Oregon State Pharmacy Association

04/07/2026

Mehmet Oz advocates to empower pharmacies and pharmacists
Why it matters: Pharmacies could play a greater role in addressing gaps in health care access—especially in rural areas.

What he said: Speaking at last month’s CMS Quality Conference, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz emphasized the untapped potential of pharmacies and pharmacists.

He noted that “rural mothers [are] driving hours to get health care because we didn’t realize that we’ve got 75,000 pharmacies and everyone lives within 5 miles of a pharmacy.”

Oz argued that pharmacies should be more than dispensaries, saying we should “empower the organization to actually be involved in the health care system, not just a dispenser of pills.”

He added that “the pharmacist, as well, needs to be elevated” to meet patient needs.

The bigger picture: Oz has repeatedly called for allowing pharmacists to practice at the top of their licensure to address practitioner shortages. Michael Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, APhA executive vice president and CEO, and members of the government affairs team met with Oz and his team to discuss ways pharmacists can meet patient care needs.

Watch: A short clip of his opening remarks is available here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGBLMuDaAss
Governor Tina Kotek Oregon Office of Rural Health Oregon Health Authority Oregon Medical Association

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03/20/2026

Pharmacy Students! Take advantage of spring break to get your scholarship applications submitted! https://oregonpharmacy.org/page/OSPAScholarships Oregon State University College of Pharmacy Pacific University

03/12/2026

The new ads from National Community Pharmacists Association are great!

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03/09/2026

Pharmacist opening on the Public Health & Pharmacy Formulary Advisory Committee

Board and Commission Member Application About Boards & Commissions      The Governor makes appointments to over 250 Boards and Commissions representing a broad range of areas and issues for the State of Oregon. This also includes most major state agencies and departments headed by policy...

02/23/2026

Be sure to RSVP for the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy event on Saturday evening at the OSPA Lane County Seminar.

Attending OSPA Lane County? You are invited to join us for an Alumni and Friends Social on Saturday, February 28th.

📍Sunriver Brewing, 329 Oakway Rd, Eugene, OR 97401
🗓️February 28th, Stop by 5:30-7:30 P.M

RSVP here: beav.es/SFV

02/20/2026

Is your pharmacy practice ready for the future?

The landscape of community pharmacy is shifting rapidly. From PBM reimbursement challenges to the integration of clinical services, staying ahead requires more than just adaptation—it requires reinvention.

Join us at the OSPA Mid-Winter CE Seminar in Lane County next weekend for a deep dive into sustainable business models and clinical excellence!

Featured Presentation: 💡 Community Pharmacy Innovations: Reinventing Practice Through Sustainable Business Models and Clinical Care 🗓️
Date: 2/28/26 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM 🎓
Credit: 1.0 Contact Hour (Knowledge-based)

We are thrilled to welcome industry leaders Jeff Harrell, PharmD (CEO, Cascadia Pharmacy Group) and Tara Pfund, PharmD, PharmD (Chief Strategy Officer, Cascadia Pharmacy Group) as they share actionable strategies on:
✅ Navigating the Oregon & National PBM landscape.
✅ Identifying pathways for clinical service reimbursement.
✅ Designing workflows that support long-term financial sustainability.

Don't miss this opportunity to network with peers and bring fresh innovation back to your practice!
🔗 Register today: https://oregonpharmacy.org/events

02/19/2026

🧠 ADHD Care Across the Lifespan—What Pharmacists Need to Know

Join Clayton English, PharmD, MS, BCPP, BCGP, FAAPP, for an expert-led session on ADHD in Adults and Aging Populations at the 2026 OSPA Lane County Mid-Winter CE Seminar.

📅 Friday, Feb. 28
⏰ 2:30–3:30 PM

This timely session will help pharmacists and pharmacy technicians:
• Apply evidence-based ADHD pharmacotherapy in adult and older populations
• Navigate common psychiatric and medical comorbidities
• Manage polypharmacy challenges and ongoing stimulant shortages
• Strengthen patient-centered decision-making in real-world practice

📍 Earn CE and gain practical insights you can use immediately.

👉 Register now: https://oregonpharmacy.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2002973

02/18/2026

🎓 OSPA Scholarship Applications Are Open! 💊
OSPA is awarding four $1,000 scholarships to eligible PharmD students in Oregon — two at Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and two at Pacific University

✔️ OSPA members
✔️ Not in final year
✔️ Strong academics & leadership

📅 Deadline: April 15
📧 Apply via info@oregonpharmacy.org

👉 Full details & application: https://oregonpharmacy.org/page/OSPAScholarships


https://oregonpharmacy.org/page/OSPAScholarships

02/16/2026

🌟 Advance HIV Prevention Through Pharmacy Practice 🌟

Join us February 28–March 1, 2026 in Eugene at the Valley River Inn for the OSPA Lane County Mid-Winter CE Seminar.

This year’s program features 3.5 hours of ACPE-accredited CE focused on pharmacist-initiated HIV prevention services, including a special breakout led by the founders of the RxEACH Initiative:

🕥 Expanding Opportunities: Pharmacist-Initiated HIV Prevention Services
🕜 Building Capacity & Partnerships for HIV Prevention in Pharmacies

Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to expand access to HIV PrEP and PEP—and this seminar will provide practical strategies, partnership guidance, and action planning to help you implement services in your practice.

With support from the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and collaboration opportunities with community partners like HIV Alliance, this is a can’t-miss event for pharmacists committed to advancing public health.

📅 Register today and be part of the movement to end HIV. https://oregonpharmacy.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2002973

02/14/2026

Happy Valentines Day! OSPA would LOVE to have you join us as a member? Get a $50 discount on the annual membership by using the promo code: February https://oregonpharmacy.org/general/register_member_type.asp?

02/12/2026

🌟 Kick Off the 2026 OSPA Mid-Winter CE Seminar with a Can’t-Miss Keynote! 🌟

Join us Saturday, February 28 at 8:00 AM for our keynote presentation by Gaurav Saray, featuring an in-depth look at mRNA Vaccines: Current Advances & Future Prospects. This timely session will explore the science shaping today’s immunizations and what pharmacists need to know moving forward.

📍 Valley River Inn | Eugene, OR
📅 February 28 – March 1, 2026
💊 Up to 15 CE hours

🤝 Learn, connect, and recharge with colleagues from across Oregon. Start your weekend with cutting-edge education, inspiring speakers, and meaningful networking—all in a beautiful riverside setting.
👉 Register now: https://oregonpharmacy.org/events
Discounts available for members, technicians, and students!

02/04/2026

The settlement requires Cigna’s Express Scripts to eliminate spread pricing, decouple rebates and fees from the list price of drugs, requires Cigna’s GPO, Ascent to relocate from Switzerland to the U.S. (which will bring back to the United States more than $750 billion in purchasing activity over the duration of the order), and submit to FTC monitoring for 10 years. It also forces the company to adopt a cost-plus model for independent pharmacy reimbursement (three pharmacies or fewer) in commercial plans starting in 2027 or sooner.

The Federal Trade Commission secured a landmark settlement with one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”), Express Scripts, Inc., and its affiliated entities (collectively “ESI