Sacramento, CA – Today, the California Senate voted to protect public health by passing SB 1442 (Wiener), a bill to strengthen staffing standards in retail pharmacies. SB 1442 will equip pharmacists with much-needed support so they can focus on their most important job: protecting patients from dangerous drug interactions and safely dispensing prescriptions.
“When retail stores short-staff their pharmacies, they put patients at risk – no pharmacist can safely do their job while working alone and juggling phone calls and cash registers. SB 1442 helps alleviates the pressure-cooker conditions pharmacists are facing and gives them the time to focus on their number one priority – the health and safety of their patients,” said Andrea Zinder, Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW Local 324.
“Highly trained pharmacists have willingly expanded their public service to help fill the healthcare access gaps imposed by California’s shortage of primary care providers. Pharmacists are a lifeline for patients, administering life-saving vaccines, spotting the first signs of opioid addiction, and delivering contraception, hormone therapy and tobacco cessation products,” said Seung Oh, a pharmacist and member of UFCW Local 135. “But when retail stores short staff their pharmacies, they compromise pharmacists’ public health role by requiring them to take their focus away from patient safety. I applaud the Senate’s commitment to protecting public health with their vote on SB 1442.”
The California State Board of Pharmacy, the agency responsible for protecting the health and safety of Californians through pharmacy regulation, also recently endorsed SB 1442.
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May 10, 2018
CONTACT: Mike Roth, [email protected]