[MD-AtLarge] Message to James Pharmacy

[Maryland President]

Friends and Colleagues,

Some of the lists have been discussing the decision by James Pharmacy to
begin charging for accessible prescription labels effective September 1,
2024.  I am sharing a letter I sent to the Pharmacy below.  I will keep you
posted on any response I receive.  In the meantime, the affiliate is working
to gather both a list of other pharmacies that provide ScripTalk and other
accessible options without charging customers as well as a list of avenues
available to patients who wish to file complaints.

 

Dear Santosh Dwarkar,

 

I am writing to you in my capacity as President and CEO of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFBMD).  NFBMD is Maryland’s oldest and
largest organization of and for blind and low individuals.  A number of our
members have shared that you have recently contacted them to inform that you
will be charging them to provide accessible prescription labels when filling
their medications effective September 1, 2024.  Several of those individuals
have informed you and your staff that this action is unlawful.  They report
that they’ve been told by members of your staff that James Pharmacy does not
care if this practice is unlawful and intends to do so anyway.

 

Since 2012, James Pharmacy has been providing accessible prescription labels
to blind and low vision patients with ScripTalk labels at no cost in
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Maryland law §12
<https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gho&section
=12-505.1&enactments=False&archived=False> –505.1. and the Affordable Care
Act Section 1557
<https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/fs-disability
/index.html>  on Discrimination in Health Care.  In fact, James Pharmacy was
one of the first independent pharmacy in the Baltimore to establish this
service, and consequently numerous blind and low vision Marylanders use this
pharmacy and recommend it to others.  James Pharmacy has been held out as a
model pharmacy for accessibility and customer service as a result.  It is
very disappointing that James Pharmacy appears to be moving away from its
customer-focused and inclusive business practices and instead blatantly
violating the civil rights of its patients.

 

Your recent notification to patients that James Pharmacy will be charging
customers $3.50 per ScripTalk label is an open announcement that you plan to
violate all three of these civil rights laws by charging for accessibility
accommodations. 

 

We strongly urge you to immediately rescind this decision to avoid violating
the law, which will result in patient complaints being filed with the
Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services Office of
Civil Rights, the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, and/or any other applicable
entities with jurisdiction. 

 

If you have questions or would like to meet with me to discuss our concerns
and your plans to rectify this matter, please provide some available days
and times for this week.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back

 

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