Tyler Young, pharmacist at Vashon Pharmacy in Vashon, Wash. and member of NCPA, published an opinion piece in USA Today arguing that direct-to-consumer drug programs lack important patient protections and the level of due diligence found in pharmacies. “There’s no algorithm or free shipping service that can replace the oversight of the pharmacist who earned a doctorate to prevent deadly errors,” he wrote. Young also noted pharmacies’ value in being able to interact with the patient and adjust care to their needs by finding the most effective medicines at the best prices available.
Young referenced the direct-to-consumer drug access program recently agreed to by the White House and Pfizer, TrumpRx, saying it wasn’t clear yet what the impact of the program would be. “I hope that Pfizer and TrumpRx will get these details right. But no matter what else they do, they need to make sure that patient safety comes first,” he wrote.
You can read Young’s opinion piece here.
