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<DIV><SPAN class=078563103-13032012><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>This
is exciting!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=078563103-13032012></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Freeh, Jessica
[mailto:JFreeh@nfb.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 12, 2012 4:02
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Alpidio Rolon; Amy Buresh; Art Schreiber; Beth Rival; Bill
Packee; Bob Kresmer; Carl Jacobsen; Cassandra McNabb; Cathy Jackson; Charlene
Smyth; Christine G. Hall; Dan Hicks; Daniel Burke; Donna Wood; Duane Iverson;
Elsie Dickerson; Frank Lee; Franklin Shiner; Fred Schroeder; Garrick Scott; Gary
Ray; Gary Wunder; Grace Pires; J.W. Smith; James Antonacci; Jeannie Massay;
Jennifer Dunnam; Joe Ruffalo; John Batron; John Fritz; Joy Harris; Joyce
Scanlan; Ken Rollman; Kim Williams; Kimberly Flores; Larry Posont; Lynn
Majewski; Mary Willows; Melissa Riccobono; Michael Barber; Michael Freeman; Mika
Pyyhkala; Nani Fife; Pam Allen; Parnell Diggs; Patti Chang; Patty Estes; Rena
Smith; Ron Brown; Gardner, Ron; Sam Gleese; Scott LaBarre; Shawn Callaway; Terry
Sheeler<BR><B>Subject:</B> National Federation of the Blind Endorses Legislation
to Improve Prescription Drug Labeling<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Garamond>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face=Helvetica><FONT size=4>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Chris
Danielsen<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Director of Public
Relations<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 659-9314, extension
2330<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 262-1281
(Cell)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><FONT
face=Helvetica>cdanielsen@nfb.org</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt"><FONT face=Helvetica><FONT size=4>National
Federation of the Blind Endorses Legislation<BR><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>to Improve Prescription Drug
Labeling<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
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align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Helvetica><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Baltimore,
Maryland (March 12, 2012): </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The National
Federation of the Blind, the oldest and largest organization of blind people in
the country, today endorsed H.R. 4087, the Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion
Act of 2012.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This legislation,
introduced by Congressman Edward D. Markey (D-MA) on February 28, is intended to
ensure that people who are blind or have other print disabilities have full
access to the information included on their prescription drug
labels.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>The legislation calls for the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a working group consisting of
stakeholders—such as representatives of organizations of the blind—which will
develop and propagate best practices and standards on access to prescription
drug labels by the blind and visually impaired.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The working group would have one year
after the date of the Act’s enactment to promulgate its guidance on best
practices. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Eighteen months after the
promulgation of best practices, the Comptroller General will evaluate the level
of access blind people have to prescription drug labels, as well as the level of
compliance by pharmacies, and submit a review to
Congress.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>“Blind people and those who are
losing vision must have access to the critical information contained on
prescription labels,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation
of the Blind. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We thank Congressman
Markey for introducing this legislation and look forward to participating in
discussions to formulate best practices for making this information
accessible.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>“No one should have to sacrifice
their independence or safety to take their medication,” said Representative
Markey, senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and author of the
21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Being unable to read prescription
labels can lead to unnecessary illness and added emergency room visits. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion
Act helps turn pharmacies into partners for empowering all Americans to take
full control of their health. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is
another important step to ensure that individuals who are blind can fully
participate in 21st century society.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
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align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>###<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
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<P
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class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN></SPAN></B> </P>
<P
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class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>About
the National Federation of the Blind <BR></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>With
more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest
and most influential membership organization of blind people in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The NFB improves blind people’s lives
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging
independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field
today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place> for the blind led by the
blind.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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