Washington, DC (June 5, 2025) – The Seattle Times published a powerful piece this week exploring the ripple effects of drugstore closures in the Pacific Northwest, including the recent disappearance of Bartell Drugs, a century-old pharmacy chain beloved by Seattle residents.
The article underscores a growing crisis in pharmacy access, citing the Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA) and our warning that a proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation could make the problem worse:
“The Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association, a trade group, says drugstore closures nationwide are partly happening because of increased costs and a new rule proposed by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
It would require pharmacists, not drugmakers, to be responsible for the cost and labor of printing patient medication information pamphlets if customers request them.
The trade group estimates the rule would ‘increase pharmacist workloads by 71.7 million hours, the equivalent of 35,858 full-time pharmacy technicians, and cost more than $1.6 billion a year.’”
The FDA proposed a rule which would shift Patient Medication Information (PMI) to a digital format, as well as forcing pharmacies, not drug manufacturers, to print PMI on-demand. This rule would threaten patient safety by limiting access to life-saving medication information and burdening pharmacies with billions in costs every year. PPLA opposes the FDA rule and advocates for clear, FDA-approved PMI printed by drug manufacturers.
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.