[NFBWATlk] Share your thoughts - Pharmacy Commission public workshop this Friday, 3/3 on accessible prescription labeling

[Marci Carpenter]

Hello everyone,

This Friday morning the Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) will hold a public workshop on a proposed rule requiring alll pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labels. This means that you could get prescription labels in a format that you could read independently. This is a very important issue for the blind community and the NFB of Washington supports this proposed rule. 

The meeting will be held via Zoom. Anyone can make comments on this at the workshop and people can also send in written comments. The written comments don’t have to be sent to the Commission by this Friday because this is only the beginning of the process. 

Rulemaking by a  department of state government is one way that requirements for things can change.

Here are some key points to make in written or in-person comments:

1. Having accessible prescription labels allows us to take medications safely and independently.

2. We need prescription labels to be available in audio, braille or large print depending on the needs of blind and low vision people. 

3.  All 3 options need to be available at all pharmacies in the state because blind and low vision people live in cities , small towns and rural areas and also because a person’s vision can change so they might need a different format over time.

4. The technology to make accessible prescription labels is available now.

5. Accessible prescription labels must be provided at the same time a prescription is filled. 

The draft rule that the Commission is currently considering says that these labels will be provided “in a timely Manner”. That language is not specific enough. It leaves open the option for pharmacies to tell customers that it might take a few extra days to get the labels in the format the customer needs. This would be very bad and is already happening with some pharmacies.

We need you to tell the Commission how important this is for us

The proposed rule also includes the requirement that prescription labels also be provided in other languages for  limited English speakers. The NFB of Washington supports this part of the rule because there are blind people who are also limited English speakers who need labels in their first language and in accessible formats. 

We need you to make your voice heard so the Commission knows how important this is to blind people and we need to tell them what is important to include in their rule-making.

You can send written comments to PharmacyRules at doh.wa.gov <mailto:PharmacyRules at doh.wa.gov>. The Commission meeting runs from 9:00 AM to approximately 12:30 PM  on Friday and this item is third on the agenda. Here is the Zoom link they provided:  Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88256001236 <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMjguNzI0NDA1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3VzMDJ3ZWIuem9vbS51cy9qLzg4MjU2MDAxMjM2In0.2dFIFhljvONhcojxShtqa8wg635WQeG8jx_KBZtX_jM/s/2128614553/br/155266980273-l> 
Here is the link to their agenda: March 3 - Agenda <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMjguNzI0NDA1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbnRlbnQuZ292ZGVsaXZlcnkuY29tL2F0dGFjaG1lbnRzL1dBRE9ILzIwMjMvMDIvMjgvZmlsZV9hdHRhY2htZW50cy8yNDIyNjcxL01hcmNoJTIwMywlMjAyMDIzJTIwYWdlbmRhJTIwd2l0aCUyMENoYWlyLnBkZiJ9.ohQWgg46oDfPa7KmghXyO4uU4lUHn_exkU8kQrJJC2Q/s/2128614553/br/155266980273-l> 
The link to the Accessible Labeling Draft Rule Language is Here <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.ARSsJU0j43j0jf1JZcnSZmnJRkHF36P64wB2r7JpAvE/s/2128614553/br/155266980273-l> 


I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

Marci Carpenter, President
NFB of Washington
mjc59 at comcast.net <mailto:mjc59 at comcast.net>
206-604-5507