Dear Editor,
My husband’s cancer has led to numerous surgeries and chemotherapy regimens, requiring him to take many prescriptions with numerous side effects and unexpected complications. It’s been a great help to have our local pharmacist provide outstanding personal attention and care to help us both get through this. They have been there for our family during a very difficult time.
It is hard that some of my husband’s medications are only available through mail order. It often concerns me whether these important treatments will be delivered on-time or if they are handled properly during transit. We would much prefer to get all of the medications through our local pharmacy. However, Pharmacy Benefit Managers prevent us from doing so.
Instead of working to support trusted local pharmacists, PBMs try to run their own pharmacies that operate only through mail. They disregard patient wants and needs and force us to use their impersonal, detached system, valuing the profits they get more than their patient’s lives.
We must empower groups like pharmacy services administrative organizations who help protect our community pharmacists and their patients. PBMs cannot be allowed to have free reign in muscling our pharmacists out in favor of making higher profits. The local, independent pharmacist provides the best care to their neighbors and must be supported to best protect our public health.
Sincerely,
Stacey Elin Rossi