Community Pharmacies of Indiana, Inc. Vote to Support Pharmacist Legitimization Bill
Independent pharmacists commit to be a part of the solution to Indiana's ongoing meth epidemic
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Community Pharmacies of Indiana, Inc. (CPI) today announced the organization's unanimous decision to support Senate Bill 80 (SB80), also known as the Pharmacist Legitimization Bill, which is proposed by State Sens. Randy Head (R-Logansport) and Jim Merritt (R-Indianapolis) as a method to control the sale of pseudoephedrine (PSE) products and decrease meth manufacturing in Indiana without requiring a prescription and unfairly penalizing law-abiding customers.
Representing more than 165 independently-owned pharmacies throughout Indiana, the unanimous decision by CPI's board of directors was rooted in the non-profit organization's desire to assume an active role in curtailing the destructive effects of meth production throughout the state and to share in the responsibility of safeguarding the communities in which they operate without placing undue burden on customers. This proposed law is modeled after the successful Arkansas Law passed in 2011.
Ben Rachwal, RPh, CPI board president and owner of Custom Plus Pharmacy noted, "The Pharmacist Legitimization Bill represents common-sense legislation that balances efforts to help curtail the proliferation of meth labs throughout our state while also preserving the customer's ease-of-access to effective cold medicines for legitimate use without the burden of obtaining a prescription every time they have a head-cold. Any independent pharmacy owner will agree that pharmacists are often the frontline of defense against suspicious medication purchases, Senate Bill 80 enables us to effectively exercise that responsibility without needlessly burdening our customers."
Pharmacist Legitimization Bill (Senate Bill 80)
- Cold medicines containing single-ingredient PSE, such as Sudafed, will remain available for behind-the-counter sales without a prescription.
- The bill would enable pharmacists to briefly consult with customers seeking products containing single-ingredient PSE, inquiring about symptoms and potentially recommending effective, non-prescription PSE products that contain meth-resistant safeguards, such as Nexafed and Zephrex-D.
- The bill would also grant pharmacists the legal protection to decline potentially illegitimate sales of PSE products that lack meth-resistant features where appropriate.
- The bill would not affect access to any cold medicines sold in front of the counter.
CPI is a non-profit industry association focused on building trusted relationships between independent pharmacies and the communities they serve, while also promoting industry best practices and support. The organization represents more than 165 independently-owned pharmacies throughout Indiana. More information about the trade association can be found by visiting, http://cpi-ind.com/.
About CPI
Community Pharmacies of Indiana, Inc., ("CPI") was established in 1993 after a group of pharmacy owners met to discuss changing prescription drug plans in the state. One of CPI's main goals as an organization is to promote pharmacy as a profession and the role of the community retail pharmacy in the American concept of free enterprise by maintaining freedom of choice of pharmacy to all citizens of the state. In addition, CPI maintains vigilance in the administrative, legislative, and government affairs affecting the practice of retail pharmacy in the interest of the public welfare and to assure professional control of the pharmacy by pharmacists. CPI works closely with the Indiana General Assembly to ensure that the remaining community pharmacies in Indiana survive and thrive.
SOURCE Community Pharmacies of Indiana, Inc.
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