ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association issued the following statement today in reaction to new guidance issued by the federal Department of Health and Human Services overriding state and local rules preventing pharmacists from administering COVID-19 diagnostic tests:

“More widespread testing is the key to winning this battle. The faster we can expand testing, the sooner we can get back on our feet economically. Pharmacists are the country’s most accessible health care providers and they have been on the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic. They are well positioned to expand testing rapidly and safely.

“This new guidance by HHS demonstrates that pharmacists should be able to order and provide COVID-19 testing. During this pandemic, the federal government’s position is that this emergency measure preempts arbitrary state and local rules that prevent pharmacists from serving their patients in a way the country desperately needs right now. There are 21,000 independent pharmacists across the country. Thanks to the secretary’s decision, they can now make an even bigger contribution to the war against COVID-19.”