[Md-sligo] {Disarmed} access to prescriptions

[Reyazuddin, Yasmin]

*                  

July 10, 2013

New guidance is now available from the U.S. Access Board on how to make
prescription drug container labels accessible to people with vision
impairments or who are elderly. The important information labeling
prescription medications, including dosage and other instructions, side
effects, and expiration dates, is often inaccessible to those unable to
read print or small type.

Developed by a stakeholder working group formed by the Board, the
advisory guidance covers different solutions for making label
information accessible, including Braille, large print, and auditory
technologies such as "talking bottles" and radio frequency
identification tags. Some access alternatives can be delivered digitally
through smart phones and personal computers. In preparing its
recommendations, the Working Group on Accessible Prescription Drug
Container Labels assessed these alternatives along with technical,
financial, or logistical considerations. This 18-member panel, which was
comprised of representatives from advocacy organizations and industry,
also prepared best practices to follow in providing access, including
guidance specific to each access format.

"Many people who cannot read print or fine type, whether it's due to a
disability or is age-related, cannot safely and independently take their
own medications," notes Access Board Chair Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA.
"The information issued by the Board's working group provides
much-needed guidance to pharmacists on steps they can take voluntarily
to ensure that label information is independently and reliably
accessible to all of their customers."

The released recommendations are contained in a report
<http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/health-care/about-
prescription-drug-container-labels/working-group-recommendations> ,
"Best Practices for Making Prescription Drug Container Label Information
Accessible to Persons Who are Blind or Visually-Impaired or Who are
Elderly," which is available on the Board's website. This guidance is
advisory only and not mandatory. Pharmacies are not obligated to follow
the best practice recommendations. The recommendations were developed
under the "Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act,"
which President Obama signed into law last July. The law called upon the
Board to form a working group to develop the recommendations within one
year.

The National Council on Disability will undertake an awareness campaign
in cooperation with the working group to inform the public of the best
practices, as directed by the Act. In addition, the Comptroller General
will initiate a review in 18 months to assess the extent to which
pharmacies are following the best practices and to what degree barriers
to prescription drug container labels remain.

For further information, visit the Board's website
<http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/health-care/about-
prescription-drug-container-labels>  or contact Marsha Mazz, Director of
the Board's Office of Technical and Information Services, at (202)
272-0020, (202) 272-0076 (TTY), or mazz at access-board.gov This email
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to
view it. .

United States Access Board

*	1331 F Street NW, Suite 1000
*	Washington, DC 20004-1111

*	Voice: (202) 272-0080 or (800) 872-2253
*	TTY: (202) 272-0082 or (800) 993-2822
*	Fax: (202) 272-0081

 

Yasmin Reyazuddin 
Aging & Disability Services 
Montgomery County Government 
Department of Health & Human Services 
401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor) 
Rockville MD 20850 
240-777-0311 (MC311) 
240-777-1556 (personal) 
240-777-1495 (fax) 
office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm 
Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille 

This message may contain protected health information or other
information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy
any copies of this material. 

Thank you.

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/md-sligo_nfbnet.org/attachments/20130731/3577a3fc/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1920 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/md-sligo_nfbnet.org/attachments/20130731/3577a3fc/attachment.jpg>