NCPA: Other options exist for mail-order pharmacy customers

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Planned cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service, particularly cancellation of Saturday delivery, have had mail-order pharmacies and patients worried about how patients will get their medications in an efficient and affordable way, but the National Community Pharmacists Association is using the problem as an opportunity to promote independent pharmacies.

“The hand-wringing about what losing a day of mail services means for patients is overblown because common-sense remedies are available through independent community pharmacies,” NCPA acting EVP and CEO Douglas Hoey said. “Evidence suggests that Americans, whether they live in densely or sparsely populated areas, have access to independent community pharmacies that can fill the void, even providing home delivery services.”

The organization sent a letter Monday to U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission chairwoman Ruth Goldway to promote independents as an alternative to mail-order medication delivery.

“NCPA believes that other options exist to ensure patient access to needed medications if changes are made to mail delivery,” read the letter, signed by NCPA SVP government affairs John Coster. “These include eliminating mandatory mail-order programs that deny patients the opportunity to receive medications from their local community pharmacist, as well as utilizing home-delivery programs where community pharmacists deliver medications to the patient’s doorstep.”