Pharmacy Podcast Network

Chapter 1 of 3 

Featuring: Allegheny Health Network Pharmacy Services 

AHN overview and history

AHN Pharmacy Transformation – Patient – centered care planning

Becoming one team

Standardized practice / technology throughout all sites

Guests:

Laura (McCoy) Mark, PharmD - Vice President, Pharmacy

Arpit Mehta, Pharm.D., MPH, MHA - Director of Pharmacy

Kelley Wasicek, BS Pharm Director of Pharmacy

Rob Simpson, PharmD 

This podcast series is sponsored by Omnicell. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cannabis industry won at the ballot box in the recent election, with four states passing laws to make cannabis legal for adults and two approving cannabis for medical purposes. These results moved the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) closer to its goal of building a robust cannabis industry while supporting state laws and advocating for federal policy reforms.   

On November 3, 2020, voters in five states made a definitive statement about cannabis use. Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota approved adult use of cannabis. South Dakota also approved a medical initiative, along with Mississippi, which approved comprehensive cannabis medical options.  

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) has been working toward outcomes such as these since 2010. With 2,000 members nationwide, the organization is supporting the industry as cannabis becomes a thriving business and a real economic force. In recent years, NCIA has been a vocal advocate for social equity, working to promote expungement of criminal records of many people—largely from minority communities—who were unfairly incarcerated as part of the ill-conceived War on Drugs.

The results of the initiatives in these five states illustrate how far the industry has come. The people have spoken, and their voice was definitive.

“The margins were higher than we expected,” says Morgan Fox, spokesperson for NCIA. “In Arizona, there was a 60% margin, while the margin in New Jersey was 66%, 10 points higher than it was in California when it passed an adult use initiative in 2016. These results are not just political victories; they will likely have widespread ramifications. Importantly, it will be much more difficult for law enforcement to use cannabis as a weapon against minority populations. Instead, we will likely see more economic opportunities in the industry and fewer arrests overall.”

Although there were differences among the measures passed, those that supported legalization all set 21 as the legal age for use. In New Jersey, the law requires that the state set a regulatory structure, along with limits for possession and homegrown cannabis plants. Arizona established the number of plants allowed at six, while South Dakota limited cultivation to three. The law in Arizona also stated that the Department of Health Services must promote business ownership and industry participation among people from communities who have been harmed by former cannabis policies. Furthermore, a portion of cannabis tax revenue will be set aside for the newly created Justice Reinvestment Fund.    

To date, almost 34% of Americans live in states with laws establishing cannabis as legal and regulated for adults. Four of the five states that recently passed laws legalizing cannabis have been responsible for roughly 60,000 cannabis arrests each year, mostly for simple possession. On the economic side, researchers estimate that the combined value of the cannabis markets in these five states will climb to more than $3.1 billion by 2025. In states where cannabis is now legal, Congressional representation will increase by 29 representatives and eight senators.

In sum, cannabis is now legal for adults in 15 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the territories of CNMI and Guam. What’s more, 36 states and several territories have comprehensive medical cannabis laws. Cannabis is now legal in some form in 47 states in the United States.

Guests: 

David L. Nathan, MD, DFAPA

President, Board of Directors

Doctors for Cannabis Regulation

Abby Stoddard, PharmD, MBA 

The Client Centered Network

www.clientcn.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cannabis industry won at the ballot box in the recent election, with four states passing laws to make cannabis legal for adults and two approving cannabis for medical purposes. These results moved the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) closer to its goal of building a robust cannabis industry while supporting state laws and advocating for federal policy reforms.   

On November 3, 2020, voters in five states made a definitive statement about cannabis use. Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota approved adult use of cannabis. South Dakota also approved a medical initiative, along with Mississippi, which approved comprehensive cannabis medical options.  

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) has been working toward outcomes such as these since 2010. With 2,000 members nationwide, the organization is supporting the industry as cannabis becomes a thriving business and a real economic force. In recent years, NCIA has been a vocal advocate for social equity, working to promote expungement of criminal records of many people—largely from minority communities—who were unfairly incarcerated as part of the ill-conceived War on Drugs.

The results of the initiatives in these five states illustrate how far the industry has come. The people have spoken, and their voice was definitive.

“The margins were higher than we expected,” says Morgan Fox, spokesperson for NCIA. “In Arizona, there was a 60% margin, while the margin in New Jersey was 66%, 10 points higher than it was in California when it passed an adult use initiative in 2016. These results are not just political victories; they will likely have widespread ramifications. Importantly, it will be much more difficult for law enforcement to use cannabis as a weapon against minority populations. Instead, we will likely see more economic opportunities in the industry and fewer arrests overall.”

