ARLINGTON, Va. — NACDS has prepared a statement to address any questions about a policy adopted and publicized by the American Medical Association that is decidedly negative toward the role of pharmacies in meeting patients’ needs.

Steven Anderson

NACDS president and CEO Steven Anderson says in the statement:

“Pharmacies and pharmacy teams are doing a tremendous job of reaching arms and reaching minds in the COVID-19 vaccination initiative. They have a crucial role to play in improving health equity and by helping all Americans safeguard and improve their health and wellness – during a pandemic and during more normal times.

“Programs that foster the pharmacy-patient relationship and pharmacy-patient communications certainly should not be mischaracterized and denigrated. Pharmacies follow the same HIPAA privacy rules as doctors and a suggestion to the contrary is unproductive. Pharmacists and physicians collaborate extremely well, during public health emergencies and in the face of daily health and wellness needs faced by patients. That should be the focus.”