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September 2017RutgersFellows DressDown toRaise Victimsof HurricaneHarvey UpTodd Gilbert, Pharm.D.,MBADuring the September 7th Professional Development Day (PDD), 96 fellows representing 14 companiesfrom the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship raised 550 in a fundraiser for those affected byHurricane Harvey. All contributions go towards the American Red Cross in effort to provide shelter, food,comfort and emergency support. This charitable day was created by the Community DevelopmentCommittee and promoted as a “dress down day” during PDD. Thank you to everyone who participated aswe strive to get help for those in need. Special thanks to fellows from Actelion, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb,Celgene, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, McCann, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi,Meet your 2017-2018 NewsletterCommittee:Brian Ung2nd-year fellowCelgeneJen Mannino1st-year fellowBristol-MyersSquibbFeatured in this edition 2 J&J fellows meet CEO Gorsky3 Alumni Highlights4 Faculty Spotlight: Janet Lupo5 Familiar Faces & PDD6 Community Development7 Scholarly Activities8 Metrics & Finance9 Kemi in South Africa!10-11 Pharma Minutes12 Impact of Rx to OTC Switch13 Amazon & Whole Foods14 Importance of 1:1s &Adaptability15 Idaho: Just Potatoes orPharmacist Prescriptive Authority?16 FDA Advisory Committees &Furry Friends17 Celgene Community Service18 Save the dates!
Johnson & Johnson Fellows and Preceptors Receive a Warm Welcome From CEO Alex GorskyJalak Patel, Pharm.D., MBAOn August 1st, CEO Alex Gorsky, 42 Pharm.D. fellows and their preceptors from Johnson & Johnson Consumer, JanssenPharmaceuticals, and Actelion gathered at the first ever PharmD Fellowship Summit at the Johnson & Johnson headquarters inNew Brunswick, NJ.What was the PharmD Fellowship Summit?This was a first-ever all-dayevent to collaborate acrossJo h n s o n & Jo h n s o nsectors, highlight PharmDtalent, and engage inprofessional development.Various activities werep l a n n e d t o bu i l d o npersonal and professionaldevelopment whichincluded performance anddevelopment planning,diversity and inclusion, time management, andhandling difficult conversations. In addition, therewas an enneagram activity for the fellows andpreceptors as well as a philanthropic activity.What was the Enneagram activity?Prior to the Summit, all the fellows and preceptorscompleted a personality-type Enneagram testspecifically the Riso-Hudson Enneagram TypeIndicator (RHETI). The RHETI allowed eachparticipant to have a full personality profile across allnine personality types. This activity helped betterunderstand what eachindividual’s strengthsare when they are notstressed as well as whenthey are stressed. Inaddition, the activityhelped betterunderstand whichpersonality types youcan work well with,which personality types stresses you out thereforeallowing you to better understand your preceptor andco-fellows. Based on the results of the RHETI,individuals were split into teams for a Lego-buildingcompetition which augmented the learnings from theRHETI session.What was the philanthropic activity?The philanthropic activity was a toy drive for theChildren’s Specialized Hospital, which is the nation’sleading provider of inpatient and outpatient care forchildren from birth to 21 years of age facing specialhealth challenges. Their pediatric specialists arelocated at 13 different New Jersey locations. Throughthis philanthropic activity, 73 new toys were collectedfor donation to be used to help with physical therapyfor the children.What did Johnson & Johnson’s CEO Alex Gorsky speak about?Alex Gorsky talked about the importance of havingpharmacists at Johnson& Johnson in order toenhance diversity. Heemphasized takingownership of your ownpersonal development toadvance your career. Hisadvice was tounderstand what you arepassionate about whichwill help drive yourcareer. He touched onthe importance ofworking for a company with values rooted in caringfor the patients and the consumers. Overall, heprovided an impactful message for the group inregards to development leaving the participants trulyinspired. The fellows and preceptors were trulygrateful to have such an influential leader come speakto them.
