Pharmacy Forward 2026: Policy Pipeline and Practice – On Demand

This continuing education activity reviews recent MDPNP price changes and wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) reductions for negotiated drugs, highlighting their impact on drug purchasing and budgeting strategies. Participants will also examine the advantages and disadvantages of intravenous versus subcutaneous administration of programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)–blocking antibodies. In addition, the activity explores key pipeline agents anticipated for 2026, including developments in biosimilars, cell and gene therapies, and new drug approvals.

Target Audience

  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy Technicians
  • Other Healthcare Professionals

Learning Objectives

 

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:  

 

1.    Identify the advantages and disadvantages for intravenous and subcutaneous administration of programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody administration. 
2.    Identify key pipeline agents for 2026 for biosimilars, cell and gene therapy, and new drug approvals.
3.    Identify and describe MDPNP-driven changes in WAC prices for negotiated drugs

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacist
  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy Technician
  • 1.00 General CE - Attendance
Course opens: 
02/27/2026
Course expires: 
02/26/2027
On Demand
United States

FACULTY & PLANNERS


Planners:
Stacy Lauderdale, PharmD. BCPS
Associate Vice President of Evidence-Based Medicine and Drug Information
Vizient, Inc.

Marilu Kelly, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CHCP
Director, Continuing Education      
Vizient, Inc.
 
Rebecca Easterwood
CE Programs Manager             
Vizient, Inc.

Faculty:
John Schoen, PharmD, BCPS
Sr. Clinical Manager of Evidenced-Based Medicine and Drug Information
Vizient, Inc.

Amanda Frick, PharmD, BCPS
Sr Clinical Manager, Strategic Clinical Intelligence, Spend Management
Vizient, Inc.

Heather Pace, Pharm.D
Senior Clinical Manager, Ambulatory
Vizient, Inc.

Jeni Hayes, PharmD, MSPharm, BCPS
Sr. Clinical Manager, Strategic Clinical Intelligence, Spend Management
Vizient, Inc.

Carolyn Liptak, MBA, BS Pharm
Pharmacy Executive Director
Vizient, Inc.

Kerry Schwarz, PharmD, MPH
Senior Clinical Manager, Evidence-Based Medicine and Outcomes
Vizient, Inc.
 

DISCLOSURE

As an accredited provider of continuing education, Vizient, Inc. is dedicated to ensuring this activity presents learners with only accurate, balanced, scientifically justified recommendations, and is free from promotion, marketing, and commercial bias. In accordance with The Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all planners, faculty, and others in control of the educational content have disclosed the absence or existence of all financial relationships (of any dollar amount) with ineligible companies within the past 24 months.
 
Ineligible companies – those companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
 
It is Vizient’s policy that owners and employees of ineligible companies, and any individuals who refuse to disclose the absence or existence of financial relationships with any ineligible companies are disqualified from participating as planners or faculty.
 
Disclosure Statements
 
Absence of Relevant Financial Relationships
 
None of the planners, faculty, or others in a position to control content for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
 
Statement of Content Validity
 
Vizient, Inc. educational activities are intended to assist healthcare teams advance their professional responsibilities in accordance with the definition of continuing education. It is the policy of Vizient, Inc. to review and ensure that all content and recommendations for patient care within accredited CE is evidenced-based, based on current science and clinical reasoning while ensuring the content is fair and balanced. All recommendations must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Vizient, Inc. does not permit accredited continuing education if it advocates for unscientific approaches to diagnosis or therapy, or if the education promotes recommendations, treatment, or manners of practicing healthcare that are determined to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients.
 
Disclaimer
The education provided through this activity is for continuing education purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in this activity are those of the faculty/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of Vizient, Inc.

 

Course Director(s)

Stacy Lauderdale

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.
Planner(s)

Jackie Stokes

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.
Speaker/Presenter(s)

Amanda Frick, PharmD, BCPS

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Jeni Hayes, PharmD, MS, BCPS

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Heather Pace

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

John Schoen, PharmD, BCPS

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, Vizient, Inc. is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

 
Designation Statement(s)
 

Pharmacists (CPE)

 
Vizient, Inc. designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 contact hours for pharmacists.
 
Universal Activity Number: JA0006103-0000-26-009-H04-P
 
Pharmacy Technicians (CPE)
 
Vizient, Inc. designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 contact hours for pharmacy technicians.
 
Universal Activity Number: JA0006103-0000-26-009-H04-T
 
Other Healthcare Professionals (General CE Credit)
 
Vizient, Inc. will award all other healthcare professionals who successfully complete the activity a Certificate of Participation. Various state license boards and credentialing bodies accept certificates of participation from accredited CE activities to meet CE requirements for license renewals and re-certification. It is the responsibility of the participant to contact their state licensing board and/or certifying body for verification on credit eligibility reciprocity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacist
  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy Technician
  • 1.00 General CE - Attendance
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Required Hardware/software

 

The Vizient CE Learner Portal is compatible with most modern web browsers (such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari) and can also be accessed with mobile devices.