I have 16 days until I will be speaking in front of the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) about these issues. Heroic pharmacy students will also speak. NABP is the entity that is tasked with the regulation of mail order pharmacies, but they have failed thus far to do so.
We're hoping today that action may be taken but not by much. Twenty years ago, lobbyists from Express Scripts, Optum RX, and CVS Caremark convinced the Board not to take action. There are good Board members, but many of the board's good members are often overpowered by the members that are affiliates of these same companies that make up the majority of the boards across our nation.
Much of the Board's funding isn't coming directly from taxpayer dollars but also from the same companies.
The FDA has known about this issue for years and has also failed to protect us or even warn patients.
Some legislators are trying to help by enacting legislation to stop the forcing to insurance-owned mail-order pharmacies, but the lobbying power of insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and their association Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) is powerful.
That's the mountain that we're trying to climb with your support. If it weren't for the support of this fantastic group of patients and pharmacists, I would have such little hope that lives would one day be saved from harm. This will take all hands on deck!
I appreciate your support.
Loretta Boesing
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loretta@uniteforsafemedications.com