NEW HOPE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VerdePharmHealth, a cannabis group purchasing organization (VerdePharm GPO) coupled with a clinical education & healthcare technology solutions business (VerdePharm Solutions), today announces the appointment of Robert Rosen, Dr. Ralph Boccia, and Kirill Basin to the VerdePharmHealth Board of Directors.

Jesse Hollingsworth, Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented: "We are delighted to welcome the appointees as their extensive healthcare expertise and insights will further strengthen the Board and Advisory Panel. They have long and distinguished careers and have significant experience that will be invaluable as we continue to progress our comprehensive cannabis solutions in the marketplace.”

Board of Director Appointees:

Board Director – Robert Rosen

Mr. Rosen has over 30 years of experience as a senior pharmaceutical executive with significant experience in commercialization, operations, and product launches globally having served as President and as a Board Director of Heron Therapeutics; Board Director of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company and Conkwest, Inc. (now NantKwest, Inc.); Managing Partner of Scotia Nordic LLC, a life sciences advisory firm; Senior Vice President of Global Commercial Operations at Dendreon Corporation; Global Head of Oncology at Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals; and Vice President of the Oncology Business Unit at Sanofi-Synthèlabo Inc.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Rosen said: “I’m pleased to be joining the VerdePharmHealth board as the Company embarks on a period of tremendous growth and differentiation in the medical cannabis environment. I look forward to sharing my expertise to help the management team in executing the company's goal of maximizing value for all stakeholders.”

Board Director - Dr. Ralph Boccia, MD, FACP

Dr. Boccia is a board-certified Hematologist and Oncologist and is President and Medical Director of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, a division of RCCA MD LLC, in Bethesda, Maryland. He holds additional positions as Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University, Chief Medical Officer of the International Oncology Network (ION), and is a member of the Board of Directors at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA).

He is dedicated to drug development and clinical research and has a large clinical research program in Bethesda. His publication credits from this vast research program include more than 150 articles, abstracts, and posters, reporting research results for major clinical trials in several prestigious journals including New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet, amongst others. Dr. Boccia serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Hematology and Oncology, Community Oncology, Oncology and Biotechnology News, and Targeted Therapies News.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Boccia said: "There is a growing need for alternative approaches to cancer treatment and the healthcare sector is increasingly focused on medical cannabis. VerdePharmHealth has an exciting business model and diverse portfolio of decision-support, patient engagement, and educational solutions, which have the potential to offer improved interventions. I look forward to working with the team to build on the real-world evidence imperatives."

Board Director – Mr. Kirill Basin

A serial entrepreneur, healthcare executive, investor, and attorney with interests in app development, cannabis, and health informatics. Prior to investing in and building innovative startups, Mr. Basin was Chief Operating Officer of Just Home Healthcare Services, a home care and adult medical daycare provider for the geriatric community and individuals with developmental disabilities. As COO, he helped to transform a family business into a private equity-backed healthcare platform. Before entering the business world, Kirill worked on social justice initiatives in public defense and impact litigation.

Advisory Panel Appointees:

Medical Advisor - Raoul Concepcion, MD, FACS

Dr. Concepcion, M.D., F.A.C.S., is the Director of The Comprehensive Prostate Center in Nashville TN and also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine. He is a Past President of the Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA), a nonprofit entity representing the interests of over 2500 Urologists in the U.S. affiliated with large single-specialty groups.

Dr. Concepcion is Board Certified by the American Urological Association (AUA) and is a member of that organization, as well as the Southeastern Section of the AUA, Society of Urologic Oncology, American College of Surgeons and the Nashville Surgical Society.

Practice Management Advisor - Traci Duffie

23+ years of executive healthcare experience as Chief Executive Officer of Augusta Oncology, a multi-location leading private medical oncology practice and advocate for cancer awareness and prevention in Augusta, GA. She offers a wealth of expertise in personnel management, program implementation, and healthcare operations, and a strong track record for overseeing the practice’s marketing, budgets, and accounts receivables/payables.

Ms. Duffie currently sits on the Advisory Leadership Board for McKesson Specialty Health and is a member (and former president) of both Georgia Association Clinical Oncology Managers and CSRA Medical Group Management Association.

Nurse Advisor - Tara DiFabio, RN

Nationally certified Oncology Nurse Practitioner with over 22 years of experience in Nursing, specializing in head and neck cancer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for the majority of her career. Tara currently works as an Oncology Nurse Practitioner at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center, Department of Hematology-Oncology.

“As an executive management team, we benefit greatly from our Board’s stewardship and oversight. These diverse additions represent experienced and highly-regarded leaders in the healthcare industry with extensive care management, strategic expertise, and considerable commercial background," said Nikko Khazana, Chief Commercial Officer. "We are delighted to bring the Board and Advisory panel’s insight and acumen to our organization as we continue to execute on our strategic imperatives for alternative options at the point of care and long-term growth in the medical cannabis market.”

About VerdePharmHealth

VerdePharmHealth, the first organization of its kind in the U.S., provides comprehensive multi-specialty group purchasing, clinical, and healthcare technology solutions designed to drive high-level commitment and affordability for members through accessibility of quality cannabis products from prequalified distributors and manufacturers and leveraging of clinical services and robust technology to improve decisions for interventions at the point of care and monitor real-world evidence. Utilizing retrospective data and clinical studies for decision-support and standardization of appropriate-use in the care delivery process is a central pillar towards achieving outcomes. For more information, visit www.verdepharmhealth.com or follow VerdePharmHealth on LinkedIn.