Alumni HighlightsSince completing her Cardiovascular Medical StrategyFellowship at BMS in 2013, Alla has had a variety of medicalaffairs roles across BMS and AstraZeneca. Her experienceshave included 4 different product launches. Immediately after her fellowship, Alla joined the diabetesMedical Information Team at BMS. After an acquisition of diabetes assets by AstraZeneca, she switchedcompanies and took on a position as Director of Medical Alignment whereshe was responsible for the development and execution of the US medicalstrategy for the oral diabetes brands. After relocating to Washington DC,Alla returned to the Medical Information team where she led thedevelopment of field medical materials for the Women's Oncologyportfolio. In her current role, Alla is an MSL, covering DC, MD, WV andnorther VA. Alla recently got married in June! Congrats, Alla!Alla Shatskov, Class of 2013Mona Patel, Class of 2015Mona joined Celgene as a Medical InformationManager after the completion of her fellowshipwithin Clinical and Medical Affairs at Bayer in2013. Since then, she has taken on roles ofincreasing responsibility, most recently joining theMultiple Myeloma Medical Information team asan Associate Director. This new position followsMona’s most recent role as a launch lead and leadmedical reviewer of promotional materials for anew product. Mona has been with the Celgenefamily since completing her fellowship and isexcited to continue to be a part of the RPIFfamily as the Medical Information fellowshippreceptor.Manish Patel, Class of 2015After completing his HEOR fellowship atSanofi in 2015, Manish joined the Celgene’sUS Health Economics and OutcomesResearch (HEOR) team and was theresearch lead for Pancreatic cancer. He is arecent graduate of the Masters of ScienceHealth Outcomes, Policy and Economics(MS-HOPE), a degree which he startedduring his fellowship. At the end of last year,Manish transitioned into a Field Executiverole within US HEOR to gain a differentperspective. Manish and his wife havetravelled to Greece, Japan, Spain andPortugal in the last year!
Faculty Spotlight: the Super Woman Behind the ScenesIfFellowship, I can saywithout a doubt that Ihave most definitelyaccepted the challengeand then some!you don’t know heryet you’re going to wantto! Meet Janet, theincredible organizer whosomehow manages to keepall Rutgers fellows in line (inaddition to Drs. Barone &Toscani) and plays a majorrole in the success of theRutgers Pharmaceutical IndustryProgram!Could you tell us a little bit about yourbackground & how you became affiliated withRutgers?You can take the girl out ofBrooklyn, but you can’t takeBrooklyn out of the girl! Iam Brooklyn born andraised. I’ve been marriedfor 25 years and have 2 sons.I worked in the hotelbusiness for 15 years beforeworking at Rutgers.Istarted out in Rutgers, whenmy children were young as apart-time employee.Ib e g a n wo rk i n g a s t h eProgram Coordinator forthe Rutgers Fellowship inMarch of 2011.Janet LupoFellowship Program CoordinatorWhat do you find rewarding aboutbeing in your position?Being involved with thefellowship, I have seen itsgrowth over the past 6 years.When I began here in 2011,there were 70 fellows in theprogram. Today we havemore than doubled thatamount to 191! We are alsoclose to reaching 1,000alumni. But, as we say, “Weare the best of the best.”As Fellowship Program Coordinator,what are some of the challenges youface?Challenges of my currentrole would be keeping all191 fellows happy! In thesix years I’ve been with theWhat pieces of advice would yougive to the current fellows?Most fellows are“millennials”. The ageof social media, digitaltechnology, etc. My adviceto you is stay true toyourself, stop thinking thatyo u a r e p r i v i l e g e d o rentitled. Commitment andhard work will get youwhere you want to be. Mostof all, do not take things forgranted.What does a girl do for fun thesedays!?Fun you say?Spendingtime with my family isalways a good time. I alsolike spending time at theshore, going out to dinnerwith friends, movies andtraveling. Next month I willbe traveling to Italy for thefirst time with a friend. I’mcelebrating a BIG birthdayand decided to give myselfa birthday gift.The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017 !4
