NCPA praises choice of Daschle as HHS secretary in Obama Cabinet

ALEXANDRIA, Va. The expected nomination of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., to become the next secretary of Health & Human Services is drawing praise from the independent pharmacy industry.

Word surfaced yesterday that President-elect Barack Obama would tap Daschle for the high-profile post. If nominated and confirmed, the move would put the former lawmaker in charge of a massive federal health infrastructure that includes the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control.

In response, the National Community Pharmacists Association praised Obama’s choice for HHS secretary. “The National Community Pharmacists Association would like to congratulate Tom Daschle on being selected to be secretary of HHS in the Obama-Biden Administration next year,” said NCPA executive vice president and chief executive officer Bruce Roberts today. “During his time in the Senate, Mr. Daschle embraced common-sense policies that allowed our more than 23,000 members to operate on a level playing field in providing patients with their health care needs.”