Gina Moore, PharmD, MBA, has been named President of the American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL). Founded in 1974 by a small group of pharmacist-lawyers meeting in Chicago, ASPL exists to further knowledge in the law related to pharmacists, pharmacies, the provision of pharmacist care services, the manufacturing and distribution of drugs, and other food, drug, and medical device policy issues.
Dr. Moore, Senior Associate Dean for Operations and Regulatory Affairs at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has been leading the School in its advocacy efforts for nearly a decade and is a key player in promoting legislative change in Colorado. She, along with the Colorado Pharmacists Society, championed Colorado SB 21-094, which significantly increased the scope of practice for Colorado pharmacists. The advocacy effort also expanded access to pharmacist care services to thousands of Colorado citizens.
With her interest in advocacy, Moore felt a natural segue to pharmacy law.
“I was elected to the board of ASPL in 2021, president-elect in 2023, and just installed as president,” Moore explained. “I was encouraged by Henry Hine, CU Pharmacy Class of 1978, who is a pharmacist attorney to get more involved and run for a board position. I probably wouldn’t have done so without Henry’s encouragement, so I’m very grateful for his support and encouragement.”
According to APSL, there are numerous legal issues impacting the profession of pharmacy. These range from drug quality and security issues, the continuing opioid epidemic, telemedicine, compounding rules and regulations for drugs in shortage, and drug pricing. Members of ASPL are often leaders in each of these areas as they represent organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, in-house counsel for large pharmacy chains, professional organizations, and law firms representing clients in matters relating to pharmacy law.
As Moore looks ahead to her year, she sees some challenges and items to consider.
“We are anticipating the introduction of the Uniform Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (UPJE) from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP),” she said.
Such an exam would be introduced nationwide and is designed to assess recent PharmD graduates' understanding of the application of laws and regulations relating to their profession. Although it would be optional for states to adopt the UPJE exam, it reflects the evolution of pharmacy with pharmacists commonly practicing across state lines through telepharmacy services, mail-order prescriptions, and compounded medications and the need for more uniform licensing standards. For Moore, this is an opportunity to bring pharmacy professional organizations and pharmacy law educators together to ensure exam validation, understanding, and uptake.
“It is imperative that ASPL continues to partner with NABP and the American Pharmacists Association to ensure pharmacy educators are engaged and ready for that exam and how it might shape pharmacist licensing in the U.S.,” she said.