ASCP's 2021 Choosing Wisely® Recommendations: A Proud Accomplishment

Choosing Wisely® (CW) is a campaign to engage physicians and patients in conversations about unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures. The campaign began in the United States in 2012 and in Canada in 2014, and now many countries around the world are adapting the campaign and implementing it. Currently, approximately 80 societies in the United States have published CW recommendations. Each recommendation is supported by clinical guidelines (when necessary), evidence-based ratinale, including information about when these tests or procedures may be appropriate. A deprescribing task force led by Chair Beier was created by ASCP in November 2018 after several conversations between ASCP leadership (notably, President J. Hirshfield) and Beier. Task force members comprise pharmacists practicing in academia, community, and long-term care settings. The chair also invited pharmacists from international countries (Canada and Australia) where deprescribing initiatives have a strong focus and scientific literature base. One of the primary goals for Chair Beier was to add ASCP's voice to the ABIM CW Campaign. Because ASCP is a membership association that represents pharmacists, health care professionals, and students serving the unique medication needs of older patients, by adding its name to the list of supporting partners, the organization makes a compelling argument to address deprescribing initiatives, tools, scientific literature, and resources to assist in initiating deprescribing conversations and their subsequent implementation.