Advocacy

ARLINGTON, Va. — With President Donald Trump set to declare a national opioid emergency this week, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has suggested four public policy initiatives to the Administration and members of Congress. The suggestions, outlined in a letter sent Tuesday, are aimed at building on current collaborative efforts to stem opioid abuse while maintaining high-quality patient care, NACDS said.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — As part of American Pharmacists Month, CVS Health is recognizing the work that its pharmacists do to improve the health of their patients through increased access to care.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is partnering with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the American Public Health Association to host a workshop about building partnerships across public health agencies and pharmacies. The workshop, slated for Nov. 4, will take place ahead of the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting.

SUN PRAIRIE, Wisc. — The Independent Pharmacy Cooperative’s government relations team, alongside board members, recently took to the nation’s capital to discuss issues affecting independent pharmacy with legislators. The team scheduled meetings with more than 25 legislators from more than 10 states.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Healthcare organizations AmerisourceBergen, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Pfizer and Prime Therapeutics on Tuesday joined Walgreens to combat the national opioid abuse crisis by expanding the availability of safe medication disposal kiosks to an additional 900 Walgreens stores near military bases and other areas where the opioid epidemic has challenged communities.

When the expansion is complete, kiosks will be available in approximately 1,500 Walgreens stores nationwide.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Retroactive pharmacy payment reductions, a portion of direct and indirect remuneration fees, could cost the federal government $3.4 billion between 2018 and 2027. That’s according to a new study from Wakely Consulting Firm that the National Community Pharmacists Association commissioned and whose results it shared Thursday.

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Thrifty White Pharmacy is making a significant difference in patient lives through its new diabetes care program, which places recipients into a medsync program replete with comprehensive medication therapy management sessions, patient disease management goal setting and follow through. Thrifty White also offers a compliance packaging service, HealthyPack Rx, that helps organize and manage a patient's medication.

A recently introduced bill from Reps. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., has garnered interest from longtime proponents of e-prescribing in the retail pharmacy industry. The Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act would require all controlled substances to be electronically prescribed.