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
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
Chuck Young
youngc1@gao.gov
(202) 512-4800
Congressional
Relations
Katherine Siggerud
congrel@gao.gov
(202) 512-4400
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
