Michael J. Gonyeau

Guidelines for therapeutic interchange-2004.

This publication is an update of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Position Statement on “Guidelines for Therapeutic Interchange,” originally published in 1993. The ACCP supports the practice of therapeutic interchange, in which pharmacists collaborate with physicians and other health care professionals to develop policies and implement programs that improve drug use to provide the best possible patient care at the most affordable cost. The ACCP has established the following guidelines for implementing therapeutic interchange policies and procedures within health care organizations and other appropriate patient care settings:

A Clinical Review of Statins and Cancer: Helpful or Harmful?

The 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are the second most prescribed therapeutic drug class in the United States after analgesics. Although these agents are used predominantly to reduce cholesterol concentrations in patients with hyperlipidemia, numerous studies have investigated the pleiotropic effects of statins and their potential in the prevention and/or treatment of other disease states, including cancer. Many theories have been proposed as to how statins may affect the risk or development of malignancies, prompting a clinical review of the literature. Studies have revealed statins to be associated with both increased and decreased cancer risk. Most of the published studies have been observational and retrospective in nature, and most prospective trials evaluated cancer as a secondary end point or adverse event, making it difficult to determine causality. Although most of the available evidence suggests a possible beneficial effect of statins on cancer, further study is needed with better designed trials and/or increased efforts in evaluating cancer as secondary end points in all statin trials until definite conclusions regarding statin effects on cancer risk and occurrence can be made.

Statins and osteoporosis: a clinical review.

Osteoporosis is a leading public health threat affecting approximately 44 million people in the United States. Most of the therapies for this disease work to prevent further bone loss, improve bone mineral density, and reduce the risk of fractures. These agents, however, have not been proved to increase bone formation significantly. Therefore, the ideal agent would not only improve bone strength by decreasing bone breakdown, but also promote bone formation in the ultimate quest to prevent fractures. The 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have become an area of research in the battle against osteoporosis. Two mechanisms for beneficial effects of statins on bones have been proposed, and although in vitro, in vivo, and animal studies have shown positive effects on bone mineralization and reductions in bone resorption, clinical data on surrogate markers and fracture rates are conflicting. The inherent problems with observational studies also must be addressed. Until that time, the use of statins in the prevention of fractures or the treatment of osteoporosis requires further study.

Follow-up assessment of a faculty peer observation and evaluation program.

Objective. To assess a previously described peer observation and evaluation program 2 years after implementation. Methods. An pre-implementation survey assessed faculty needs and attitudes related to peer evaluation. Two years after implementation, the survey was repeated and additional questions asked regarding adherence to peer observation and evaluation policies and procedures, feedback received, and impact on teaching. Results. Faculty attitudes towards peer evaluation stayed the same or improved post-implementation. Adherence to the initial 3 steps of the process was high (100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively); however, step 4, which required a final discussion after student assessments were finished, was completed by only 47% of the respondents. All faculty members reported receiving a balance of positive and constructive feedback; 78% agreed that peer observation and evaluation gave them concrete suggestions for improving their teaching; and 89% felt that the benefits of peer observation and evaluation outweighed the effort of participating. Conclusions. Faculty members adhered to the policies and procedures of peer observation and evaluation and found peer feedback was beneficial.

Report of the 2011-2012 Academic Affairs Standing Committee: the evolving role of scholarly teaching in teaching excellence for current and future faculty.

