/write access to electronic health record data for the purposes of improving patient care and medication use outcomes.
3. APhA encourages inclusion of pharmacists in the definition, development, and implementation of health information technologies for the purpose of improving the quality of patient-centric health care.
4. APhA urges public and private entities to include pharmacist representatives in the creation of standards, the certification of systems, and the integration of medication use systems with health information technology.

1. It is APhA’s position that patient safety initiatives must include pharmacists in leadership roles.
2. APhA encourages dissemination of best practices derived from nationally aggregated reporting data systems to pharmacists for the purpose of improving the medication use process and making informed decisions that directly impact patient safety and quality.
3. APhA encourages the profession of pharmacy to continually review and evaluate ways to enhance training, curricula, continuing education and accountability of pharmacists to improve patient safety.
4. APhA encourages risk management and post-marketing surveillance programs to be standardized and include infrastructures and compensation necessary to allow pharmacists to support these patient safety programs.
5. APhA supports the creation of voluntary, standardized and interoperable reporting systems for patient safety events to minimize barriers to pharmacist participation and to enable aggregation of data and improve quality of medication use systems. The system should be free, voluntary, non-punitive, easily accessible, and user friendly for all providers within the healthcare system.
6. APhA supports the elimination of hand-written prescriptions or medication orders.

1. APhA supports continuing professional development, a self-directed, individualized, systematic approach to life-long learning, to support pharmacist’s efforts to maintain professional competence in their practice.
2. APhA should work with appropriate organizations to provide self-assessment and plan development tools. APhA shall help identify and facilitate access to quality educational programs.
3. Employers should foster and support pharmacist participation in continuing professional development.
4. Continuing professional development is a learning process that requires full participation to achieve desired individual outcomes. To facilitate that participation, each pharmacist controls disclosure of their individual assessments and outcomes.

1. APhA supports the acceptance, for pharmacy continuing education credit of relevant, quality programs offered by other health-related continuing education providers.
2. APhA supports the acceptance of relevant programs offered by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited providers to meet continuing education requirements in other health disciplines.

1. APhA should develop, in cooperation with other state and national associations, a voluntary process for self-assessing pharmaceutical care competence.
2. APhA opposes regulatory bodies utilizing continuing competence examinations as a requirement for renewal of a pharmacist’s license.
3. APhA supports programs that measure and evaluate pharmacist competence based on established valid standards.

APhA strongly endorses continuing education for pharmacists.

1. APhA supports the award of continuing education credit for the successful completion of academic credit courses within the scope of pharmacy practice under circumstances that preserve the integrity of both the academic and the continuing education credit.
2. APhA endorses the development and implementation by colleges of pharmacy and other appropriate organizations, of standards and mechanisms by which academic credit can be awarded for successful completion of continuing education courses under circumstances that preserve the integrity of the academic credit.

APhA advocates that pharmacists maintain their professional competence throughout their professional careers.

1. Distance education components of first professional pharmacy degree programs must be constructed in a way to ensure socialization into the profession and understanding the ethos and essence of the profession, as such development is primarily derived through practical experience and interaction with faculty, colleagues, and patients.
2. APhA expects the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education to develop, maintain, and enforce applicable standards to ensure students trained in distance education programs achieve the same educational and professional competencies as students in on-site programs.

1. APhA encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy to consider, in their strategic planning process, offering non-traditional, post-baccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs. Issues to be considered in such planning should include at least the following: (a) entry requirements, (b) educational and financial resources, and (c) competency evaluation for course credit.
2. APhA recommends that non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs have competency outcomes for graduates equal to those in traditional programs.

APhA urges state legislatures and boards of pharmacy to eliminate unnecessary preceptor and practice site requirements, including separate preceptor licensure.

APhA supports a collaborative effort amongst relevant parties' (e.g., professional pharmacy organizations, deans, faculty, preceptors, and student pharmacists) to develop and implement a nationally defined set of competencies to assess the successful completion of introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs). APhA believes that these competencies should reflect the professional knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for entry into advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs).

