Hi Everyone,
I wanted to invite our supporters to a live TikTok at 2 PM Central today to discuss pharmacy and medication access issues and what you can do to take action.
I attended the protest at Walgreens headquarters this week. The CEO of Walgreens is the prior CEO of Express Scripts, a mail order pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) that has caused closures of local pharmacies by using their PBM to under-reimburse local pharmacies. Express Scripts uses their PBM to steer many to their own mail order pharmacy and forces patients to risk their lives with delays and improper temperature control as most room temperature medications are shipped without protection in all temperature extremes.
At the protests, none of the pharmacists could show their faces due to fear of retaliation from the corporation.
This is why your voice and the voices of the general public are so important. Pharmacists need you. The future of safe pharmacy and medication access needs the voices of the community to save it.
If you're unable to attend the live chat, there are more ways that you can help.
Speak to your legislators about these issues. Get involved with your State Boards of Pharmacy that fail to protect patients and ensure the basics of pharmaceutical care, such as safe staffing and proper temperature control. File complaints to the FTC about the risk to lives as patients are forced to mail order and understaffed pharmacies owned by the insurance companies.
I appreciate your support,
Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate
Loretta@uniteforsafemeds.com