George
J. Malmberg, RPh, FACA, FACVP, co-founder and chief executive officer of
Wedgewood Pharmacy, passed away on April 22, 2013 in Wilmington, Delaware
following a brief illness. He was 64. With his wife and co-founder, Lucy
Malmberg, RPh, FACA, FACVP, he transformed a New Jersey community pharmacy they
purchased in 1981 into one of the largest specialized compounding pharmacies in
the United States, with more than 230 employees serving tens of thousands of
prescribers and millions of people and animals.
Malmberg was an icon in the compounding pharmacy profession, a friend and
beloved mentor to many who lead and will lead the industry. He was a passionate
advocate for the rights of prescribers and pharmacists to develop customized
medicines for people and animals. He was generous with his time, money and
talent, frequently leading efforts to defend the legal rights of compounding
pharmacists and patients who need access to personalized medications. His
leadership, wisdom and clarity will be sorely missed at Wedgewood Pharmacy, on
the national stage and on Capitol Hill.
In 2000 he received the prestigious Albert E. Rosica, Jr. Memorial Award from
the American College of Apothecaries for his outstanding contributions to
pharmacy education. The pharmacy internship program at Wedgewood Pharmacy was
one of many expressions of his commitment to the future of compounding pharmacy.
In 2002 he was a leader of the industry coalition of seven compounding
pharmacies that argued successfully before the Supreme Court that The Food and
Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA), which prohibited
pharmacists from advertising or promoting compounded drugs, was a violation of
their First Amendment rights. Since that time, the Malmbergs continued to lead
industry efforts to protect the right of licensed prescribers to prescribe, and
licensed compounding pharmacists to provide, custom-made drugs to meet the needs
of individual patients.
In 2005 Malmberg was instrumental in forming the International Academy of
Compounding Pharmacists' (IACP) public affairs task force, which created an
advocacy program centered around Patients and Professionals for Customized Care
(P2C2), a Web site that provides tools and information for advocates of
compounding pharmacy to influence public policy.
In 2009, he received the highest Annual Alumni Award from the Philadelphia
College of Pharmacy, given for outstanding contributions to the profession,
science and mankind.
Malmberg served as a board member of the International Academy of Compounding
Pharmacists (IACP) and was vice president of that organization from 1995 to
1997. From 1996 to 2001 he was a founding editor of the International Journal of
Pharmaceutical Compounding. He was an adjunct faculty member and clinical
instructor with the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at the University of the
Sciences in Philadelphia; and a pharmacy consultant for the patient-care review
committee of Trinity Hospice, a company with 24 hospice facilities. He was a
board member of the Community Pharmacy Advisory Board (Collegeville, PA), the
Community Practice Advisory Board (Blue Bell, PA), and Editorial Advisory Board
(Edmonds, OK).
Malmberg was a member of the New Jersey Pharmacists Association, the American
Pharmacists Association, the National Community Pharmacists Association, and the
International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists. He was a Fellow of both the
American College of Apothecaries and the American College of Veterinary
Pharmacists.
Malmberg received a B.S. degree in Pharmacy in 1972 from the Philadelphia
College of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He
generously supported the College throughout his career.
About Wedgewood Pharmacy
George and Lucy Malmberg, both pharmacists, founded Wedgewood Pharmacy in
1981. The company has grown from a local community pharmacy to become one
of the largest compounding pharmacies in the United States, serving tens of
thousands of prescribers throughout the U.S. with customized
animal-health and
human-health prescriptions every year.
Wedgewood Pharmacy has earned
the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board’s (PCAB®)
Seal of Accreditation, demonstrating that it meets the highest standards of
quality and safety in its profession. It was the first pharmacy in the
Philadelphia area to earn PCAB Accreditation, on January 31, 2012.
The company serves veterinary practices including general practices and
board-certified veterinary medical specialists in Endocrinology, Ophthalmology,
Theriogenology, Oncology, Cardiology and Laboratory-Animal, Equine, Feline,
Zoological, Avian, Reptile and Amphibian Medicine. In human health, the
company primarily serves board-certified specialists including those practicing
Addiction Medicine, Dentistry, Dermatology, OB/GYN, Pre-Natal Care,
Ophthalmology, Physical Therapy and Urology. The company also provides
compounded preparations and placebos for clinical, investigational and
translational research.