Statement by Ralph G. Neas, President and CEO, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, Regarding the National Community Pharmacists Association's 2013 NCPA Digest

PRES RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC (October 16, 2013) — The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) applauds new findings from the National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA) 2013 NCPA Digest, particularly the positive role that medication adherence and generic pharmaceuticals play in reducing health costs for millions of people.

Independent community pharmacists are critical to our health system, tackling the challenges of medication adherence head-on to ensure that more affordable generic medicines reach patients. One reason why adherence continues to be a challenge for many patients is the high cost of brand name therapies. That is why it is important, especially among the Medicare low-income subsidy population, to ensure access to generic medicines.

It is also commendable that community pharmacists report dispensing generics 77% of the time, an increase from years past and a record high, according to the report. Generic medicines remain one of the few proven, reliable ways to reduce health costs, generating savings of one trillion dollars over the past decade. Independent community pharmacies, which the report states now number 23,029 across America, are valued partners in the generic pharmaceutical industry’s ongoing efforts to lower health costs and provide more affordable treatment options especially in rural and underserved regions.

For more information on the 2013 NCPA Digest, visit: https://www.ncpanet.org/index.php/news-releases/1825-ncpa-digest-community-pharmacists-promoting-medication-adherence-generic-drugs-to-improve-health-outcomes-and-reduce-costs.