BETHESDA, Md. — Erin R. Fox, Pharm.D., is the 2012 recipient of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP) Board of Directors Award of Excellence in recognition of her tireless efforts to help the health care community manage the issues related to drug shortages. The award was presented today during the Society’s Summer Meeting in Baltimore.

 

Fox directs the Drug Information Service at the University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics in Salt Lake City and is associate professor (adjunct), in the Department of Pharmacotherapy, University of Utah College of Pharmacy.

 

Fox’s work is the corner stone for the ASHP Drug Shortages Resource Center.  Her timely work has helped practitioners and health systems keep up with the long list of agents in short supply, the alternatives available, and the estimated resupply date.

 

During the last year as the shortage of medications reached a crisis, Dr. Fox has also tirelessly contributed her time to bring this challenging problem to the attention of legislators, regulators, and the public.  She has participated in numerous interviews on national and local television and radio stations and is frequently quoted in news articles.  She has spoken to patients on ways to find a drug supply as well as what they can do to voice their concerns to their elected government representatives. 

 

Fox received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Utah. She completed a specialty residency in drug information at the University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics.

 

The ASHP Award of Excellence recognizes a specific recent contribution or achievement that has advanced the ability of hospital and health-system pharmacists in the United States to serve the needs of patients.

 

About ASHP ASHP is the national professional organization whose nearly 40,000 members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who provide patient care services in acute and ambulatory settings, including hospitals, health systems, and clinics, as well as pharmacy students. For 70 years, the Society has been on the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP's website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.safemedication.com.