Agenda: Day 1

Day 1 Speakers

After more than a decade, the BC Pharmacy Association’s annual conference is returning to Vancouver in 2019. The event will be held on May 10 and 11, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Expect larger audiences. Provocative speakers. New insights. Key learnings. Breathtaking scenery and a convenient location.

Only available for one day?  Our day pass will give you access to a full day of learning, networking and engaging.  Earn up to an estimated 6.0 CEUs per day. Your day pass also includes breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks.  

Interested in reading about the sessions for Day 2? Click here.

7:15 am - 8:15 am Breakfast Buffet

Start your morning off with a hot breakfast buffet and meet other industry professionals who are also attending the BCPhA Annual Conference.

8:30 am - 8:45 am Opening Remarks

Chris Waller, the President of the BC Pharmacy Association, will give his opening remarks and kick off the BCPhA Annual Conference.

8:45 am - 9:45 am Keynote: There is a Patient Behind Every Prescription

Melissa Sheldrick

Melissa Sheldrick is a wife, mother, teacher and most recently, a patient safety advocate. She was thrust into the role when her 8-year-old son Andrew died in March 2016 after a series of errors were made during the dispensing process at their regular pharmacy.

When she discovered that there was no required reporting of the errors made at the pharmacy, she began her advocacy work with the goal of having mandatory error reporting implemented in Ontario, and across the country. She vows to continue until all provinces in Canada mandate anonymous reporting.

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU.

10:00 am - 11:00 am An update from the Minister of Health

Hon. Adrian Dix

Since being elected to represent Vancouver-Kingsway in 2005, Adrian has forged a reputation as a passionate advocate for his constituents and their concerns, and as one of the most effective members of the B.C. legislature. He has consistently raised awareness of key issues and forced needed change in areas ranging from children in care, seniors, fair treatment of workers and protecting public health research.

Join Minister Adrian Dix, the Minister of Health of British Columbia, for lunch as he gives an update about the state of affairs for health in the province. He will reflect on health-care in British Columbia over the past year and discuss his vision to improve health-care in British Columbia.

11:15 am - 12:15 pm Opioid use disorder: Choosing between OAT pharmacotherapy

Dr. Christy Sutherland

Dr. Christy Sutherland is the Education Physician Lead with the BCCSU and is a family doctor and diplomat of the American Board of Addiction Medicine who works in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side providing care to Canada’s most vulnerable population.

Dr. Sutherland will discuss the evidence for the different options for treating OAT and how a patient may move between these options while they are stabilizing.   We will also address the different techniques for transitioning between OAT medications. 

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU.

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm Practical Considerations for Cannabis Dosing and Administration

Dr. Caroline MacCallum

Dr. MacCallum is an internal medicine specialist with expertise in complex pain and cannabinoid medicine. She is a clinical instructor in the dept of Medicine; adjunct professor in the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences program, and associate member in the dept of palliative Care at the University of British Columbia. She is the medical director at Greenleaf Medical Clinic where she has assessed and developed cannabinoid treatment plans for more than 3,000 patients using legal medical cannabis approved by Health Canada.

MacCallum will describe the endocannabinoid system and cannabis mechanism of action, discuss evidence for medical cannabis, “indications” and contraindications, recognize cannabinoid products, routes, side effects and monitoring and clarify common cannabis myths – smoking vs vaporization, CBD vs THC, medical vs recreational cannabis, illegal vs legal medical cannabis sources in Canada. 

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU.

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm Implementing pharmacogenomics in primary care

Dr. Catalina Lopez-Correa

Advances in Genomic technologies are having an important impact in medicine and in the health-care system in general. We have been using genomics to help diagnose and treat patients with disease and cancer at the hospital level. We now have the opportunity to implement genomics at a larger level with the use of pharmacogenomics., in particular in primary care. Using genomics to help prescribe the right drug at the right doses and at the right time to the right patient, according to their personal genomic profile, has the potential to completely transform primary care in British Columbia and around the world. Genome BC is supporting several initiatives in this space aimed at advancing the clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics. During this presentation, I will discuss the different applications of genomics with a particular focus on the applications of pharmacogenomics in primary care.

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Biosimilars - An advanced therapy that benefits patients, the healthcare system and society

Kelly English and Dr. John Esdaile

Dr. John Esdaile will describe biosimilars, review the latest biosimilars research, provide insights on “real world” clinical experience and regulatory updates, and discuss how health care professionals manage their patients transitioning from biologic originators to biologic biosimilars and highlight the role of the pharmacist as a key resource to patients.

Ms. Kelly English will provide the patient perspective on the benefits of biosimilar transition policy implementation to patients, the health care system and society. She will also review the causes of “nocebo” effect and evidence-based approaches to having the transition conversation. 

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU. Please note that this is a concurrent session and will happen at the same time as "The role of the pharmacist in reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Therapeutic Nutrition"

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm The role of the pharmacist in reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Therapeutic Nutrition

Sean McKelvey

Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes has recently become a realistic clinical objective. The Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition (IPTN) is co-leading a ground-breaking clinical trial to determine the impact of a pharmacist-led therapeutic nutrition intervention on type 2 diabetes. Sean McKelvey, the IPTN CEO will share preliminary results, highlighting the important role that pharmacists can play in medication safety and deprescribing.

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU. Please note that this is a concurrent session and will happen at the same time as "Biosimilars - An advanced therapy that benefits patients, the healthcare system and society"

3:45 pm - 4:45 pm Pharmacists, cardiovascular risk reduction and workplace wellness: Lessons from Point Grey

Barbara Gobis

Recently published research shows that pharmacist-led cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction services for generally healthy employees at UBC’s Vancouver Campus improve patient health markers, reduces CV risk, activates people to take better care of their health and creates raving fans of pharmacists. The evaluation also quantifies benefits to the employer organization in terms of employee productivity.

This presentation describes how the research came about (who we talked to), the pharmacist-led services (what we did for employees), the research findings (what happened) and what we are planning to do next. Lessons learned at Point Grey can be applied to any workplace, be it where you work or businesses in your local community.

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU. Please note that this is a concurrent session and will happen at the same time as "Mandatory reporting of errors in pharmacy: The process, learnings and benefits"

3:45 pm - 4:45 pm Mandatory reporting of errors in pharmacy: The process, learnings and benefits

Leonora O'Brien

Description for session coming soon.

This session is accredited for 1.0 CEU.  Please note that this is a concurrent session and will happen at the same time as "Pharmacists, cardiovascular risk reduction and workplace wellness: Lessons from Point"

5:00 pm - 5:30 pm BCPhA Annual General Meeting

BCPhA members only

The BCPhA Annual General Meeting is hosted in accordance with the Association's bylaws. Association members will receive a notice at least 21 days prior to the date of the 2019 Annual General Meeting. General, Associate, Student, Honourary Life and Retired members may attend the AGM but only General members are eligible to vote.

You do not need to pre-register to attend the AGM. Registration will happen at the door and will occur between 4:45 pm - 5:00 pm.

5:30 pm - 9:00 pm Trade Show, networking and dinner

Included with full conference registration. Day pass holders can add on trade show for $50.

The BCPhA Annual Conference Trade Show is the premier trade show of the year, attracting industry professionals and pharmacists from all levels of business in the industry.

Register Today!

Day passes are $250 for members and employees of sponsors and $400 for non-members.

Interested in Day 2 or the full conference? Click here for the session line up for Day 2.