Pharmacist Moms Group^™

Panelists discuss how untreated tardive dyskinesia severely impacts patients' daily functioning and quality of life through physical limitations affecting basic tasks like eating and walking, social isolation due to visible symptoms, and heightened risks for older adults who face increased fall risks, difficulty maintaining independence, and complications from age-related comorbidities.

Panelists discuss how clinicians rely on careful observation, standardized rating scales like the AIMS (Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale), and comprehensive patient histories to diagnose tardive dyskinesia, while facing challenges in distinguishing it from other movement disorders due to symptom overlap and the need to rule out conditions like drug-induced parkinsonism, akathisia, and primary movement disorders.

The California wildfires caused many medical and community challenges, including triaging services, addressing basic needs, and supporting displaced residents.

Farah Towfic, PharmD, MBA, RPh, explains the importance of USP's expert volunteer recruitment, particularly among pharmacists, to help create public quality standards, promote health literacy, and support initiatives, with applications open until March 13, 2025, for the next strategic cycle beginning July 1, 2025.

Christopher Herndon, PharmD, BCACP, FASHP, FCCP, CPE, discusses the upcoming BPS pain management certification launching in late 2025, its role in validating pharmacist expertise.

Pharmacies are actively working to address issues and support their patients by collaborative with regulatory bodies like the Board of Pharmacy, and their engagement with the local community.

Farah Towfic, PharmD, MBA, RPh, discusses how US Pharmacopeia helped to strengthen supply chain resilience in 2024 through data-driven insights, policy advocacy, and pharmacist engagement to address prolonged drug shortages, particularly for generic sterile injectables.

Pharmacists help patients manage allergies and asthma by identifying triggers, recommending appropriate treatments, ensuring proper medication usage, and finding affordable options.

Judith Alberto, MHA, RPh, BCOP, director of clinical initiatives at Community Oncology Alliance, discusses key policy issues affecting community oncology pharmacists in 2025.