Few are warning the patients. By sharing the petition, we will. 

Many pharmacists who are not mail-order pharmacists are warning patients about the dangers of medications not being stored properly with loosely regulated mail-order pharmacy. 

I find it alarming that the FDA doesn't regulate the temperatures during shipping from the mail-order pharmacy to the patient's doorstep. The State Boards of Pharmacy are supposed to, but not one State Board of Pharmacy requires medications to be shipped according to the manufacturers tested and proven safe temperature ranges.

The FDA does regulate the temperatures of medications from the manufacturers to the pharmacy and requires temperature sensors. All regulation and protection for patients are removed away once the pharmacy or wholesalers obtain the medications. 

Local pharmacies have delivered medications safely and directly to the hands of patients for free for many years. Their method of delivery is usually in their owned temperature controlled vehicles and medications are usually sent to the patient at a scheduled time when the patients are home. This is the safest way to have our medications delivered. Sadly, due to the greed of pharmacy benefits managers, this option of coverage has been stripped away for most patients.

As safe coverage options have been stripped away, some supporters have received capsules melted, ineffective medications due to temperatures, insulin frozen, and deceitful responses from the mail-order pharmacy when questioning the safety of medications once stored outside of the manufacturer's proven safe guidelines written on the label. 

At a lecture in front of many pharmacy students and my State Board of Pharmacy members I asked, "If temperatures don't matter, why are they written on the label?" They do matter. Mostly, manufacturer of the drugs, USP Pharmacopeia who writes universal storage guidelines, and the FDA will tell patients the truth. 

It is time for the State Boards of Pharmacy and our regulators to stand up for the lives that they are holding in their hands. It's time to stop allowing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) such as Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, and Optum RX who oversee reimbursements and access from putting profits ahead of patients. As PBMs are dealing themselves the winning hand by removing coverage of our trusted independent or hospital pharmacy, they are restricting coverage of medications through the PBM affiliated mail-order. PBMs mail-order knowingly place most medications in only bags in extreme temperatures far outside of the temperatures that most manufacturers suggest will maintain the integrity of the drug.

Please help me protect other patients like my son and caregivers. We received no warning that temperatures were not regulated. As the temperatures begin to heat up, I am terrified for other children and patients who do not know that their medications could be altered or weakened by the heat. 

Please continue to keep fighting for patients! Reach out to your legislators. 

Share the petition. Share your story/concerns.

You may also help by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit Unite for Safe Medications.  

Thank you for your support, 

Loretta Boesing

Email: loretta@uniteforsafemedications

Facebook Page: Issues with Mail-order Pharmacy

Twitter: @BoesingLoretta