Press Release : PPLA
Washington, D.C. (August 1, 2024) – Today, the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA) is highlighting the recent CrowdStrike outage, which disrupted the hospital and pharmacy services of major healthcare providers like Kaiser Permanente and Fresenius Medical Care. Notably, many lost access to pharmacy care, including their prescription medication.
“The CrowdStrike outage and its widespread impacts on healthcare systems across the country is just the most recent example of why ensuring life-saving medication information stays in print is so important,” said PPLA Board Chairman Dave Joesten. “Congress must act to ensure that all Americans have physical copies of the information they need to stay safe.”
A recent FDA proposed rule would leave patients more vulnerable to IT healthcare disruptions. The rule would shift Patient Medication Information (PMI), the info outlining a drug’s instructions and potential side effects, to an online format. In the event of a computer disruption like the CrowdStrike outage, pharmacies may be unable to provide digital medication information, endangering patients who rely on medication instructions to stay safe and healthy.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are working to protect printed medication information. Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) united to introduce the Patients’ Right to Know Their Medication Act (H.R. 1173) to ensure that all Americans have accessible PMI at the pharmacy.
The Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association
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.
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