It’s been a while since I have communicated to the membership and there have been great things happening around PPA, so I wanted to highlight a couple of them.
One, over the last couple of weeks, both ends of the state held Regional Meetings. I want to send a personal thanks to all the speakers, moderators, past presidents and leaders that took their time out to make both those events successful.
Special thanks go out to Board Director Darren Mensch and PPA’s 143rd president, Hon. John DeJames, for coordinating the regional conferences. Neither happens without their knowledge and expertise to bring together the movers and shakers of the profession.
I am personally appreciative because it brings reality to the objective that I set to make a real commitment to “Generation Next”, our initiative to lift-up our future, the pharmacy students and new practitioners. Both Darren and John have gone out of their way to help set the culture. On behalf of the Association, thank you.
Two, I also appreciate the efforts of the young leaders in our Association. In both regional conferences, we had a panel of new practitioner who took out their time to give back. It shows that that everyone can do something in helping us move this thing forward.
Speaking of everyone having the ability to do something, I want to turn everyone’s attention to an event I attended the day after the Western Regional. I had to crisscross the state to get there, but it was worth it a thousand times over.
Students from PCP/SJU, Jefferson and Temple Schools of Pharmacy rallied at City Hall in Philly, to bring attention to HB 2270, for PBM reform. This initiative was driven by them and their commitment to both our profession and more importantly to the greater good of patients. The slogan was simple, “Patients over profits” as they engaged the community to save community pharmacies.
The cool part is that people heard them. Folks engaged them. The people of the community left with direction, purpose, and a mission to make sure their state representatives and senators hear their needs. The best part is that it happened nine days before the election. Maybe a phone call or two from a concerned citizen triggers the fear in our elected officials to make our issue a priority which may save their job.
Thank you to Dareen Alfroukh (chapter Director at PCP), Jonathan Huynh (chapter director at Temple, Leslie Portillo (chapter director of Jefferson) and Student-East PPA Director, Cedric Briones, for their leadership in coordinating that rally with multiple schools. Also, thank you to PCP Dean, Ed Foote, for showing his commitment to those entrusted to his care, to attend and support the students.
This underscores a key message about advocacy: Each of us can help advance the pharmacy profession. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines or wait for our annual legislative day, patients to suffer, businesses to fail, or colleagues to leave the profession. We can all make a difference TODAY.
I challenge everyone to take the example of these students (and their dean) to go and make a difference for each other and our people we are called to serve.
Warm regards,
Darryle Tillman, RPh
President
