APhA Applauds CMS Efforts

The American Pharmacists Association(APhA) praised the Centers forMedicare and Medicaid Services forexplaining the marketing guidelinesfor the Medicare Part D prescriptiondrug benefit and for finding the rightbalance of applying proper safeguardswithout restricting pharmacists. Underthe new rules, pharmacists can helppatients in objectively assessingpatients' needs and identifying theplan options that meet those needs.

"Allowing pharmacists to continueto play an advisory role in the care oftheir patients is critical to the successfulimplementation of this benefit. Everyday, patients trust their pharmacist tohelp them make medication-relateddecisions," said John A. Gans, PharmD,executive vice president of APhA.