Watch Now: Lion Advocates for ScripTalk

Pennsylvania Lion Loraine Brown talks about the benefits of ScripTalk with Attorney Gabriella Hashem Farhat. ScripTalk reads vital prescription information out loud, such as medication name, dosage, doctor and more,  for visually impaired individuals. 

MN Senate Follows Closely Behind State House in Passing Opioid Legislation

The Minnesota State Senate followed two weeks behind the state House in passing legislation that creates a new Opiate Epidemic Response Account to fund initiatives locally and statewide to address addiction.

“The opioid epidemic has ravaged families across our state,” said Sen. Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “Nationally, it is now more likely to die from an opioid overdose than a car accident. While this legislation is not perfect, it preserves physician and pharmacist discretion while funding local programs that directly impact families and individuals impacted by opioid addiction.”

After passing the Senate, the bill now heads to a conference committee with the House of Representatives where the bills will be resolved into one proposal.  

To read the full Minnesota Sentate Republican Caucus press release, click here.

Writing Testimony in Support of Accessible Labeling Laws

Providing your testimony to the committee or legislature considering a bill regarding accessible prescription labeling can influence the passage and amendment process if changes need to be made to make it achieve the desired end result.

Ideally, the collection of testimonies provided to the legislature or committee will include a wide range of experiences that demonstrate the key points the law is designed to address.  If you are part of a group, perhaps have a discussion about who will focus their testimony on which of the talking points below so the gambit of issues are addressed through the testimonies. 

The purpose of the testimony is to demonstrate how the law would assist both you and the pharmacist in more effective communication, equal access to printed prescription information required by the FDA, and provide personal safety, independence and pursuit of health and happiness. 

When writing, keep these key points in mind:

• The difficulty of managing prescriptions without sight
• Equal access to mandated prescription information
• The challenge of requesting accommodation at the pharmacy
• The (in)effectiveness of solutions already offered
• The personal and financial cost of medication errors for patient and pharmacy