Washington, DC (January 16, 2025) – Pharmacists across the country were recognized for the life-saving work they do on January 12th, National Pharmacist Day. At the same time, new pharmacy closures have been announced in recent weeks, a crisis that would only worsen if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a proposed rule on Patient Medication Information (PMI).
Pharmacies are closing across the country as they struggle with increasing costs, leaving millions of Americans without convenient access to a local pharmacy. A recent report from CBS News shows at least 7,000 pharmacies have closed since 2019. In recent days, Walgreens announced it is closing 12 more pharmacies in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a pharmacy network in Ohio is closing after 100 years in business.
“Pharmacists play a critical role in our lives, helping to ensure that we have the life-saving medications we need and that we understand how to take our medication safely,” said Dave Joesten, Board Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA). “As we recognize National Pharmacist Day, the FDA should reevaluate its proposed rule that would add billions of dollars in costs and increase pharmacists’ workload by millions of hours. We must prioritize patient safety and protect remaining pharmacies.”
Pharmacy closures highlight the importance of protecting access to printed Patient Medication Information (PMI), the pamphlet included with prescriptions instructing patients on how to take their medications safely, notifying them about potential side effects, and more. The FDA’s proposed rule would shift PMI to a digital format and only provide printed PMI if requested.
The rule would force pharmacies, not drug manufacturers, to be responsible for the cost and labor of printing PMI if a patient requests it at the pharmacy. This will 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.
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.