From the Desk of the CEO

APhA is the oldest national professional association in pharmacy. Founded in 1852, much of what we know as quality in the profession can be directly attributed to APhA’s efforts—for example, establishment and publishing of a National Formulary, the writing and revising over the years of the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, collaboration in creating and publishing the Oath of a Pharmacist, and the driver of quality health care, products, services, and standards related to medication use.

APhA stands with the global community today on the 35th commemoration of World AIDS Day. It’s an important opportunity to raise awareness about HIV infection, honor the lives affected by the epidemic, and commit to working toward eliminating HIV as a public health threat.

Dear Member, 

Last week I spent a few days in Kansas City meeting with pharmacists, some of whom were part of the walk-out that has been reported in the media. 

I wanted to write today to share some reflections on my visit and what APhA is doing to be part of the solution. 

In the past month, the profession of pharmacy has lost two very prominent leaders; Thomas Temple, longtime executive director of the Iowa Pharmacists Association; and Dominique Jordan, president of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and former president of the Swiss Pharmacists Association (pharmaSuisse). I had the good fortune to know both of these gentlemen and I learned lessons from them that I thought would be worth passing on to those who read this blog. This is a tribute to both of their legacies.

In the 1989 film Field of Dreams, an Iowa farmer is inspired to pursue a dream. He builds a baseball field on his farm driven by the promise that, “if you build it, they will come.”