Washington, DC (March 18, 2025) – Today, the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA) is urging President Donald J. Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission to improve rural health by protecting printed Prescribing Information (PI) and Patient Medication Information (PMI).
“Protecting access to printed medication information is essential for the health of all Americans, particularly those in rural areas who often lack broadband access needed for digital resources,” said Dave Joesten, Board Chairman of PPLA. “We urge the Trump administration to rescind the FDA’s proposed rules on PI and PMI and ensure that printed medication information remains available so all Americans understand their medications and can take them safely.”
The commission recently outlined a plan to address the health crisis in America. As part of that effort, PPLA is urging the commission to scrutinize two proposed rules from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Prescribing Information (PI) and Patient Medication Information (PMI), the medication information pharmacists and patients need to ensure all Americans take their medications correctly. One rule would eliminate printed PI, which is an essential tool for pharmacists, first responders, military medics, and others. The other rule would reduce access to printed PMI, the information attached to prescriptions detailing a drug’s purpose, instructions for use, and potential side effects that patients need to take their prescriptions correctly.
President Trump’s work to improve Americans’ health could be undermined by the FDA’s push to digitize PI and PMI, a change that would exacerbate the rural health crisis. A report from the American Medical Association on the rural health crisis showed about 65% of rural areas have a shortage of primary care doctors and 136 rural hospitals closed between 2010 and 2021. With fewer doctors and restricted access to care, it is crucial that rural patients have all the resources they need, including medication information, to take care of their health.
By rescinding the FDA proposed PMI and PI rules, the Trump administration could ensure millions of rural Americans can safely manage their prescriptions.
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.