CSHP - California Society of Health-System Pharmacists

08/26/2026

🎓 Customize Your Learning Journey at CSHP Seminar 2026! 🎓

Preparations are officially underway for CSHP Seminar 2026, taking place November 5–8, 2026, in Anaheim, CA! As one of the largest gatherings of health-system pharmacy professionals on the West Coast, Seminar brings together clinical experts, leaders, pharmacy technicians, and students for high-impact continuing education (CE) and networking.

With dozens of specialized CPE sessions available, you can curate a personalized schedule aligned with your professional goals.

🔗 Learn more & register at: https://www.cshp.org/Seminar2026

08/25/2026

🗳️ Meet the Candidates for the 2027 CSHP Board Election (Part 2)! 🗳️

Your vote. Your Society. Your opportunity to shape the future of health-system pharmacy in California!

Join CSHP for our upcoming live Meet-the-Candidates virtual sessions to hear directly from those seeking to lead our Society, learn about their professional backgrounds and visions, and ask questions during our live Q&A!

👉 Register today and make an informed vote: https://www.cshp.org/Election_Bulletin2027

08/25/2026

CalRx Initiative Provides Free Asthma Inhalers to All California Schools

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state of California will provide free asthma inhalers to all public and charter schools across the state. The CalRx Initiative, “School Albuterol Access Initiative,” will create a statewide system to provide emergency albuterol inhalers and spacers at no cost for three years to 10,000 California public schools.

Albuterol is a beta2-agonist indicated to treat or prevent bronchospasm in patients with reversible obstructive airway disease, such as asthma. Albuterol is used as a rescue for sudden breathing issues and can avert emergencies and emergency room visits. Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism, and through this initiative, schools will have access to the resources needed to keep kids safe and prevent them from missing valuable classroom time.

CalRx’s “School Albuterol Access Initiative” partners with the California School Nurses Organization (CSNO) to provide asthma and stock albuterol training guidelines to public school districts at no cost. Private schools may access it at their own cost. A statewide webinar will be held on August 25, 2026, hosted by the CDPH and CalRx for California’s TK–12 school community to learn more about this initiative and how to gain access to the program. An albuterol “standing order” is currently available for school use and is signed by Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. School entities interested in applying for the albuterol standing order can visit the CDPH website or contact [email protected] for more information.

View the Governor's news announcement here:

State of California

08/24/2026

🎉 EXCITING ADVOCACY UPDATE!

CSHP-sponsored Assembly Bill 2571 (Flora) has passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and is officially advancing to the full Senate floor!

AB 2571 modernizes reimbursement policies for Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services by eliminating outdated “brick-and-mortar” restrictions. This ensures team-based pharmacists serving in clinics, physician practices, mobile units, and FQHCs are fairly reimbursed for their patient care.

As we prepare for the bill to move to the Governor’s desk, member advocacy remains essential to crossing the finish line.

We urge you to take two minutes today to write a letter of support to your local State Senator urging a YES vote on AB 2571 to ensure expanded healthcare access for California patients! 🏛️💙

Click the link to send your letter of support now: https://www.cshp.org/AB2571

08/23/2026

Our recent Q3 Chapter Presidents’ Meeting brought together a record-breaking 43 chapter presidents and membership liaisons, along with CSHP board members and staff, representing 24 of our 29 affiliate and student chapters! 💙

We heard from CSHP CEO Dr. Loriann De Martini on the state of CSHP membership and the future of professional organizations, including where we’re headed in membership, revenue, education, strategic partnerships, professional communities, and advocacy.

We also heard updates on:

✨ CSHP’s strategic planning efforts
📋 Bylaws modernization
🗳️ The upcoming Board of Directors election
🏛️ Government affairs and advocacy
💼 Health-system leadership
🎓 The Kethen So Memorial Leadership Academy
🎉 Opportunities to connect and engage at Seminar

Most importantly, the meeting was an opportunity to connect with the leaders who make CSHP’s chapters—and our profession—strong.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to invest in the future of pharmacy in California. We’re excited about what’s ahead! 💙

08/22/2026

FDA Approves Drug to Treat Macular Degeneration

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug to treat patients with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Bevacizumab-vikg (Lytenava) is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor administered as an intravitreal injection.

The safety and efficacy of bevacizumab-vikg (Lytenava) were evaluated in a randomized, multi-center, masked, active-controlled study (NORSE TWO - NCT03834753) of adult patients with nAMD randomized to bevacizumab-vikg (Lytenava) 1.25 mg (N=113) administered once monthly for 1 year or ranibizumab 0.5 mg (N=115) administered once monthly for 3 months (Days 0, 30, and 60) followed by once every 3 months for 1 year (Days 150 and 240). The patient ages ranged from 54 to 98 years, with a median age of 79 years. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients who gained ≥ 15 Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) letters from baseline to Month 11 as measured by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter score.

