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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee

About

NPTC Mission Statement

To raise the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives by increasing access to highly effective medications through robust formulary management and education of clinicians within the Indian Health Systems.

NPTC Vision

The National Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (NPTC) is looked to by the Indian Health Service (IHS) as its primary resource for improving the value of, quality of and access to current medical care and pharmacotherapy.

NPTC Values

  • Parity - The National Core Formulary (NCF) provides parity across the Indian Health System by seeking to minimize variability and assuring access to standard of care medication options between facilities for commonly encountered disease states.
  • Portability - The NCF helps to assure access to a standard core set of medications for our patients who seek care at other IHS facilities when traveling away from their medical home.
  • Quality - The NCF is built upon a platform of:
    • Providing an evidenced based approach to analyzing medications for inclusion to the NCF.
    • Utilizing IHS subject matter experts for clinical expertise.
    • Seeking input from IHS clinicians on practical matters related to day-to-day usage of medications.

  • Safety - The NPTC, through use of the NCF, seeks to improve safety by providing improved familiarity to a core set of medications and by reducing the amount of switching of medications when patients seek care away from their medical home.
  • Convenience - The NPTC provides comprehensive drug and drug class reviews, formulary management tools, and clinical guidance allowing local P&T committees to focus on site-specific formulary matters and reduce duplication of efforts between sites.
  • Cost - The NPTC merges pharmacoeconomic analysis with evidence-based clinical reviews and agency utilization data to determine which product or group of products provides the most value, clinically and economically.

Leadership

Chairman: Matthew Clark, MD, FACP, FAAP

Vice Chairman: CAPT Ryan Schupbach, PharmD, BCPS, CACP

Background

The IHS National Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee was approved by (then) IHS Director ADM Charles Grim in February 2004, but work had begun in February 2000. This came as a result of input from various groups including the National Pharmacy Council and the IHS Executive Leadership Group. A workgroup was formed, comprised of physicians and pharmacists representing federal and tribally operated hospitals and clinics. This workgroup utilized input with formulary experts from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

The original charge was to look at the development of a national formulary due to the substantial increases in the cost of pharmaceuticals nationally, to improve quality of care and to look at the use of formulary decisions as a cost management tool. This workgroup presented its final recommendations in the fall of 2002 and the early aspects of the National Core Formulary began.

Collaboration

The NPTC appreciates opportunities for collaboration and fostering of relationships with partnering federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Prisons and United States Coast Guard. The NPTC also works closely with the IHS National Supply Service Center (NSSC). While the NPTC focuses on the clinical aspects of formulary management, maintenance of the NCF and education for IHS providers, the NSSC provides the procurement, pharmacoeconomic data and pharmacy prime vendor utilization data for the committee. The NPTC also utilizes the expertise of the subject matter experts from the field, chief clinical consultants and clinical programs such as the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention and the Eye Care Coordination Committee. These collaborations enhance the NPTC's ability to meet its mission and ultimately improve the care provided in the IHS.