Tampa, FL [September 19, 2022] Angels for Change announced the 2022 Change Maker of the Year at their 2nd Annual Champions for Change Gala on September 17th in Tampa, Florida. The Champions for Change gala is an evening to celebrate Angels for Change’s drug shortage warriors, their 3-year anniversary and fundraise for their mission to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a resilient supply chain.
As part of the event, the winner of the annual Change Maker of the Year award was announced. This award is given to an individual with a passion for ending drug shortages –a change agent who has committed to and delivered significant change in the fight to ensure access to essential medicines for patients. This year’s winner is Dan Kistner, PharmD, group senior vice president, pharmacy solutions for Vizient, in recognition of his vision and work to launch the End Drug Shortages Alliance, a significant step in the fight to end drug shortages.
The End Drug Shortages Alliance was launched at the end of 2021 with a mission to end drug shortages. Over the last 10 months, this independent Alliance has grown to more than 120 organizations aligned to do the collaborative work needed to end drug shortages. The Alliance prioritizes initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve measurable results that improve access to essential medications and quality of life for patients that rely on these medications.
“The idea for the End Drug Shortages Alliance came from a single conversation of two like-minded, patient-focused individuals wanting to end drug shortages for all. Three months later that idea was launched with members representing organizations across the spectrum of healthcare. It is amazing what can happen in just a year and inspiring to think about what will be accomplished a year from now. I am proud to award tonight's Change Maker of the Year to Dan Kistner. Never underestimate the power of a single conversation,” said Laura Bray, Chief Change Maker and Founder of Angels for Change at the event.
“It is a great honor to be named as Change Maker of the Year by Laura and her incredible organization. For more than a decade, providers and patients have struggled with the complex problem of drug shortages. Understanding that finding a lasting solution would require an unprecedented level of collaboration among stakeholders at all points along the supply chain was the spark for the creation of the End Drug Shortages Alliance,” said Kistner. “It’s exciting to see how the Alliance is growing and how its members are bringing new levels of transparency to the issues that lead to shortages. This is the work that must be done to finally solve the problem of drug shortages in our country.”
About Angels for Change
Angels for Change is a volunteer supported, global, 501c3 organization started in Tampa, FL on a mission to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a resilient supply chain. Founder, Laura Bray, was driven to start Angels for Change after her own child faced three life-saving drug shortages in nine months of pediatric cancer treatment. Each day Angels for Change advocates on behalf of any patient in a life-saving drug shortage, while building relationships with patients and members of the pharmaceutical supply chain to end all healthcare crises created by drug shortages. www.angelsforchange.org
About End Drug Shortages Alliance
The End Drugs Shortages Alliance is a collaboration of select health systems, supply chain, industry and other stakeholders including group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and other industry thought leaders dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S. We prioritize initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve undisrupted access to essential medications for health care providers and patients. www.enddrugshortages.com