PLEASE READ - Requirements For Attendees of Chapter Meetings

Hello members,

We have a problem for our August meeting...over a fourth of the attendees are students, and the pharmaceutical company hosting us has told me that will not work.  They are only allowed to spend a fixed amount on each attendee who is a prescriber.  Since students do not fall into that category, the cost of their dinners has to be spread out amongst the licensed APRNs attending.  There is a per capita limit mandated by the FDA for attendees, and too many students cause the remaining prescribers to go over that limit.  So, unless some more practicing APRNs register, we will have to cancel some of the students.  I will cancel students who registered last if it has to be done, but hopefully by Tuesday night we will have more prescribers register to balance things out.  The FDA has really cracked down on pharmaceutical companies' marketing practices in the last few years.

Another complication involves FDA regulations about not promoting drugs off-label.  Since this is a weight-management drug indicated for adults only, I also have to cancel the APRNs who work in pediatric practices.  Even if they bought their own dinners, Takeda could be prosecuted for marketing to them.  All of our members are important to us and of course we want you all to attend, but the law is the law.  This is the price we must pay for outside funding of our Chapter meetings.  From now on if you are a student or APRN who tries and is unsuccessful at registering for one of our meetings, you will know it is because we have already reached the 25% limit allowed for students, or you practice in a specialty where the drug is contraindicated.

Thank you for your understanding, and let's get some more practicing APRNs to come! 

Julie Hannah, FNP-C