A few weeks ago, CDC issued a report that millions of older adults covered under Medicare Part D are not taking their blood pressure medicine as directed. This disappointing news brings home the essential nature of pharmacy’s push to get pharmacists on the team in health care. We could do SO much to help older Americans with their blood pressure if those folks had access and coverage for our services!  

The CDC report mentions pharmacists briefly in the context of other health care professionals, but we remain underappreciated as a resource. This topic in particular is right in our wheelhouse, and we are so well trained! Please keep your advocacy with Congress going. It would be easy to get discouraged as we head into election season that our bills haven’t passed yet. REMEMBER: We’ve done amazing work so far to promote our two bills (H.R. 592 and S. 314), both of which are strongly supported. Until we get them passed, we’ve got to keep the momentum.

In addition, APhA has been working collaboratively with the CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention to develop resources to enhance ways that pharmacists can be part of public health solutions. Several guides designed to bring pharmacists and public health closer together are under way. Stay tuned for more details!