Familiar Faces & Fellows of 2017-2018Meet the Co-Chiefs!David Abukhater, Pharm.D.,RPhJohnson &JohnsonChristine Li, Pharm.D.PfizerDean Barone, Dr. Fierro & Dr. Toscani with the 2017-2018 Rutgers fellow committee chairs at the annual Beginning of theYear Kick-Off Committee DinnerCommittee Updates: Professional Development Day (PDD)October 5th: Fireside Chat with Kim Wishnow-Per, the president of McCann Managed Markets.October 19th: Presentation by Laura Pizzi from the Masters of Science, Health Outcomes, Policy & Economics (MS-HOPE)program. Dr. Pizzi will discuss in further detail about the MS-HOPE program, how health outcomes is used in thepharmaceutical industry and provide a little about her career path. Norward Harris, an experienced MSL, will present on understanding the culture in the pharmaceutical industrywhile also touching on how to use soft skills and emotional intelligence to gain MSL opportunities and be promotedto other roles.November 2nd: PDD hosted by Bristol-Myers Squibb at the Princeton Pike CampusThe Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017 !5
Committee Updates: Community Development Committee (CDC)The Community Development Committee (CDC) is looking forward toan exciting year filled with social and philanthropic events to strengthen not onlythe fellowship community, but also the communities around us. This year, wecombined the Philanthropy and Social committees in an effort to maximize eventattendance and fellow impact. One of the key components that continues to drivethe program’s success is the strong network we create during our time in theprogram, strengthening the bond between fellows and companies alike. Werecently organized our Annual Canoe Trip, bringing fellows togetherfor a fun day of rafting down the Delaware River. This event continues to be afellow favorite, with nearly 100 fellows in attendance. We look forward tocontinuing the tradition for years to come.We also have a very charitable Fallapproaching us, with activities including theWalk of Hope on September 16thsupporting mental health, the AIDs 5K/Walk on October 15th in Philadelphia toraise money and awareness for HIV/AIDs,and the Annual Breast Cancer Walk onOctober 22nd in support of Breast CancerAwareness Month. Serving the communityand helping those around us is an essentialresponsibility of not only a Rutgers fellow,but a pharmacist, too.2017-2018 CDC Co-ChairsAllison Bison2nd-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonMichael Hogan2nd-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonLeslie Harden1st-year fellowBayerTodd Gilbert1st-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonThe Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017 !6
Committee Updates: Scholarly Activities CommitteeJoseph Fulginiti, a 2015-2017 Medical Communications Fellowat Acorda and current Regional MSL in Neurology for Celgene Corp.,authored the article “The Impact of Professional Networking: AWorthwhile Investment” in the DIA Global Forum April 2017, Volume9, Issue 2.Alumni Spotlight: Joseph FulginitiThe following is a summary the article:Networking is a crucial business tool that can catapult a career. Developing andmaintaining professional relationships are critical in many ways. Whether your intentis to pursue a new career opportunity, accelerate your professional development, ordiscover your own personal brand, the recommendation is the same: create yournetwork! It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at in your career; if you have ambition,you can always benefit from having a strong circle of contacts. Make introductions toothers regardless of their title or status. There is something to learn from everyone.Your network grows along with you, so surround yourself with individuals that areambitious, creative, and motivated. And when it comes to networking, don’t forgetabout the power of LinkedIn! See the full article here!Basirat Adeyemi, second-year fellow at Merck in Global Regulatory Affairs-Oncology, and Kate-Kastsetskaya,second year fellow at Novartis in Drug Regulatory Affairs were published in previous DIA Global Forums.Links to their articles:June 2017 DIA Global ForumUpcoming Conferencesand Deadlines:ConferenceAugust 2017 Global ForumLet us know if you would like to be published in an upcoming issue of the DIAGlobal Forum or if you would like to partner with a student from the School ofPharmacy for your research project! Contact patel.himika @gene.comLocationDateAbstract Submission OpensAbstract Submission DueASHP MidYearOrlando, FLDec 3-7, 2017Oct 1, 2017TOPRAAnnualSymposiumAPhA AnnualMeetingAMCPManaged Care& SpecialtyPharmacyAnnual MeetingDIA 2018GLobal AnnualMeetingISPOR 23rdAnnual MeetingLondon, EnglandOct 2-4, 2017Nashville, TNMarch 16-19, 2018 --Oct 4, 2017Boston, MAApril 23-26, 2018Nov 8, 2017Jan 12, 2018Boston, MAJune 24-28, 2018Aug 31, 2017Sep 23, 2017Baltimore, MDMay 19-23, 2018Oct 2, 2017Jan 17, 2018--Aug 15, 2017Click the conference names for more information!The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017 !7