Warnings and precautions for bevacizumab-vikg (Lytenava) include endophthalmitis, retinal detachments, increases in intraocular pressure, and the potential risk of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) associated with VEGF inhibition. The most common adverse reaction (≥ 4%) for bevacizumab-vikg (Lytenava) was conjunctival hemorrhage.

View the FDA’s announcement here:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/novel-drug-approvals-fda/novel-drug-approvals-2026

08/20/2026

CDC HAN: Risk of Severe Arboviral Disease in Patients Receiving B Cell-Depleting or Modulating Medications

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory regarding the risk of severe arboviral neuroinvasive disease among patients who are receiving B cell-depleting or B cell-modulating medications, particularly anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The United States had an early and strong start to the West Nile virus season for 2026. The CDC recommends that health professionals and the public should be aware of the risk of severe arboviral neuroinvasive disease as the arbovirus transmission season continues.

Mosquitoes and ticks are common biting arthropods that can transmit the RNA virus arbovirus. These insects are most active during late spring to early fall. Most arboviral infections are subclinical, though in persons who are immunocompromised, the incubation period and onset of symptoms are longer. Immunosuppressive medications, such as B cell-depleting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the CD20 cell surface antigen, can increase the risk of severe arboviral disease. Anti-CD20 mAbs include rituximab and biosimilars, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, ublituximab, obinutuzumab, and ibritumomab tiuxetan.

The CDC recommends that healthcare professionals consider providing preventative measures and education about the risk of severe arboviral disease when prescribing any immunosuppressive medications or caring for patients taking any B cell-depleting mAbs. Due to the longer incubation period for arboviral disease in immunocompromised patients, healthcare professionals should consider that the infection may not present during the usual months when mosquitoes and ticks are active. Molecular testing (i.e., RT-PCR or mNGS) is preferred for patients receiving B cell-depleting mAbs who are suspected of an arboviral infection.

View the CDC’s HAN Health Advisory here:
https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00532.html

08/19/2026

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the Kethen So Memorial Leadership Academy! 🎓✨

Whether you are an aspiring leader, a new manager, or an experienced practitioner looking to refine your strategic skills, this program is designed to empower pharmacy professionals to drive innovation and lead with confidence across health-system practice.

🎉 1st Cohort Fully Sponsored:
Thanks to the generous support of the CSHP Foundation and the Kethen So Memorial Fund, participation for our very first cohort is completely FREE! (Note: Travel, hotel, or related participation expenses are not covered).

Ready to take the next step in your career? Space is limited, so we encourage interested members to apply early!

👉 View full program details, key dates, and apply today: https://www.cshp.org/LeadershipAcademy

08/18/2026

FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received at least one prior ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Zidesamtinib (Jideytro) is a kinase inhibitor administered as an oral tablet.

The safety and efficacy of zidesamtinib (Jideytro) were evaluated in a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, multi-cohort trial of 117 patients with previously treated locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC. The major efficacy outcome measures were confirmed overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR) according to RECIST v1.1 as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR).

Warnings and precautions for zidesamtinib (Jideytro) include central nervous system adverse reactions, QTc interval prolongation, interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis, skeletal fractures, myalgia with creatine phosphokinase elevation, pancreatic toxicity, and embryo-fetal toxicity.
The most common adverse reactions (≥15%) for zidesamtinib (Jideytro) include edema, peripheral neuropathy, constipation, fatigue, and dyspnea. The most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥2%) include increased CPK, increased triglycerides, decreased lymphocytes, and decreased hemoglobin.

View the FDA’s announcement here:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-zidesamtinib-ros1-positive-non-small-cell-lung-cancer

08/17/2026

🌴💊 The countdown is on—there are LESS THAN 90 DAYS until CSHP Seminar 2026! ⌛✨

Join us at the iconic Disneyland® Hotel in Anaheim for the West Coast’s largest gathering of health-system pharmacy professionals! Whether you're looking to advance your clinical expertise, connect with decision-makers, or explore the latest innovations in pharmacy practice, Seminar 2026 has something for you.

🌟 Why You Should Attend:

📚 70+ CPE Sessions: High-impact continuing education across diverse clinical tracks tailored for pharmacists, technicians, and pharmacy leaders.

🏬 Massive Exhibit Hall & Residency Showcase: Connect with top healthcare vendors, explore cutting-edge solutions, and meet with 70+ residency and fellowship programs.

🤝 Dynamic Networking: Reconnect and collaborate with nearly 2,000 pharmacy colleagues and peers from across California.

🎬 Interactive Events: Special programming, student and new practitioner events, and our annual music video competition on the big screen!

👉 Map out your itinerary and lock in your registration today!

🔗 Register & View the Full Schedule: https://www.cshp.org/Seminar2026