SOTU Statement: Clinical Pharmacists Help Improve Prescription Drug Outcomes
March 07, 2024
Contact information:
John McGlew, Director
ACCP Washington Office
(202) 621-1820
[email protected]
State of the Union Address Identifies Drug Costs as Major Issue
Clinical Pharmacists Help Improve Prescription Drug Outcomes
Washington, D.C., March 7, 2024 -- In anticipation of President Biden’s State of the Union address tonight, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) issued the following statement.
“We applaud President Biden for highlighting health care issues in his State of the Union address. Implementing policies to improve the affordability of healthcare treatments, including prescription drugs, should be a top priority for our Nation’s leaders. Indeed, the cost of pharmaceutical therapies are a top concern for the American public, and President Biden and lawmakers of all ideological stripes should be congratulated for focusing on affordability.”
“However, while it is important to address the cost of prescription drugs, it is equally important -- perhaps even more important -- to ensure that medications are prescribed and utilized safely and effectively. It is a regrettable fact that nearly half a trillion dollars each year is wasted due to ineffective or inappropriate medication use.1 Our healthcare system, and our Nation, simply can’t afford that any longer.”
“With most medical treatment involving some form of prescription drug therapy, addressing this hugely underappreciated issue could not be more urgent.”
“ACCP represents today’s modern clinical pharmacists – highly skilled healthcare professionals educated and trained as the medication experts in the healthcare ecosystem. Clinical pharmacists routinely work as members of physician-led healthcare teams to ensure that medications achieve their optimal therapeutic benefit. As a result, clinical pharmacists help improve medication treatment and save billions of dollars.”
“Unfortunately, the Medicare program – which pays for the majority of prescribed medications – does not recognize or cover ‘comprehensive clinical pharmacy services’. This is the process of care provided by clinical pharmacists that improves outcomes, optimizes medication use, and saves billions of dollars in Medicare expenses.”
“While addressing prescription drug affordability is extremely important, we urge the President and Congress to immediately support coverage for comprehensive clinical pharmacy services in Medicare.”
ACCP is a professional and scientific society that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources enabling clinical pharmacists to achieve excellence in patient care practice and research. ACCP's membership is composed of more than 17,000 clinical pharmacists, scientists, educators, postgraduate trainees, students, and others who are committed to excellence in clinical pharmacy practice and evidence-based pharmacotherapy.
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1 Watanabe, J., McInnis, T., & Hirsch, J. (2018). Cost of Prescription Drug-Related Morbidity and Mortality. The Annals of pharmacotherapy, 52(9), 829-837. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1060028018765159 Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3n76n4z6