Committee Updates: Meet the Metrics & Finance CommitteesThe goal of the Metrics Committee is to support the continuedprosperity and competitiveness of the RPIF program by ascertaining useful data insupport of analyses that highlight strengths, expose weaknesses, and pinpointopportunities. The committee’s objectives are to reduce RPIF survey burden,enhance RPIF data collection, storage and analysis capabilities, and discover newinsights to drive RPIF efficiency and competitiveness. To achieve these goals theMetrics Committee will have two key initiatives: 1) Launch the first FellowshipAnnual Comprehensive Survey (FACS) and 2) Collaborate with RPIF committeesto build an annual survey plan/calendar. In addition to these key initiatives we willcontinue to provide support to RPIF through ad-hoc analyses, survey developmentguidance, and potential poster opportunities for students. We look forward toproviding newsletter readers further valuable insights gained through our dataanalyses this year.Did You Know ? 100 new fellows joined the RutgersPharmaceutical Industry FellowshipProgram this year! 40% of this year’s incoming classgraduated from pharmacy schoolsoutside of the northeast geographicregion!Incoming Fellows by Geographic RegionPaul DiPietro2nd-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonAustin Ferrara1st-year fellowNovartisAmey Shroff1st-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonMetrics CommitteeFinance & Logistics CommitteeThe Finance & Logistics Committee comesinto the 2017-2018 fellowship year having one year undertheir belts and looking to improve on the accomplishmentsof their initial formation. Leading the committee this year,Greg Shertzer, Jacob Martin, and Amey Shroff have bigplans for the financial budget of the Rutgers FellowshipProgram. The heart of which, is to successfully trackcommittee spend in real time while assessing return onGreg ShertzerJacob Martininvestment (ROI) to help maintain a balanced, and2nd-year fellow1st-year fellowaccountable program budget. In addition, the FLC hasBristol-Myers SquibbMcCann Healthidentified other important objectives which are: to planand streamline the logistics of Dr.’s Toscani and Fierro sitevisits to partnering companies through an online scheduling tool; develop a standardized process for large line-itemcommittee requests; and to identify and evaluate effective measures to cut unnecessary costs leading to a morefunctional budget that follows most corporate business models. Yes, the FLC may sound like the “bad guys” whojust want to make cuts and limit spending. However, it is the FLC’s sincere hope that through the accurate trackingof program spending and allocation of funds, more money will be freed up for fellowship events! (Perhapssponsored happy hours after each PDD .who knows the possibilities!)8! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017
Pharmacists in Public Health:The best of both worlds to SECURE THE FUTURE Feyikemi D. Osundina, Pharm.D., MS, RPhThe vast world of pharmacy with different specialties and avenues of success has led to more andmore pharmacists pursuing non-traditional roles. As a dual-degree graduate from the University of Toledoand an immigrant from Nigeria with a passion for global health and philanthropy, I knew that my career pathas a pharmacist would be far from ordinary.As the Rutgers/Bristol-Myers SquibbFoundation Public Health Resident I am ableto utilize both of my degrees (PharmD andMasters in Health Outcomes) whiledeveloping new skills in the global publichealth field. The primary goal of the programis to promote better health through a systemsapproach and decrease health disparities inareas such as, but not limited to, HIV/AIDS,TB, cervical, breast and lung cancers,specialty care, and cardiovascular disease.As I finish up the 2nd month of my 5 month stay in SouthAfrica for the Secure the