Although there were differences among the measures passed, those that supported legalization all set 21 as the legal age for use. In New Jersey, the law requires that the state set a regulatory structure, along with limits for possession and homegrown cannabis plants. Arizona established the number of plants allowed at six, while South Dakota limited cultivation to three. The law in Arizona also stated that the Department of Health Services must promote business ownership and industry participation among people from communities who have been harmed by former cannabis policies. Furthermore, a portion of cannabis tax revenue will be set aside for the newly created Justice Reinvestment Fund.    

To date, almost 34% of Americans live in states with laws establishing cannabis as legal and regulated for adults. Four of the five states that recently passed laws legalizing cannabis have been responsible for roughly 60,000 cannabis arrests each year, mostly for simple possession. On the economic side, researchers estimate that the combined value of the cannabis markets in these five states will climb to more than $3.1 billion by 2025. In states where cannabis is now legal, Congressional representation will increase by 29 representatives and eight senators.

In sum, cannabis is now legal for adults in 15 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the territories of CNMI and Guam. What’s more, 36 states and several territories have comprehensive medical cannabis laws. Cannabis is now legal in some form in 47 states in the United States.

Guests: 

David L. Nathan, MD, DFAPA

President, Board of Directors

Doctors for Cannabis Regulation

Abby Stoddard, PharmD, MBA 

The Client Centered Network

www.clientcn.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opioids play a critical role in managing cancer-associated pain, but they’re highly addictive, and they don’t always provide sufficient pain relief for cancer patients. Many patients therefore turn to cannabis or cannabis-derived products to help manage their pain, using them either as standalone treatments or as an adjuvant therapy to opioids. But does research support cannabis use for this purpose? The evidence is mixed, and some studies suggest there may indeed be benefits for cancer pain—but there’s also reason for caution.

How Much Research Is There?

There’s a relatively strong body of research on cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain generally, according to Eloise Theisen, RN, MSN, president of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and co-founder of Radicle Health, a cannabis education and advocacy organization. However, much of this research has focused on neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, and comparatively few studies have examined pain in the cancer context. Among the studies that exist for cancer, many have small sample sizes, and study design is also an issue. “We have animal studies and some clinical human studies,” says Theisen, but there’s “a lack of randomized controlled trials, which are considered to be the gold standard.”

A further complicating factor in the research on cannabis and cancer pain is that most of the existing studies on this topic have relied on products that do not match those cancer patients actually use in practice. According to Hance Clarke, MD, PhD, associate professor of anesthesia at the University of Toronto and author of a recent review article on cannabis and pain,1 the products that have been studied most extensively are pharmaceutical-grade cannabis isolates, such as nabiximols (an extract containing THC and CBD in a precise one-to-one ratio), nabilone (synthetic THC), and dronabinol (also synthetic THC). However, cancer patients outside of the research context are much more likely to use dispensary cannabis and non-pharmaceutical-grade plant-based extracts. “We’re kind of stuck without enough evidence on the products that people are currently using,” says Clarke. This is important, because patients may react quite differently to a dispensary product than to a pharmaceutical product, according to Clarke.

Guests: 

Eloise Theisen, MSN, RN, is a board certified Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in cannabis therapy. For over 20 years, Eloise has worked primarily with cancer, dementia and chronic pain patients. In the last several years, Eloise has focused her efforts on cannabinoid therapies. Eloise was one of the first healthcare professionals to bring a clinical dosing regimen to the cannabis space. In 2019, Eloise was elected President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and will serve through 2022. In 2019, Eloise co-authored Pain Free with CBD: Everything You Need to Know and Effectively Use Cannabidiol with Alice O’Leary Randall.   

Joe Jeffries, Pharm D is currently Director of Pharmacy at FarmaceuticalRx, a medical cannabis dispensary in East Liverpool Ohio. Joe is the former Director of Pharmacy at Barnesville Hospital and was named the Healthcare Worker of the Year, largely for his creation of a program to help those struggling with drug addiction. Joe was also President of the Ohio Pharmacists Association from 2000-2001. 

Host: 

Joseph Friedman  CannaRPh Consultants

CRx Magazine Advisory Board, CRx Podcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opioids play a critical role in managing cancer-associated pain, but they’re highly addictive, and they don’t always provide sufficient pain relief for cancer patients. Many patients therefore turn to cannabis or cannabis-derived products to help manage their pain, using them either as standalone treatments or as an adjuvant therapy to opioids. But does research support cannabis use for this purpose? The evidence is mixed, and some studies suggest there may indeed be benefits for cancer pain—but there’s also reason for caution.

How Much Research Is There?

There’s a relatively strong body of research on cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain generally, according to Eloise Theisen, RN, MSN, president of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and co-founder of Radicle Health, a cannabis education and advocacy organization. However, much of this research has focused on neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, and comparatively few studies have examined pain in the cancer context. Among the studies that exist for cancer, many have small sample sizes, and study design is also an issue. “We have animal studies and some clinical human studies,” says Theisen, but there’s “a lack of randomized controlled trials, which are considered to be the gold standard.”

