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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings all:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On Monday, August 19, at 10:00 a.m., the Colorado Pharmacy Board is holding what it calls a stakeholder meeting to discuss rules and regulations to implement various pieces of legislation that have been signed into law. Of particular interest to the blind of Colorado is HB24-1115, a bill signed by Governor Jared Polis on June 3, requiring pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labels for patients who are unable to read or see the standard printed labels.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All of us want accessible prescription labels to be available at every pharmacy where we pick up our medications. Here is the rule language that pertains to accessible prescription drug labeling.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><Begin Excerpt><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>3.00.30 Labeling.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'>c. In addition to complying with all applicable labeling requirements pursuant to section 12-280-124, C.R.S., each prescription drug outlet shall apply to the Board, for its approval, if the prescription drug outlet offers a patient an alternative method to access a prescription drug label other than the methods specified in section 12-280-124(4)(b)(I) to (4)(b)(IV), C.R.S. When applying to the Board for an alternative method, each prescription drug outlet shall demonstrate to the Board that the method to access a prescription drug label is substantially similar to the method of access the patient requested and meets the needs of the patient.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><End Excerpt><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>According to the above language, pharmacies are required to apply to the Colorado Pharmacy Board for its approval only if the prescription drug outlet offers a patient an alternative method that is not explicitly specified in HB24-1115. These include:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>1. an electronic label affixed to the prescription drug container that transmits prescription drug label information, directions, and written instructions to a patient's external accessible device, including a patient's compatible prescription drug reader; <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>2. a prescription drug reader provided to the patient at no cost;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>3. a prescription drug label in Braille or large print; or<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>4. any other method included in the best practices for access to prescription drug labeling information by the United States Access Board, or its successor organization.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>While the <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/rx.html#working-group-recommendations">Best Practices</a> specified by the Access Board include just about every imaginable form of accommodation possible (including an audio playback device that would contain information recorded by the pharmacist), this then gives pharmacies a good deal of discretion here without much in the way of specific regulation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In any event, if you want to attend the August 19 stakeholder meeting, send your browser to <a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DH8wW09zQYmPWF71djROLQ?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery">https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DH8wW09zQYmPWF71djROLQ?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery</a> to register to attend the stakeholder meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you want to send in written comments about the importance, to you, of having accessible prescription labels, you can email <a href="mailto:dora_dpo_rulemaking@state.co.us">dora_dpo_rulemaking@state.co.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here, in relevant part, are the written comments submitted by the NFB of Colorado.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><Begin Excerpt><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On behalf of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, we would like to express our appreciation to the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy for speedily publishing draft rule language to implement HB24-1115. HB24-1115, signed into law by Governor Polis on June 3, 2024, requires pharmacies to provide patients who have difficulty seeing or reading the standard labels on prescription drug containers with alternative and more accessible forms of labeling. These forms include:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>1. an electronic label affixed to the prescription drug container that transmits prescription drug label information, directions, and written instructions to a patient's external accessible device, including a patient's compatible prescription drug reader; <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'>2. a prescription drug reader provided to the patient at no cost;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'>3. a prescription drug label in Braille or large print; or<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>4. any other method included in the <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/rx.html#working-group-recommendations">best practices for access to prescription drug labeling information</a> by the United States Access Board, or its successor organization.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are fully in support of 3.00.00, Paragraph C, which clarifies that pharmacies are required to apply to the Colorado Pharmacy Board for its approval only if the prescription drug outlet offers a patient an alternative method that is not explicitly specified in HB24-1115. However, we ask the Pharmacy Board to consider whether there needs to be language added in the rules implementing HB24-1115 to clarify that accessible prescription labels must be offered at every pharmacy prescription drug outlet and not just at a handful of locations. Today, some pharmacies operating in Colorado do offer some form of accessible prescription drug labeling but only at a few specific locations or through prescription drug delivery by mail. People who are blind or otherwise print-disabled deserve to have accessible prescription labels available to them wherever they shop for and pick up their medications. If only select prescription drug outlets possess the capability to produce accessible prescription labels, then the spirit behind HB24-1115 will not be honored.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><End Excerpt><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kindest regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>