Press Release: PPLA
March 26, 2024
Washington, DC (March 26, 2024) – The Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA) today highlighted the growing bipartisan Congressional support for the Patients’ Right to Know Their Medication Act (H.R. 1173), legislation to protect patients’ access to printed Patient Medication Information (PMI). Introduced by Representatives Jared Golden (D-ME), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR), the bill has 14 bipartisan cosponsors.
H.R. 1173 requires drug manufacturers to provide printed PMI, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for every American taking prescription medications. PMI refers to the life-saving information dispensed at the pharmacy detailing a drug’s purpose, instructions for use, and potential side effects. Americans reference PMI to take their medications correctly, proving particularly important given that medication non-adherence kills over 100,000 people every year. The bill requires:
- A one-page, printed, standardized format with FDA-approved content dispensed with all prescription drugs in the outpatient setting.
- Final regulations by the FDA regarding the inclusion of printed paper PMI on all prescription drugs and establish a clear and standard format of vital information (warnings, side effects, etc.).
- Timely, consistent, and accurate reviews of information as new drugs and new information become available.
H.R. 1173 would also prevent the detrimental consequences of a recently proposed FDA rule that would push printed PMI to a digital format, threatening millions of rural and low-income patients who may not have consistent access to broadband or smartphone devices needed to access digital PMI. The rule would also force pharmacies, not drug manufacturers, to be responsible for the cost and labor of printing PMI. This would increase pharmacist workloads by 71.7 million hours, the equivalent of 35,858 full-time pharmacy technicians, and cost over $1.6 billion a year. H.R. 1173 would prevent the FDA from moving forward with the misguided proposed rule.
The Patients’ Right to Know Their Medication Act was introduced by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD). In addition, it is cosponsored by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), David Trone (D-MD), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK), and Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D-TX).
About the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA)
Chartered in 2001, the PPLA serves as the voice for our members, advocating for patient safety and risk communication by fighting to keep information on paper and readily accessible for patients and caregivers. This information helps drive the patient involvement model of health care, helping patients get the maximum benefits from the powerful drugs they take while minimizing risk.