Future initiative, I have begun my workwith the various new cancer grants being implemented. Some ofmy current activities include going on clinical rounds with theward (inpatient) pharmacists of the local government hospitals,preparing research protocols, creating patient educationmaterials and conducting quality assurance and drug utilizationreviews to improve pharmacy practice.My overall goal with the projects I am involved in is a skills andknowledge transfer that flows both ways. I am not only here toprovide my expertise but to learn and work together with thevarious partners of the foundation. The journey has just begunand I am excited to see the impact that I can make here andwhat more I can learn before I return to the states.Visit www.bms.com/foundation to learn more, follow my activities on my Instagram page @Secure TheJourney,and stay tuned for part two of my newsletter series.9! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017
Pharma MinutesMavyret (glecaprevir/pilbrentsavir) ApprovedOn August 3, 2017, the FDA approved Mavyret (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir), thefirst 8 week treatment, for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes 1-6. FDAapproval is supported by an overall 98% cure rate in patients who received therecommended duration of treatment.For more information, click hereSamantha Kaufman1st-year fellowJohnson&JohnsonTremfya (goselkumab) ApprovedOn July 13th, the FDA approved Janssen’s Tremfya (goselkumab) under an expeditedreview for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in patients who arecandidates for systemic or phototherapy. Unlike other next-generation injectablepsoriasis treatments Cosentyx, Taltz and Siliq which are IL-17A antagonists, Tremfyainhibits IL-23. In its pivotal phase III trials, VOYAGE I&II, 7 out of 10 patientsachieved 90% skin clearance from baseline at Week 16.Matt Bermudez1st-year fellowJohnson& JohnsonFor more information, click here.DOJ Forms the Opioid Fraudand Abuse Detection UnitOn August 3rd the formation ofa new Department of Justicepilot program, the OpioidFraud and Abuse DetectionUnit, was announced.TheKaley Weintraubprogram was designed to crack1st-year fellowdown on opioid-related healthcareAcordafraud through investigation andprosecution of “pill mill schemes”and pharmacies involved in the diversion or dispensingof prescription opioids for illegitimate purposes. Twelveprosecutors will be assigned to hotspots for opioid issuesin the United States to focus on collecting prescriptionopioid data. “With these new resources, we will be betterpositioned to identify, prosecute, and convict some ofthe individuals contributing to these tens of thousandsof deaths a year.” -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions;For more information, click here.CVS & CV DataEarly 2017, J&J’s Invokana matched up toJardiance from Lilly and BI with a 14%reduction in CV risks but with an increasedrisk of leg and footamputations. A black boxwarning for increasedamputation risk wasadded for Invokana soon after the data waspublished. Despite all theevidence, in August, CVSDee LinHealth replaced Jardiance 1st-year felloww i t h I nvo k a n a a s i t sSanofipreferred SGLT-2 inhibitor.People are assuming it mightbe a price play to push manufacturers toreduce prices for SGLT-2 inhibitors. Formore information, click here.! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 201710
Pharma MinutesA New Era in Oncology: CAR-T TherapyHelena Mavani1st-year fellowNovartisThis past July, the US Food and Drug Administration’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee(ODAC) unanimously recommended approval of Novartis’ chimeric antigen receptor T cell(CAR-T) therapy – CTL019. On August 30th, 2017 the FDA has made their decision andapproved CTL019 – named Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel)– for the treatment of patients up to25 years of age with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is refractory orin second or later relapse. Kymriah is a novel immunocellular therapy and a one-timetreatment that uses a patient’s own T cells to fight cancer and is the first therapy based ongene transfer approved by the FDA. For more information, click here.Keytruda Trials Put on HoldKeytruda (pembrolizumab) is a humanized antibody used in cancer immunotherapyand is being studied in hundreds of different cancer