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Today's Highlights

Thursday, 17 May 2012

Better Care Faster wants to hear from Ontarians on health care

As Ontario begins to address budget challenges across an array of programs and services, Better Care Faster, a 17-member coalition of concerned organizations including OPA, is asking Ontarians to weigh in on the future of their health care. Partners are reaching out to their members and constituents, and inviting all Ontarians to share their ideas, experiences and concerns through bettercarefaster.ca.

Pharmacy careers on opatoday.com

Looking for a job? Looking for a pharmacy professional to fill a position? Log in to the members-only section to access OPA’s job board and classified listings.

Ontario’s pharmacists provide solutions that would yield greater savings than the government’s proposed cuts to generic medication pricing

The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association came out strongly in opposition to the surprise proposal announced by the Ontario government on Friday to once again ask pharmacies to bear the brunt of reducing healthcare costs. Read more.

Hot Topics

Association of BENLYSTA™ (belimumab) with hypersensitivity and infusion reactions

GlaxoSmithKline Inc., in consultation with Health Canada, would like to inform you of important new safety information related to hypersensitivity and infusion reactions associated with BENLYSTA™ (belimumab) treatment. Read more

Are you registered for OPA's most exciting education event of the year?

Time is running out to take advantage of the special early bird rate – register for Conference 2012 today!
June 14-16
London Convention Centre
Conference 2012 is just a few weeks away, and the early bird registration deadline is approaching fast. Register by May 14 to save up to $50 on the conference registration fee. Find out more here.

CTV’s Lifetime: Pharmacist vaccinations

On March 30, CTV News aired an interview with Allan Malek, OPA's Senior Vice President, Professional Affairs, Drug Information and Continuing Education about pharmacists' expanding scope of practice, focusing on injection and immunization. Watch the interview here: http://toronto.ctv.ca/?video=648777

Sandoz Morphine Sulfate Injection USP 2mg/ml (1ml ampoules) – DIN 02242484

The Ontario Pharmacists' Association, working in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Health Canada’s Health Products and Food Branch, is advising all pharmacists and their team members to be aware of a safety warning related to Sandoz Morphine Sulfate Injection USP. Some boxes of Sandoz Morphine Sulfate Injection USP 2mg/ml (1ml ampoules), DIN 02242484, may contain ampoules labeled as Isoproterenol Hydrochloride Injection 0.2mg/ml (1ml ampoules), DIN 00897639, in addition to ampoules labeled as containing morphine. Read more.

Ministry update on the drug shortage issue

To address the current drug shortages, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has developed an action plan that includes health care system strategies for inventory and impact assessment, inventory management, facilitated procurement, modification of services and communications. Read more.

OPA wins CFP Innovation Fund grant for hypertension project

The Ontario Pharmacists’Association-Green Shield Canada Hypertension Collaborative.is the winner of this year’s Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Innovation Fund grant in support of pharmacy practice research. Read more

Clinical documentation for pharmaceutical opinions

Phase 1 of the Pharmaceutical Opinion Program, implemented April 1, 2011, is best categorized as dispensing or transactional services that positively impact patient care and represent services pharmacists have been routinely providing to patients but without compensation. Most notable are the pharmaceutical opinion as well as services that verify adherence, tolerance and response to medication therapy. Read more

CE update

Time is running out to register for OPA’s live education programs in April. Guarantee your spot by registering today: April 21 – Drugs by Inhalation Certificate Program (Toronto), April 22 – Injection and Immunization Certificate Program (Thunder Bay), April 29 – Injection and Immunization Certificate Program (Sault Ste. Marie).
Online registration for Conference 2012 is now live. View a full list of this year’s continuing education sessions here.
OPA is pleased to announce the speaker for the April 21 Drugs by Inhalation Certificate Program is Lisa Craig, BScPhm, RPh, CAE. Register today.
Registration is now open for all Injection and Immunization Certificate Program sessions scheduled in 2012.
Registration is now open for the May 4-6 Cardiovascular Patient Care Certificate Program.

For a full list of OPA’s 2012 education programs, click here.

Welcome to the Ontario Pharmacists' Association

The Ontario Pharmacists' Association (OPA) represents the views and interests of more than 13,600 pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training across the province. We work to inspire excellence in the profession and practice of pharmacy, and to promote wellness for patients.

Our members work in community pharmacies, family health teams, long-term care facilities, hospitals, universities, business and government, and practice in more than 3,000 clinical settings. Read more

Police to collect seniors' unused pills

Refugees will face health-care cuts

Canadians say cash no cure for health system woes

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