Indie pharmacy hosts FTC chair 

REMINGTON, Va. – Al Roberts and Travis Hale, the owners of Remington Drug Company in Remington, Va., hosted Andrew Ferguson, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, to illustrate the challenges posed by pharmacy benefit managers and emphasize the significant role independent pharmacies play in their communities. 

Also present: B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association; Matthew Seiler, general counsel for NCPA; and Anne Cassity, senior vice president of government affairs for NCPA. 

“We’re grateful to Chair Ferguson for taking the time to visit Remington Drug Company and see firsthand the effects of PBM manipulations like low reimbursements and anticompetitive take-it-or-leave-it contracting practices,” said Hoey. “While these tactics may benefit the massive middlemen and their shareholders, closures of independent pharmacies have averaged more than one a day over the last two years. Every time one closes, the health of people in that pharmacy’s community is jeopardized. And, the FTC’s reports show that consumers and taxpayers are paying billions of dollars more for prescription than they should. We’re encouraged that the FTC is continuing its investigation into PBMs under the chair’s leadership and continue urging both regulators and legislators for swift relief.” 

Ferguson was one of four commissioners who voted in favor of issuing the agency's first interim staff report on the negative impacts of PBM practices on consumers and patients. The commission voted 5-0 to allow staff to issue a second report in January and in a concurrent statement about it, he said, "The commission still has more work to do on this Section 6(b) study. I remain committed to bringing it to a conclusion, culminating in a final report." 

• Related: Hugh Chancy, former president of the National Community Pharmacists Association and a co-owner of Chancy Drugs in Georgia, urged members of Congress to take immediate action and pass common-sense pharmacy benefit manager reforms during a recent House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing that examined PBM reform policies.