1. APhA supports establishment of pharmacy practice-based research networks (PBRNs) to strengthen the evidence base in support of pharmacists’ patient care services.
2. APhA encourages collaborations among stakeholders to determine the minimal infrastructure and resources needed to develop and implement local, regional, and nationwide networks for performing pharmacy practice-based research.
3. APhA encourages pharmacy residency programs to actively participate in pharmacy practice-based research network (PBRNs).

1. APhA urges continued growth in the number of accredited pharmacy residency positions in all practice settings to better meet the future health care needs of the nation.
2. APhA encourages active involvement of schools and colleges of pharmacy in the development and advancement of accredited pharmacy practice residency programs.
3. APhA advocates for the allocation of adequate funding for accredited pharmacy residencies in all practice settings by governmental and other entities.
4. APhA supports postgraduate training for new PharmD graduates.
5. APhA supports accreditation of all pharmacy residency programs by federally recognized accrediting bodies to ensure quality training experiences.

1. APhA urges pharmacies and facilities that include pharmacies to discontinue the sale of tobacco products.
2. APhA urges the federal government and state governments to limit participation in government-funded prescription programs to pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.
3. APhA urges state boards of pharmacy to discontinue issuing and renewing licenses to pharmacies that sell tobacco products and to pharmacies that are in facilities that sell tobacco products.
4. APhA urges colleges of pharmacy to only use pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products as experience sites for their students.
5. APhA urges the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to adopt the position that college-administered pharmacy experience programs should only use pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.
6. APhA urges pharmacists and student pharmacists who are seeking employment opportunities to first consider positions in pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.

1. APhA encourages the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), in collaboration with state boards of pharmacy, practitioner organizations, and other stakeholders, to develop national standardization among schools and colleges of pharmacy to improve the quality of student pharmacists’ experiential education. This standardization should be adopted by all schools and colleges of pharmacy and should include (a) a preceptor training program; (b) a model instrument for preceptors to evaluate student pharmacist performance in required pharmacy practice experiences; (c) a set of quality indicators for each required pharmacy practice experience; and (d) a report of quality indicator outcomes made available to all schools and colleges of pharmacy, faculty, and current and prospective students.
2. APhA urges schools and colleges of pharmacy to dedicate adequate and equitable financial and human resources to experiential education.

1. APhA encourages state boards of pharmacy to use the title “student pharmacist” to identify all students enrolled in their professional years of pharmacy education in an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited program.
2. APhA encourages state boards of pharmacy to permit a student pharmacist to perform the duties of a pharmacist within the applicable state’s scope of practice under a pharmacist’s supervision. Preceptors shall consider the experience and education of student pharmacists when providing pharmacy practice opportunities.

1. APhA supports the systematic transition from Cockcroft-Gault estimated creatinine clearance to race-free estimated glomerular filtration rate adjusted for body surface area (eGFRBSAadj) as the preferred kidney function measure to inform medication-related decision making in adults.
2. APhA advocates for race-free eGFRBSAadj as the preferred standard for medication-related decision making for adults in PharmD curricula and licensing/board certification examinations.
3. APhA encourages expanded research evaluating race-free eGFRBSAadj use in medication-related decision making in adults using measured GFR, drug concentrations, or pharmacokinetic modeling as a comparator, especially for subgroups of adults usually underrepresented in clinical trials.

1. APhA supports the integration of pharmacists as providers of primary care services to address acute health issues, improve management of chronic disease, coordinate care, and provide preventive care.
2. APhA advocates for government and private entities to add community pharmacy as a recognized place of service for the delivery of pharmacist-led primary care services
3. APhA calls for payment parity for primary care services provided by a pharmacist through the patients’ medical benefit.
4. APhA supports the application of the standard of care regulatory model to guide pharmacists’ delivery of primary care services.
5. APhA supports increasing public awareness of pharmacist-led primary care services.

