Advocating for Best Practices in New Jersey During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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In her capacity as President-Elect of the New Jersey Pharmacists Association (NJPhA), ACCP member Grace Earl, Pharm.D., Clinical Associate Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, currently represents the profession as part of an emerging “virtual task force” that meets twice weekly. Composed of federal and state agency leaders, non-profit pharmacy groups, schools of pharmacy, and pharmacists from different sectors of practice, the task force addresses issues impacting pharmacists and pharmacies. The Board of Pharmacy, Department of Health, FDA, and other agencies are also represented on these conference calls, which provide a mechanism for rapid reporting of trends impacting health professionals and patients in New Jersey.

New Jersey and New York are at the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic and the task force has dealt with issues related to:

• Licensure waiver processes to allow pharmacists to cross state lines to practice 
• Workforce capacity expansion, including allowing retirees to temporarily reactivate their licenses
• Waiver requirements on pharmacist/pharmacy technician ratios

The group also examines other challenges, such as managing drug shortages, lawful dispensing of off-label medications for COVID-19, and safe practices for pharmacy employees.

Dr. Earl has focused on the development of best practices for NJ pharmacies and rapid responses on critical, high profile issues such as the safe use of non-FDA approved drugs like hydroxychloroquine. She has served as an advocate for appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for pharmacists who interact with patients across care settings, including emergency departments, ICUs, community pharmacies, and other potentially high-risk settings. Dr. Earl notes, “Every area of pharmacy will be involved in this fight. Governor Phil Murphy reported NJ is the second-highest state in the country with cases of COVID-19 infections. I am hopeful that pharmacists working on the front lines will eventually be providing new vaccines and therapies to prevent and treat COVID-19 infection."