The American College of Apothecaries (ACA) is an international (United States and Canada) professional association in the field of independent community pharmacy practice. The organization offers continuing education (CE) credits for pharmacists in coordination with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.[2] In 1977, the ACA helped establish the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP) as a charter member.[3] The ACA is affiliated with the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP)[4] and the ACA Research & Education Foundation.[5] The current ACA Chairman is Thomas J. Hunt, RPh, FACA, FACVP, and the ACA President is Ryan Oftebro, PharmD, FACA, FACVP.[6]
 | |
| Abbreviation | ACA |
|---|---|
| Formation | May 9, 1940[1] |
| Founded at | Richmond, Virginia |
| Type | Professional Association |
| Focus | Compounding |
| Headquarters | Bartlett, Tennessee |
| Location |
|
Region | United States |
| Website | acainfo |
History
editThe ACA was founded in 1940 in Richmond, Virginia.[1] Dissatisfied with the state of the profession of pharmacy at the time, the ACA sought to focus pharmacists on pharmacy practice, rather than merchandising. The ACA recommended that community pharmacies be barred from having lunch counters and soda fountains in their stores.[7]
Services
editCompounding
editThe ACA offers pharmaceutical compounding training courses throughout the United States.[8] The ACA also holds the "Quality Compounding Summit," a conference on topics related to quality assurance methods in pharmaceutical compounding.[9] Courses are also offered at the ACA National Training Laboratory at their headquarters, such as "Compounding for Hormone Replacement Therapy," a 15-hour continuing education program aimed at helping pharmacists provide compounded hormone replacement therapy.[10] Other courses are offered as well through their online portal.[8]
HIV
editThe ACA is responsible for accrediting the "MichRx HIV Pharmacy Online Certification Training Program," a 5 credit-hour program aimed at training pharmacists to serve patients with HIV in their local communities.[11] It is not to be confused with the American Academy of HIV Medicine's "HIV Pharmacist" program, which provides the post-nominals "AAHIVP" (American Academy of HIV Medicine, HIV Pharmacist).[12]
Politics
editHistorically, the ACA has opposed allowing pharmacists to substitute generic medications, a position that was at odds with that of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) in 1972.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "About ACA". acainfo.org. ACA. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "ACA Accredits CE Programs". acainfo.org. ACA. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "How ACA Works For You". acainfo.org. ACA. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Home". vetmeds.org/. ACVP. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Home". acafoundation.acainfo.org. ACAREF. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "ACA Board Officer Biographies (2016-17)". acainfo.org. ACA. Retrieved 2 May 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Elenbaas, Robert M; Worthen, Dennis B (2009). "Transformation of a Profession: An Overview of the 20th Century". Pharmacy in History. 51 (4): 155. JSTOR 41112441. PMID 21648253.
- ^ a b "Pharmaceutical Compounding Training Courses". acainfo.org. ACA. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Quality Compounding Summit: Elevating Excellence". qcsummitrx.org. Quality Compounding Summit. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Compounding for Hormone Replacement Therapy" (PDF). acainfo.org. ACA. Retrieved 2 May 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "HIV Pharmacy Online Training". hivpharmacyonlinetraining.com. HIV Pharmacy Onlinetraining. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "HIV Pharmacist™ Credentialing with the Amerredentialing with the American Academy of HIV Medicineican Academy of HIV Medicine" (PDF). American Academy of HIV Medicineican Academy of HIV Medicine. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "The antisubstitution controversy: Going strong in '72". drugtopics.modernmedicine.com. UBM Medica, LLC. Retrieved 2 May 2017.