HOUSTON, Texas (April 5, 2019) – PCCA has selected University of Texas pharmacy student Ryan Hoffart as the 2019 recipient of its ACT Legislative Conference Scholarship for pharmacy students. The scholarship provides Hoffart with an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the PCCA ACT Legislative Conference from April 9-10. PCCA also recognized Gerald Kamta, a student at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy – Bradenton Campus, as the runner up.

The winning essay, titled “Understanding the Importance of Compounding,” was chosen from among 20 finalists. Hoffart wrote, “Without compounding pharmacists, many patients would lack the care or customized medications they desperately need…My passion and desire to protect our profession makes the ACT conference a great chance for a student pharmacist to make an impact on future legislation.”

PCCA President Jim Smith said, “Ryan shares our passion for patient access to personalized medications that make a difference in patients’ lives. We’re honored to have Ryan as our guest at the conference, and I look forward to watching him connect with legislators and our PCCA members.”

Hoffart is a first-year pharmacy student at the University of Texas at Austin. He completed his pre-pharmacy coursework at UT Austin before being accepted into pharmacy school. He has worked at an independent pharmacy since the age of 16 and continues to follow his dream of becoming a pharmacy owner. Hoffart is a member of the National Community Pharmacy Association (NCPA) and the Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA), where he has been heavily involved in state and federal legislation. 

During the conference, Hoffart will be recognized before more than 50 ACT attendees and will have the opportunity to meet with lawmakers about the compounding profession, while learning how the current legislative and regulatory climate is impacting compounding and patients.

In its inaugural year, the ACT Legislative Conference Scholarship Essay Contest was created and sponsored by PCCA Institute to encourage pharmacy students to engage in protecting patient access to compounded medications. PCCA Institute provides high-quality compounding training for pharmacy students around the country and promotes compounding as a fulfilling career path.

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ABOUT THE PCCA ACT LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
ACT stands for Action, Commitment, Time – which is what we need our member pharmacists to do to help protect the profession of pharmacy compounding. This is their opportunity to talk directly with lawmakers about our profession, and explain how the legislative and regulatory climate is impacting their pharmacy and patients. This year, more than 50 compounding industry representatives are expected to attend the event from April 9-10 in Washington, D.C.

ABOUT PCCA
PCCA helps pharmacists and prescribers create personalized medicine that makes a difference in patients’ lives. As a complete resource for independent compounding pharmacists, PCCA provides high-quality products, education and support to more than 3,000 pharmacy members throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries around the world. Incorporated in 1981 by a network of pharmacists, PCCA has supported pharmacy compounding for more than 38 years. Learn more at www.pccarx.com. 

MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Speairs, APR, MBA, Director of Communications and Engagement, PCCA, 281.709.8277, kspeairs@pccarx.com