1. APhA supports the establishment of secure, portable, and interoperable electronic patient health care records.
2. APhA supports the engagement of pharmacists with other relevant communities in the development and implementation of multidirectional electronic communication systems to improve patient safety, enhance quality care, facilitate care transitions, increase efficiency, and reduce waste.
3. APhA advocates for the inclusion of pharmacists in the establishment and enhancement of electronic health care information technologies and systems that must be interoperable, HIPAA compliant, integrated with claims processing, updated in a timely fashion, allow for data analysis, and do not place disproportionate financial burden on any one health care provider or relevant party.
4. APhA advocates for pharmacists and other health care providers to have access to view, download and transmit electronic health records. Information shared among providers using a health information exchange should utilize a standardized secure interface based on recognized international health record standards for the transmission of health information.
5. APhA supports the integration of federal, state, and territory health information exchanges into an accessible, standardized, nationwide system.
6. APhA opposes business practices and policies that obstruct the electronic access and exchange of patient health information because these practices compromise patient safety and the provision of optimal patient care.
7. APhA advocates for the development of systems that facilitate and support electronic communication between pharmacists and prescribers concerning patient adherence, medication discontinuation, and other clinical factors that support quality care transitions.
8. APhA supports the development of education and training programs for pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals on the appropriate use of electronic health records to reduce errors and improve the quality and safety of patient care.
9. APhA supports the creation and non-punitive application of a standardized, interoperable system for voluntary reporting of errors associated with the use of electronic health care information technologies and systems to enable aggregation of protected data and develop recommendations for improved quality.

1. APhA opposes the replacement of a pharmacist’s professional judgment or patient’s access to their pharmacist with artificial intelligence.
2. APhA calls on the profession of pharmacy and all related organizations to proactively assess and respond to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice and workforce dynamics.
3. APhA encourages judicious use of artificial intelligence by pharmacists and pharmacy personnel as a tool to elevate pharmacy practice and enhance patient care.
4. APhA advocates for the integration of pharmacists into the development, design, validation, implementation, and maintenance of artificial intelligence solutions.
5. APhA calls on regulatory bodies, employers, and other relevant parties to develop laws, regulations, and policies as applicable for artificial intelligence to ensure patient safety, privacy, public awareness, and public protection.
6. APhA calls on those providing artificial intelligence solutions to implement processes that identify and mitigate bias and misinformation in artificial intelligence.
7. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on the lawful, ethical, and clinical use of artificial intelligence.

1. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit DEA-registered and trained opioid treatment program clinicians and other providers the ability to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder and refer patients for additional services as needed.
2. APhA supports changes in laws, regulations, and policies to permit community pharmacy dispensing of methadone for opioid use disorder and appropriate compensation for these services.
3. APhA supports partnerships and collaborations to increase patient access to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and clinicians.
4. APhA advocates for interprofessional education on laws, regulations, and policies regarding office-based prescribing and community pharmacy dispensing of methadone in curricula, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs of all health professions.

1. APhA strongly believes that all pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians should be safe in their work and learning environments and be free from firearm-related violence.
2. APhA strongly recommends that technician training programs, schools and colleges of pharmacy, postgraduate training programs, and employers should develop programs to increase readiness in the event of an active shooter.
3. APhA strongly believes pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians should be trained to recognize and refer patients at high risk of violence to themselves or others.
4. APhA encourages pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians who are survivors of firearm-related violence to seek the help of counselors and other trained mental health professionals.

1. APhA advocates for implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity systems, safeguards, and response mechanisms to mitigate risk and minimize harm or disruption for all pharmacies and related parties who manage or access electronic health and business information.
2. APhA advocates for all pharmacies and related business entities responsible for electronic health and business information to have cyber liability insurance or an equivalent self-funded plan to protect all relevant parties in the event of a cyberattack and data breach.
3. APhA advocates for education providers to facilitate, and pharmacy personnel to seek out, education and training on cybersecurity laws, regulations, and best practices.

1. APhA encourages all stakeholders to develop and adopt evidence-based approaches to educate the public and all health care professionals to reduce the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses.
2. APhA supports the increased utilization of pharmacists and student pharmacists with appropriate training to actively participate in the care of patients with mental health conditions as members of interprofessional health care teams in all practice settings.
3. APhA supports the expansion of mental health education and training in the curriculum of all schools and colleges of pharmacy, postgraduate training, and within continuing professional development programs.
4. APhA supports the development of education and resources to address health care professional resiliency and burnout.

