Pharmacy orgs laud Biden administration for extending PREP Act pharmacy access

Pharmacy organizations, including The National Association of Chain Drug Stores, The National Community Pharmacists Association, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists are applauding the Biden Administration’s announcement on Friday that it plans to preserve much of the pharmacy access that now is relied on and expected by Americans. 

In a fact sheet, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that, among other actions, it plans to issue a new amendment under the current declaration of the PREP Act that will extend through December 2024 selected current amendments that facilitate pharmacy access.

NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson said, “We appreciate the Biden Administration announcing its plans to take action to help sustain patients’ access to pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy teams for vaccinations and testing. As NACDS has urged consistently and repeatedly, the clarifications and extensions announced today are vital for patient health and access, and essential for pharmacies’ planning. Of particular importance is the extension until December 2024 of the ability of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns to provide COVID-19 vaccinations and tests, and to provide flu shots down to age three. As NACDS has emphasized, this is important for pharmacy capacity and for patient experience. We cannot emphasize enough how important this is for flu vaccination access in particular."

[Read more: NACDS report highlights role local pharmacies, pharmacists play in patient-centered services]

Anderson continued, “NACDS continues to urge states to use this time to safeguard patient access by codifying swiftly at the state level all of the current PREP Act pharmacy-access amendments. Also, NACDS continues to urge the U.S. Congress to address another missing link: establishing the reliable Medicare payment mechanisms that are part of the necessary infrastructure for pharmacy services. It is critical that Congress pass and enact the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (H.R. 1770)—bipartisan legislation backed by nearly 200 groups representing patients, seniors, rural Americans, hospitals, health systems, pharmacists and pharmacies. Seniors deserve access to the services available in pharmacies."

“America’s pharmacies and pharmacy teams continue to serve valiantly as the face of neighborhood health care. Notably, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they have administered more than 301 million COVID-19 vaccinations—with 50% of those shots administered in underserved areas. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, during the pandemic pharmacists saved 1 million lives, kept 8 million people out of the hospital and prevented $450 billion in healthcare costs,” Anderson said.

NACDS also noted polling that shows Americans prioritize pharmacy access for the future:

A poll by Morning Consult, commissioned by NACDS and conducted Dec. 7-12, 2022, found that 64% of American adults—including majorities of Republicans, Democrats and Independents—believe “Learning the lessons of the pandemic means keeping in place policies that make it easier for patients to access services from pharmacists and other pharmacy team members—including vaccinations.” Among those 65 years and older, the level of support jumps to 77%.

[Read more: NACDS, Johns Hopkins report: Pharmacies play a vital role in achieving health equity]

Additionally, 86% of adults—and an amazing 96% of those 65 years and older—say it is “very easy” or “somewhat easy” to access pharmacies—making them the most accessible healthcare destination tested, NACDS noted.

NCPA also lauded the Department of Health and Human Services announcement. 

NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey participated in a March 2023 meeting with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, his staff, and others. Hoey emphasized the confusing nature of the public health emergency’s winddown for independent pharmacies and their patients. 

“Pharmacy teams and those throughout the supply chain worked hard to make the federal vaccine program a success, and succeed it has; nearly 302 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines have been administered and reported by those participating,” Hoey said. “Countless lives have been saved because of these efforts. Ensuring patients can keep accessing these and other important healthcare services at their local community pharmacy is critical for millions of Americans. We’re grateful to Secretary Becerra and the Biden administration for recognizing this with today’s announcement and will continue working to ensure that community pharmacies remain engaged in the fight against the coronavirus and other diseases.”

ASHP also welcomed the news. “ASHP appreciates HHS’s recognition of the key role the pharmacy workforce plays in protecting our nation’s public health,” said Tom Kraus, ASHP vice president of government relations. “We look forward to continuing to work with them through the public health emergency wind down, and into the future, to empower pharmacists to better serve our patients.”