trials. Earlier this year the FDAissued a clinical hold on two Keytruda trials and stopped Keytruda dosing inanother, all of which focused on patients with multiple myeloma. The three studiespaired Keytruda in with dexamethasone and either Pomalyst (pomalidomide) orRevlimid (lenalidomide).In June 2017 an independent safety committee observedmore deaths in patients receiving the Keytruda combination than in the controlgroup (regimen without Keytruda). This triggered a hold to be placed by the FDA andthe discontinuation of all study subjects from Keytruda treatment. However, thiswill not affect other Keytruda trials.GSK and AIGlaxoSmithKlinepartnered with Exsientiain a research deal to useartificial intelligence toidentify drug targets.This collaboration willKate Kastsetskaya2nd-year fellowshift focus on earlierNovartisstages of development bylooking for patterns inchemical structures and cyclingquicker through potential candidatesto generate more and improvedcandidates. For more information,click here and here.Erin McGuire2nd-year fellowActelionSickle Cell Disease Drug ApprovalSickle cell disease (SCD) is a disease thatarises from a genetic dysfunction whichcauses the malformation of hemoglobin,resulting in the production of sickle shapedKizito Kyerematengred blood cells. It is a disease that1st-year fellowdisproportionally affects people from Africa orBayerwith heritage from Africa. According to theCDC, approximately 100,000 people live withSCD complications here in the United States.Endari (L-glutamine) oral powder was recently approved in July2017 for patients 5 years and older to reduce sickle cellcomplications. This marks the first drug approved for SCD in 20years. It’s mechanism of action is not fully known but it possiblyworks via oxidative stress (NAD and NADH) pathway. This isgood news for all persons suffering from SCD as finally, analternative to hydroxyurea has been approved.11! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017
Impact of Rx-to-OTC Switch on KOL EngagementVineeth Nair, Pharm.D., MPHcAs with any new drug entering the U.S. pharmaceuticals market,the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implements a very closelymonitored drug approval process for prescription to non-prescriptionswitch programs. Although the end-goal for switch programs is different,many of the processes involved in the development and post-approval lifecycle management of the product are very similar to prescriptionproducts, including those under the umbrella of Medical Affairs.Medical Affairs can be described as the art of taking complexmedical & scientific information, translating it to the understanding of aspecific audience, and disseminating it to that audience so as to allow for abetter understanding of how to safely and effectively use medicines. Withthe presence of learned intermediaries and strict regulations, it is crucialto identify individuals who are of influence in certain practice areas, asthey will ultimately impact prescribing and recommendation patterns. WeVineeth Nair, Pharm.D., MPHcrefer to these individuals as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). Traditionally inMedical Affairs, the designation of a KOL has almost always been grantedto leading Physicians who have pioneered research in specific therapeuticareas, or have held leadership positions in influential medical organizations. However, in the past decadethere has been an influx of secondary and tertiary healthcare providers into KOL mapping and strategy,perhaps due to the changing dynamics of the healthcare system. Today, one will find Nurse Practitioners,Physician Assistants, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, and others present in Advisory Board meetings andother Medical Affairs tactics.Rx-to-OTC switch brings a unique opportunity for Pharmacists and patients. Making more OTCmedicines available empowers patients to take their health into their own hands and promotes a generationof greater patient education and health literacy. Opportunely for Pharmacists, rather than needing anappointment with a Physician and a subsequent prescription, patients can simple walk in to their localPharmacy and consult with a Pharmacist for recommendations on an OTC medicine for their symptoms.With the current momentum towards reducing healthcare costs and self-care it is definitely anopportune time for more OTC medicines