Washington, D.C. (October 9, 2024) – A recent MINNPost story about the nursing home crisis Minnesota is facing shines a light on a large reason why the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA) is calling on Congress to protect printed Patient Medication Information (PMI) and protect pharmacies from financial harm.
MINNPost: “From 2019 to 2022, 15 nursing homes shut down in Minnesota. In 2023, eight nursing homes closed. According to a 2023 survey by Long-Term Care Imperative, a collaboration of aging services providers, 15% of nursing homes statewide had exhausted their financial reserves, and 10% were considering closing.”
Minnesota’s recent decline in nursing homes is mainly due to financial and workforce challenges. This crisis reflects broader healthcare shortages in rural America, where people increasingly lack access to doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies. In the past five years, one-third of independent pharmacies in Minnesota have closed, with nearly 300 shutting down across the U.S. in 2023 alone.
The closure of nursing homes and pharmacies in Minnesota underscores the problems with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule on Patient Medication Information (PMI). The FDA rule would put PMI on the path to a digital-only format and impose 71.7 million workload hours and over $1.6 billion in costs annually on pharmacies. If the rule goes into effect, more pharmacies would close, and thousands of rural and older Minnesotans without broadband could lose access to life-saving medication information.
The Patients’ Right to Know Their Medication Act (H.R. 1173), introduced by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) would ensure that all patients have access to clear, printed PMI without placing additional burdens on pharmacies. With accessible PMI attached to all prescription drugs, Americans will be better equipped to take their medications safely.
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.
For more information about PPLA, click here.