(Alexandria, Virginia – November 30, 2005) Thomas R. Clark, RPh, MHS, Director of Policy and Advocacy for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), was presented the 2005 ASCP Archambault Award during Senior Care Pharmacy ’05, ASCP’s 36th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, held November 7-12 in Boston.

The Archambault Award, the society’s highest honor, was created in honor of George F. Archambault. Considered the "father” of consultant pharmacy, it was George Archambault who first coined the term, “Consultant Pharmacist.”

Clark was selected to receive this year’s Archambault Award in recognition of his extensive record of outstanding contributions to consultant and senior care pharmacy practice. His work clearly and richly reflects the vision and mission of ASCP to serve seniors wherever they reside, from nursing homes and assisted living facilities to home and community-based settings, to ensure that seniors’ medications are the most appropriate, the most effective available, the safest possible, and used correctly.

Deeply knowledgeable about and captivated by the details of taking idea to theory to policy to operations, he is the key author of numerous official comments to legislative and regulatory bodies, policy and guideline documents, and practice reference tools. Additionally, he built the extensive policy, advocacy and practice content of ascp.com.

As a liaison to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the State Operations Manual, he impacted changes to pharmacy services and unnecessary drug regulations. He’s been ASCP's leading advocate for seniors and consultant pharmacy's interests throughout the entire development and implementation process of the Medicare Part D drug benefit.

His expertise and knowledge about senior care and consultant pharmacy practice is well recognized and respected in the Washington, D.C. area and nationwide. His passion for the practice is contagious.

Clark directed the research and analysis work that led to the formation in 1997 of the Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy (CCGP). He was instrumental in the development of its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, participated in the hiring of the Commission's first executive director, and served on the CCGP Exam Development Committee.

He was influential in developing the practice standards for long-term care pharmacy.

He created ASCP’s Clinical Reference Cards and the Medication Guide for the Long-term Care Nurse. He wrote a series of articles in The Consultant Pharmacist on how to perform drug regimen reviews and started the ASCP list servers of special interest groups. He conceived the idea that led to and was co-author of the Consultant Pharmacist Handbook.

Novartis, sponsor of the Archambault Award, made a contribution in Clark’s name to ASCP.

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists is the international professional association that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to advance the practice of senior care pharmacy. Consultant pharmacists specializing in senior care pharmacy practice are essential participants in the health care system, recognized and valued for the practice of pharmaceutical care for the senior population and people with chronic illness. In their role as medication therapy experts, consultant pharmacists take responsibility for their patients’ medication-related needs; ensure that their patients’ medications are the most appropriate, the most effective, the safest possible, and are used correctly; and identify, resolve, and prevent medication-related problems that may interfere with the goals of therapy. ASCP’s 7,000 members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, subacute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and in-home and community-based care.

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