hAmerican Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Background and Charges According to the Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the Academic Affairs Committee shall consider “…the intellectual, social, and personal aspects of pharmaceutical education. It is expected to identify practices, procedures, and guidelines that will aid faculties in developing students to their maximum potential. It will also be concerned with curriculum analysis, development, and evaluation beginning with the preprofessional level and extending through professional and graduate education. The Committee shall seek to identify issues and problems affecting the administrative and financial aspects of member institutions. The Academic Affairs Committee shall extend its attention beyond intra-institutional matters of colleges of pharmacy to include interdisciplinary concerns with the communities of higher education and especially with those elements concerned with health education.” Consistent with identifying practices, procedures and guidelines that will aid faculties in developing students to their maximum potential, President Brian L. Crabtree charged the Committee to: 1) examine and define scholarly teaching and contrast scholarly teaching with the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), and 2) Evaluate and recommend methods for evidence-based assessment of scholarly teaching that schools and colleges can use when assessing faculty’s efforts in this element of the academic mission, and 3) recommend specific strategies to equip graduate students, post-docs, and post graduate residents for careers as scholarly teachers. This Committee Report provides an overview of the process undertaken by the 2011-2012 Academic Affairs Standing Committee and describes the results of the Committee’s examination of the evolving role of scholarly teaching in the culture and assessment of teaching excellence for current and future faculty.

Providers' perceptions of student pharmacists on inpatient general medicine practice experiences.

Objective. To assess health care providers’ perceptions of student pharmacists involved as members of a general medicine team. Methods. A brief, anonymous, online survey instrument was distributed to 134 health care providers at 4 major medical centers in Massachusetts who interacted with Northeastern University student pharmacists during inpatient general medicine advanced pharmacy practice experiences beginning in March 2011. The survey instrument assessed health care provider perception of student pharmacists’ involvement, preparedness, clinical skills, and therapeutic recommendations. Results. Of the 79 providers who responded, 96.2% reported that student pharmacists were prepared for medical rounds and 87.3% reported that student pharmacists were active participants in patient care. Also, 94.9% and 98.7% of providers indicated that student pharmacist recommendations were appropriate and accurate, respectively. The majority (61.8%) of providers believed that student pharmacist involvement on internal medicine teams was beneficial. Conclusions. Provider perceptions regarding student pharmacist participation on general medicine practice experiences were mostly positive.

Spironolactone use in patients with heart failure

Background:  The addition of spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist, to standard therapy can reduce the risk of both morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure.

The Spectrum of Statin Therapy in Cancer Patients: Is There a Need for Further Investigation?

Although our understanding of the relationship between cancer and statin use continues to improve, it remains a complex association requiring further research focusing on both biologic and clinical end points in a wide range of patient populations. To date, most of the published results are from observational studies detailing the risk of incident cancers or from randomized controlled trials with cardiovascular primary end points and cancer only as a secondary end point. Although there is certainly great value in the information obtained from observational studies, they cannot prove a causal link between statins and cancer, and it would then seem appropriate to design and implement clinical trials. Such studies should consider three main end products of the mevalonate pathway (cholesterol, geranyl pyrophosphate, and farnesyl pyrophosphate) from a mechanistic perspective, as well as the potential for cancer cell mediation with statin use, in addition to pertinent clinical end points including cancer incidence and mortality.

Adapting Leadership Styles to Reflect Generational Differences in the Academy

The topic of adapting one’s leadership style is controversial and can generate great debate. When one considers adapting one’s leadership style, the question of authenticity often bubbles to the surface. This is even more compelling in the context of generational differences in our society and workforce. How can faculty members be effective if they refuse to adapt their leadership style to students’ learning styles and generational characteristics? Leadership development is an ongoing focus for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to prepare faculty for roles as future leaders in higher education while a major redistribution of generations is occurring within the workforce. These generations are molded by many factors, including the economy, significant events, technology, and education. As experienced leaders, we affirm that one’s leadership styles must be honed over time and adapted to reflect generational differences in academic pharmacy among colleagues, students, alumni, and stakeholders, including patients. Current and future leaders need further education and development so that their awareness of generational characteristics prepares them to adapt their leadership styles to more effectively engage and lead people of any generation.

Report of the 2017-2018 Academic Affairs Standing Committee

### Introduction and Committee Charges The Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) state that the Academic Affairs Committee shall consider: the intellectual, social, and personal aspects of pharmaceutical education. It is expected to identify practices, procedures, and