to enter themarket. As benefit-risk, consumer behaviors, and agreater need for quick consultation arises, the expertise ofleading Pharmacist influencers and advocates will becrucial to bringing more OTC drugs to market in the U.S.Practicing pharmacists would be best suited in this case toprovide key input based on their clinical risk-benefitinsights in the community. This doesn’t just apply to thescience behind the product, but also to consumer andPharmacist behavioral trends in what they ask for andtypically see in the community. For example, “If Drug XSam Pomponi’swere to be available OTC, would you recommend it?What do you see being potential benefits from switchinghusky,Drug X? What would be the risks?” As such, perhaps thiscould redefine the science behind KOL strategy andperhaps significantly impact the Pharmacist profession.Food for thought.CuddleCornerfeaturing Meelah!! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 201712
Amazon & Whole Foods: Buzz on the Street!Amazon Acquires Whole Foods: Prime Groceries and Pills to come?Christine Li2nd-year fellowPfizerIn a swift move surprising many, Amazon announced in mid-June that they hadacquired Whole Foods (WF). What is to come of this arrangement? Nobodycan tell, but one such possibility is the fact that Amazon is looking to invest intomore physical stores (WF owns 450 retail locations), including but not limitedto the expansion into the pharmacy world. The pharmacy market currently is avalued 400 billion dollar market and Amazon is no stranger to the drugmarket; Amazon Japan currently sells prescription drugs to its local denizens.Not only does this acquisition broaden Amazon’s footprint, but also places it inan advantageous position to enter into a billion dollar healthcare market for thepotential to start future strategic acquisitions as well (think faster groceries,quicker cashier processes, improving communications with health clinics to getprescriptions in your hands faster, etc.). Is this the end of retail or is it just thebeginning of the retail industry? We have yet to see, stay tuned! For Moreinformation click here.Will Amazon Venture Into the Convoluted Web of Pharmacy?Rutgers Ernesto Mario School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. Candidates Class of 2018 : Sun Moon Kim,Melissa Yap, & Sungjoo ParkAmazon, originally an online book store in 1994, is now the go-toretailer for almost any online purchase. Today, Amazon continues to growrelentlessly and rumors of Amazon pharmacy have caught the attention ofmany. Although no confirmations have been made, the potential of Amazonpharmacy is an extremely intriguing concept to consumers and especiallypharmacists. As more healthcare services are transitioning online with growingtelemedicine, Amazon may change pharmacy as we know it.Amazon is quick to adapt newest technologies and is an expert incustomer service, website and application design. Amazon could help lowerdrug distribution costs by introducing their well established and highlytechnological system. An online medium would also help the pharmacy marketgain insights and better personalize healthcare treatment for patients viaextensive data collection. A more accessible “at-home” healthcare model couldalso improve clinical outcomes through accessible and affordable onlinecounseling and personalized disease management.However, among many challenges are high barrier to entry, regulationcompliance and digital illiteracy among select populations, especially the elderlywhom comprise majority of healthcare consumers. Amazon’s market entrycould be difficult due to the sheer complexity of healthcare, which comprises ofpharmacy benefit managers, manufacturers, retailers, and insurance providers.Also, HIPAA is a crucial component of healthcare that Amazon must abide by.Lack of digital literacy and face-to-face interaction pose serious concerns foronline pharmacies as well.Despite these challenges, Amazon pharmacy may become a realitysometime in our career and we should be prepared.! The Fellowship Chronicles I September 201713
Networking’s Hidden Gem: the 1:1 MeetingStacie Noreika, Pharm.D.You perfected the elevator speech, thebeforehand. Bri
The Fellowship Chronicles I September 2017 !5 Familiar Faces & Fellows of 2017-2018 Dean Barone, Dr. Fierro & Dr. Toscani with the 2017-2018 Rutgers fellow committee chairs at the annual Beginning of the
