Do you have just 3 minutes to spare and to use your voice to create change on an issue critical to saving human lives?
Drug Topics recently reported the following:
"Soon after the House Energy and Commerce Committee launched an investigation into potential US Postal Service (USPS) delivery delays for mail order medications, National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) said in a letter that the committee should broaden its investigation to probe long-term problems with mail order prescription plans."
“NCPA questions the integrity of a drug distribution system that relies exclusively on the mail and in which drugs are dispensed in excessive volume, over long distances, often exposed to extreme temperatures or humidity, delayed, and otherwise compromised.”
Due to poor regulation and failure of mail-order pharmacies to act to protect patients, many patients will not be warned that some medications can break down or become toxic when they are delayed for several days and stored in non-temperature controlled trucks and warehouses. All medications are temperature sensitive at some point.
There are 2 ways that that you can help by requesting urgent action and options for the patients forced to mail-order pharmacy.
1. The Ways and Means Committee has a very simple form to submit complaints about the fraud, waste, or abuse of taxpayer dollars. Click here to access the form. You could submit this form in less than 3 minutes with a general statement or take your time and write in all of the known issues with forced mail-order pharmacy.
Forced mail-order to patients can be a waste of taxpayer dollars in several ways. Today, many veterans, military members and/or family members, and medicare patients are without critical life-saving medications as many of the patients are left with mail-order pharmacy as the only option of coverage for many of these life-saving medications. There are issues with thefts, removal of relationships with local trusted pharmacists that often offer free delivery, damaged meds, waste, and many other issues. Patients deserve safer options. The cost to care for patients who receive ineffective meds, hospitalization, and additional doctor visits will be passed on to the taxpayers. The mail-order pharmacies that patients are forced to are poorly regulated. Usually, only the patients and taxpayers suffer due to the lack of adequate pharmaceutical care.
2. Support NCPA's comments to the House Energy and Commerce Committee by following up with a phone call, social media outreach, or by reviewing the lists of elected officials on the Committee and reaching out to those who are in your district. Click here for the list!
Thank you for your support,
Loretta Boesing
Listen to My Story on The Pharmacy Podcast Network & How My Advocacy Began
Follow me on Twitter: @BoesingLoretta