PCMA Statement on Safe Pharmacy Provision in the 21st Century Cures Draft

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Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

Apr 29, 2015, 05:00 ET

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) issued the following statement regarding the Energy & Commerce Committee's draft language on the 21st Century Cures initiative:

"While we continue to review the latest draft language, we are pleased the Committee has included new patient protection programs aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse in Medicare. The key to stopping 'drugstore shopping' is preventing improper prescriptions from being filled in the first place. A 'Safe Pharmacy' program will save lives and money by ensuring that at-risk patients only fill prescriptions for opioids and other addictive drugs at high-quality pharmacies that are equipped to prevent fraud and abuse.

"As the Committee continues its work, we encourage legislators to avoid provisions that increase prescription drug costs."

PCMA represents the nation's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which improve affordability and quality of care through the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), generic alternatives, mail-service pharmacies, and other innovative tools for 215 million Americans.

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SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association