A further complicating factor in the research on cannabis and cancer pain is that most of the existing studies on this topic have relied on products that do not match those cancer patients actually use in practice. According to Hance Clarke, MD, PhD, associate professor of anesthesia at the University of Toronto and author of a recent review article on cannabis and pain,1 the products that have been studied most extensively are pharmaceutical-grade cannabis isolates, such as nabiximols (an extract containing THC and CBD in a precise one-to-one ratio), nabilone (synthetic THC), and dronabinol (also synthetic THC). However, cancer patients outside of the research context are much more likely to use dispensary cannabis and non-pharmaceutical-grade plant-based extracts. “We’re kind of stuck without enough evidence on the products that people are currently using,” says Clarke. This is important, because patients may react quite differently to a dispensary product than to a pharmaceutical product, according to Clarke.

Guests: 

Eloise Theisen, MSN, RN, is a board certified Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in cannabis therapy. For over 20 years, Eloise has worked primarily with cancer, dementia and chronic pain patients. In the last several years, Eloise has focused her efforts on cannabinoid therapies. Eloise was one of the first healthcare professionals to bring a clinical dosing regimen to the cannabis space. In 2019, Eloise was elected President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and will serve through 2022. In 2019, Eloise co-authored Pain Free with CBD: Everything You Need to Know and Effectively Use Cannabidiol with Alice O’Leary Randall.   

Joe Jeffries, Pharm D is currently Director of Pharmacy at FarmaceuticalRx, a medical cannabis dispensary in East Liverpool Ohio. Joe is the former Director of Pharmacy at Barnesville Hospital and was named the Healthcare Worker of the Year, largely for his creation of a program to help those struggling with drug addiction. Joe was also President of the Ohio Pharmacists Association from 2000-2001. 

Host: 

Joseph Friedman  CannaRPh Consultants

CRx Magazine Advisory Board, CRx Podcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Behnaz Sarrami, MS, PharmD, a PGx for pharmacists podcast, joins Cari Lalande, PharmD where we discuss the clinical value and utility of PGx and how it can be implemented in a clinical setting.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behnaz Sarrami, MS, PharmD, a PGx for pharmacists podcast, joins Cari Lalande, PharmD where we discuss the clinical value and utility of PGx and how it can be implemented in a clinical setting.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The battle against the COVID-19 pandemic has continued for over a year. The evidence continues to update and change, and more and more people are becoming vaccinated. This episode provides a review of the newest literature including guidance on vaccinated individuals. But, remember, don't stop wearing a mask now!

Reference: Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html.

CPE details for GameChangers Podcast April 2021

Learning Objective: Describe evidence-based recommendations to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infections

0107-0000-21-158-H01-P

0.2 CEU/2 Hrs (Knowledge)

Initial Release Date: 04/06/21

Expiration Date: 03/02/24

Additional CPE information is located at https://www.ceimpact.com/podcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The battle against the COVID-19 pandemic has continued for over a year. The evidence continues to update and change, and more and more people are becoming vaccinated. This episode provides a review of the newest literature including guidance on vaccinated individuals. But, remember, don't stop wearing a mask now!

Reference: Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html.

CPE details for GameChangers Podcast April 2021

Learning Objective: Describe evidence-based recommendations to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infections

0107-0000-21-158-H01-P

0.2 CEU/2 Hrs (Knowledge)

Initial Release Date: 04/06/21

Expiration Date: 03/02/24

Additional CPE information is located at https://www.ceimpact.com/podcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fascinating discussion with the Ohio State University's Chief Wellness Officer & author of Evidence-based Competencies in Healthcare, Dr. Bernadette Melnyk PhD about evidence-based practice of medicine and raising the standards of content development. 

Hospitals and healthcare systems around the world have attempted to build and sustain evidence-based practice (EBP) cultures and environments, yet they have struggled to clearly understand what EBP competency means. Implementing the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Competencies in Healthcare clears up that confusion and serves as a guide for clinicians, leaders, faculty, EBP mentors, and students in achieving EBP competency, facilitating evidence-based decision making in daily practice, and accelerating the speed at which research knowledge is translated into real-world settings to improve health outcomes and decrease healthcare costs.

We must develop content which is clinically focused in the same manner as practicing Evidence-based medicine. 

Implementing the Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Competencies in HealthcareA Practical Guide to Improving Quality, Safety, and Outcomes By Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, Lynn Gallagher-Ford, Ellen Fineout-Overholt  

Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, RN, CPNP/PMHNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, is Associate Vice President for Health Promotion, University Chief Wellness Officer, and Professor and Dean of the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University (OSU) and Professor at OSU's College of Medicine.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.