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Congressman Gonzalez urges president Biden to optimize FRPP to provide COVID-19 vaccines

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WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, April 13, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) and 16 of his colleagues wrote a letter to President Joe Biden urging the urging optimum utilization of the of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program (FRPP) and adequate vaccine allocation to community and retail pharmacies to inoculate more Americans. 

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“We must utilize every tool in our arsenal to defeat this virus,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Expanding vaccine distribution through community pharmacies will help us provide increased access for Americans to get vaccinated. The inclusion and utilization of these pharmacies has, and with proper support, will continue to be an important factor in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Retail pharmacies have the capacity to provide millions of vaccinations per week and are well suited and prepared to assist with equitable distribution and administration to populations most severely affected by healthcare disparities, including rural communities. 

In the letter, the Members wrote : “We applaud this expansion of the number of pharmacies activated in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, and urge you to adequately allocate vaccines to accomplish program goals.  These 40,000 retail pharmacies have the capacity to provide millions of vaccinations per week, dramatically increasing the number of Americans who are vaccinated in a short period of time.  In fact, even without full activation and even with continuing vaccine supply constraints, the FRPP provided over 1 million doses in a single day, compared to 67,000 doses at mass vaccination hubs.  While it is important to leverage all vaccination sites, it is clear that pharmacies have unmatched reach into all communities and patients are familiar with and comfortable obtaining their vaccinations from their local pharmacies.  As such, we urge appropriate COVID-19 vaccine allocation and coordination to meet the demand our community pharmacies are experiencing.”

The cosignatories of the letter include U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (IL-11), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Filemon Vela (TX-34), Al Green (TX-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Abigail D. Spanberger (VA-07), John B. Larson (CT-01), David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02). 

The full letter can be found here 


ECRM_06-01-22


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