Accessible Prescription Review is Just Around the Corner

June 9, 2014--There are just 30 days left of the designated period for the National Council on Disabilities to distribute information regarding the new guidelines for accessible prescription labels[1].  Unfortunately, due to budget cuts and staffing issues, this Congressionally mandated educational campaign has not taken place. 

So what will Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General, and his staff find if and when they perform their review of the implementation of the guidelines within pharmacies around the United States?  If their experience is anything like a majority of blind and low vision consumers, they will find:

·         Pharmacies generally have not heard of the guidelines or the companies that provide solutions. 

·         Walmart and CVS are offering mail order options that few people can take advantage of due to insurance limits, narcotic restrictions, medications requiring refrigeration, or problems with US mail service. 

·         A few pharmacies offering Braille for the less than 10% of blind that can read it. 

They will not find a plethora of pharmacies knowledgeable about accessible label options.

They will not find a majority of pharmacies providing accessible labels to those who have requested them citing cost or time constraints as a barrier to the service.

They will not find auxiliary aids, effective communication, and the spirit of the ADA as pervasive as they should be 11 years after the first congressionally mandated study[2] regarding accessible prescriptions (whose educational campaign was also abandoned due to budget issues) and a year after the publication of the guidelines.

Would you like to provide your own feedback to the Comptroller Generals Office on the delegation and use of congressional funds to educate pharmacies and the public on accessible label guidelines and solutions?  Here are some contact points:

Agency-Wide
Government Accountability Office
441 G St, NW
Washington, DC 20548
contact@gao.gov
(202) 512-3000

Public Affairs
Chuck Young
youngc1@gao.gov
(202) 512-4800

Congressional Relations
Katherine Siggerud
congrel@gao.gov
(202) 512-4400

[1] Best Practices for Making Prescription Drug Container Label Information Accessible to Persons Who are Blind or Visually-Impaired or Who are Elderly.  http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/health-care/about-prescription-drug-container-labels/working-group-recommendations

[1] Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/health-and-safety/rx-label-enable-campaign/fda-study-on-accessible-prescription-labels/12345

---

[1] Best Practices for Making Prescription Drug Container Label Information Accessible to Persons Who are Blind or Visually-Impaired or Who are Elderly.  http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/health-care/about-prescription-drug-container-labels/working-group-recommendations

[2] Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/health-and-safety/rx-label-enable-campaign/fda-study-on-accessible-prescription-labels/12345

CSUN Accessible Prescriptions Session

Here’s a CSUN Session you won’t want to miss!  David Raistrick from En-Vision America will present a talk on prescription accessibility at CSUN’s 29th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego.

• Title: ScripAbility: Implementing the ADA & FDA Safety & Innovations Act
• Date: Friday, March 21, 2014
• Time: 4:20 PM
• Location: Old Town B

Synopsis:  In 2010, the Department of Justice amended language in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Pharmacies are expressly named under the act and are obligated to provide auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure effective communication to individuals with disabilities.  In addition, the recent FDA Safety and Innovations Act directs the National Council on Disability to undertake an awareness campaign to inform the public (and pharmacies) of recent U.S. Access Board’s “best practices”.  We’ll provide review of  these best practices and how ScripAbility technology is helping pharmacists help their patients. More than 100 independent and chain pharmacies are already offering varying components of this system, benefiting all participants. As more pharmacies are learning how to implement federal laws into their services, there is an increase in individuals who are now able to access prescription label information. ScripAbility facilitates pharmacies to comply with ADA statutes, and assists the blind in finding safe, private and independent management of their medications. 

Who Knows About Accessible Prescriptions? Your Guess is as Good as Mine.

Way back on July 10, 2013, the Working Group on Accessible Prescriptions submitted to the U.S. Board its best practices for pharmacies for providing independent access to prescription medications.  Thes best practices call for multiple accessible formats, including Braille, large print, audible formats.  The complete list of best practices and guidelines can be found at:  http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/health-care/about-prescription-drug-container-labels/working-group-recommendations

The FDA Safety and Innovation Act requires the National Council on Disability (NCD) to conduct an information and education campaign in cooperation with the working group.  This campaign is to ensure that pharmacies and the public are made aware of the needs for the visually impaired community and what these best practice are.

One would think that over the next year consumers and pharmacies will be inundated with educational materials from the NCD.  But, we all know the way time slips by.  We all know that oftentimes complacency is king.  And with little activity since the Best Practices were issued, I'm beginning to wonder whether this will be the case.

Let's not get down the road another year only to find out that few pharmacies are following (or even know about) these best practices.  Information can be a barrier.  Let's remove that wall!  Each one of us (working group members included) must be charged with pushing information to pharmacies and the public.  We need to ensure the NCD is working hard on dissemination of this information.  Each one of us must do our part to make sure the wonderful efforts of the Access Board are not in vain.

 

Working group members that include:

·         AARP

·         American Council of the Blind (ACB)

·         American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

·         Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)

·         Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI)

·         Express Scripts

·         Metropolitan Washington Association of the Deaf Blind (MWADB)

·         National Association of Chain Drug Stores

·         National Community Pharmacists Association

·         National Council on Aging (NCOA)

·         National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)

·         National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)

·         National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

·         Rite-Aid

·         Target

·         US Pharmacopeia (USP)

·         Walgreens

·         Wal-Mart