1. APhA encourages state legislatures and boards of pharmacy to revise laws, regulations, and policies to support the patient-centered care of people who use non-medically sanctioned psychotropic or psychoactive substances.
2. To reduce the consequences of stigma associated with drug use, APhA supports the expansion of interprofessional harm reduction education in the curriculum of schools and colleges of pharmacy, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs.
3. APhA encourages pharmacists to initiate, sustain, and integrate evidence-based harm reduction principles and programs into their practice to optimize the health of people who use non-medically sanctioned psychotropic or psychoactive substances.
4. APhA supports pharmacists’ roles to provide and promote consistent, unrestricted, and immediate access to evidence-based, mortality- and morbidity-reducing interventions to enhance the health of people who inject nonmedically sanctioned psychotropic or psychoactive substances and their communities, including sterile syringes, needles, and other safe injection equipment, syringe disposal, fentanyl test strips, immunizations, condoms, wound care supplies, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis medications for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), point-of-care testing for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), opioid reversal agents, and medications for opioid use disorder.
5. APhA urges pharmacists to refer people who use nonmedically sanctioned psychotropic or psychoactive substances to specialists in mental health, infectious diseases, and substance use disorder treatment; to housing, vocational, harm reduction, and recovery support services; and to safe consumption facilities and syringe service programs.

1. APhA encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy and pharmacy technician training programs to facilitate educational opportunities for student pharmacists, and student pharmacy technicians in the principles of veterinary pharmacotherapy.
2. APhA encourages the availability of professional development opportunities in the principles of veterinary pharmacotherapy for pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.

1. APhA encourages the use of social media in ways that advance patient care and uphold pharmacists as trusted and accessible health care providers.
2. APhA supports the use of social media as a mechanism for the delivery of patient-specific care in a platform that allows for appropriate patient and provider protections and access to necessary health care information.
3. APhA supports the inclusion of social media education, including but not limited to appropriate use and professionalism, as a component of pharmacy education and continuing professional development.
4. APhA affirms that the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality shall not be compromised through the use of social media.
5. APhA urges pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and student pharmacists to self-monitor their social media presence for professionalism and that posted clinical information is accurate and appropriate.
6. APhA advocates for continued development and utilization of social media by pharmacists and other health care professionals during public health emergencies.

APhA supports a collaborative effort amongst relevant parties' (e.g., professional pharmacy organizations, deans, faculty, preceptors, and student pharmacists) to develop and implement a nationally defined set of competencies to assess the successful completion of introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs). APhA believes that these competencies should reflect the professional knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for entry into advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs).

1. APhA supports adopting and maintaining continuous quality improvement processes at the national school/college level to identify differences between contemporary pharmacy practice and curriculum offerings, and to provide information and resources to encourage up-to-date curricula.
2. APhA encourages pharmacists to cooperate with schools and colleges of pharmacy by participating as preceptors and permitting their practices to be used as experiential sites.

1. APhA emphasizes genomics as an essential aspect of pharmacy practice.
2. APhA recognizes pharmacists as the health care professional best suited to provide medication-related consults and services based on a patient’s genomic information. All pharmacists involved in the care of the patient should have access to relevant genomic information.
3. APhA supports processes to protect patient data confidentiality and opposes unethical utilization of genomic data.
4. APhA demands payers include pharmacists as eligible providers for covered genomic interpretation and related services to support sustainable models that optimize patient care and outcomes.
5. APhA urges pharmacy management system vendors to include functionality that uses established and adopted electronic health record standards for the exchange, storage, utilization, and documentation of clinically actionable genetic variations and actions taken by the pharmacist in the provision of patient care.
6. APhA recommends pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists lead the collaborative development of evidence-based practice guidelines for pharmacogenomics and related services.
7. APhA recommends the inclusion of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in the collaborative development of pharmacogenomics clinical support tools and resources.
8. APhA encourages pharmacists to use their professional judgment and published guidelines and resources when providing access to testing or utilizing direct-to-consumer genomic test results in their patient care services.
9. APhA urges schools and colleges of pharmacy to include clinical application of genomics as a required element of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
10. APhA encourages the creation of continuing professional development and post-graduate education and training programs for pharmacists in genomics and its clinical application to meet varying practice needs.
11. APhA encourages the funding of pharmacist-led research examining the cost effectiveness of care models that utilize pharmacists providing genomic services.

