IACP honors members for practice excellence and leadership

MISSOURI CITY, Texas The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists in June bestowed the honor of “Lifetime Fellow” to a 40-year veteran of the profession and the title of “Fellow” to three pharmacists in recognition of their contribution as specialists in the art and skill of pharmacy compounding.

IACP honored Ernest P. Gates of Gates Healthcare Associates in Middleton, Mass., with the Lifetime Fellowship Award. Lifetime status is reserved for Fellows who have achieved greatness in the field of pharmacy compounding. The honor recognizes everything the Fellow has contributed to his colleagues and the profession of compounding as a whole.

Gates has 42 years of experience owning, managing and consulting for specialty, compounding, health-system and retail pharmacies. The award recognized his commitment to advancing healthcare, a commitment that has resulted in a number of industry accomplishments, including developing the lozenge mold for compounding lozenges, international lecturer for the Chinese and Russian governments and helping a local compounding pharmacy to achieve Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board accreditation.

Additionally, IACP announced the following professionals as its 2009 Fellows:

• Dale Coker, RPh, FIACP, Cherokee Custom Script Pharmacy, Canton, Ga.;
• Andrew Komuves, Jr., RPh, Community Pharmacy, Denton, Texas;
• Linda F. (Walters) McElhiney, PharmD, RPh, Hospital Compounding Pharmacist at Clarian Health Partners Inc., Indianapolis.

The four individuals were honored on June 15, before nearly 300 attendees during the IACP Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Fellowship Program of the IACP was established in 1997 to distinguish pharmacists who are exemplary in their commitment and professionalism to the practice of pharmacy compounding. Each applicant’s credentials are assessed against rigorous criteria that include contributions to published literature, continuing education, presentations, leadership, professional and civic service as well as professional awards. The criteria are designed to maintain a balance between subject areas and to ensure that the IACP Fellows are diverse in their practices as well as their community activities. IACP Fellows meet stringent requirements designed to demonstrate their commitment to patient care through quality pharmacy compounding and their commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards. All Fellows must be registered pharmacists who have practiced pharmacy for at least five years and practiced as a compounding pharmacist for at least three years. Only 62 pharmacists have been honored as members of this elite group.

IACP is a nonprofit association founded in 1991 to promote and advance personalized medication solutions. It represents more than 2,000 pharmacists and technicians who are committed to the safe and ethical practice of pharmacy compounding. In addition, the organization represents more than 85,000 patients, physicians, nurse practitioners and veterinarians through our ally grassroots organization, Patients & Professionals for Customized Care.