1. APhA believes that it is essential to integrate professionalism throughout a student pharmacist’s educational experience.
2. APhA will assist schools and colleges of pharmacy to develop and utilize recruitment materials that emphasize the professional role and responsibilities associated with the provision of pharmaceutical care.
3. APhA supports schools and colleges of pharmacy interviewing candidates during the admissions process to assess their characteristics for the potential for development of professional attitudes and behaviors.
4. APhA recommends that schools and colleges of pharmacy administer the model pledge of professionalism, as developed by the APhA-ASP/American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Deans Task Force on Professionalism, to all student pharmacists.
5. APhA encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy to develop and implement ongoing programs for faculty, staff, preceptors, and other mentors to enhance their ability to serve as role models and teach professionalism.
6. APhA supports the continuation of a forum for faculty, students, preceptors, and others to establish and foster mentor relationships.

1. APhA urges pharmacies and facilities that include pharmacies to discontinue the sale of tobacco products.
2. APhA urges the federal government and state governments to limit participation in government-funded prescription programs to pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.
3. APhA urges state boards of pharmacy to discontinue issuing and renewing licenses to pharmacies that sell tobacco products and to pharmacies that are in facilities that sell tobacco products.
4. APhA urges colleges of pharmacy to only use pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products as experience sites for their students.
5. APhA urges the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to adopt the position that college-administered pharmacy experience programs should only use pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.
6. APhA urges pharmacists and student pharmacists who are seeking employment opportunities to first consider positions in pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products.

1. APhA supports the delivery of informatics education within pharmacy schools and continuing education programs to improve patient care, understand interoperability among systems, understand where to find information, increase productivity, and improve the ability to measure and report the value of pharmacists in the health care system.
2. APhA urges that pharmacists have read/write access to electronic health record data for the purposes of improving patient care and medication use outcomes.
3. APhA encourages inclusion of pharmacists in the definition, development, and implementation of health information technologies for the purpose of improving the quality of patient-centric health care.
4. APhA urges public and private entities to include pharmacist representatives in the creation of standards, the certification of systems, and the integration of medication use systems with health information technology.

1. It is APhA’s position that patient safety initiatives must include pharmacists in leadership roles.
2. APhA encourages dissemination of best practices derived from nationally aggregated reporting data systems to pharmacists for the purpose of improving the medication use process and making informed decisions that directly impact patient safety and quality.
3. APhA encourages the profession of pharmacy to continually review and evaluate ways to enhance training, curricula, continuing education and accountability of pharmacists to improve patient safety.
4. APhA encourages risk management and post-marketing surveillance programs to be standardized and include infrastructures and compensation necessary to allow pharmacists to support these patient safety programs.
5. APhA supports the creation of voluntary, standardized and interoperable reporting systems for patient safety events to minimize barriers to pharmacist participation and to enable aggregation of data and improve quality of medication use systems. The system should be free, voluntary, non-punitive, easily accessible, and user friendly for all providers within the healthcare system.
6. APhA supports the elimination of hand-written prescriptions or medication orders.

1. APhA encourages state boards of pharmacy to use the title “student pharmacist” to identify all students enrolled in their professional years of pharmacy education in an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited program.
2. APhA encourages state boards of pharmacy to permit a student pharmacist to perform the duties of a pharmacist within the applicable state’s scope of practice under a pharmacist’s supervision. Preceptors shall consider the experience and education of student pharmacists when providing pharmacy practice opportunities.

APhA encourages the colleges and schools of pharmacy to incorporate the concept of payment system reform throughout the curricula for all professional programs, and should work with pharmacy organizations to ensure the integration of these concepts into practitioners’ continuing development.

APhA supports the incorporation of professional ethics instruction in pharmacy curricula and post-graduate continuing education and training.

APhA supports efforts to improve education at the primary and secondary school levels, particularly in the areas of science, mathematics, and English.