UB Pharmacy travels to state capital for Pharmacy Lobby Day

Pharmacy Lobby Day in Albany is an annual event providing PharmD students and pharmacy professionals the opportunity to meet face-to-face with their respective assemblymembers and legislators to discuss issues impacting pharmacists and to educate legislators on how pharmacy legislation will ensure New York State residents receive the best care.

Our Student Pharmacists' Association of Western New York (SPAWNY) and our student chapter of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (SPSSNY) organized this year’s event and nearly 30 students, five faculty and two alumni made the trip to Albany. Thanks to Walgreens for their sponsorship and support of travel expenses.

“Pharmacy Lobby Day gives us the opportunity to see firsthand what it takes for legislation to change for the pharmacy profession,” says Sophia Osmond, PharmD ’25, SPAWNY president and SPSSNY vice president. “Speaking directly to the legislators allows us to make connections and enlighten legislators on why we seek these changes. We hope to provide a unique perspective that comes from students who want to practice at the top of our profession because we want the ability to provide the absolute best quality care to our patients.”

Meetings occurred with Assemblymember John T. McDonald, Senators Dean Murray, Robert Ortt, Alexis Weik, Pamela Helming, Thomas O’Mara, John Mannion, Joseph Addabbo, Jr., George Borrello, James Tedisco, Peter Oberacker and Shelley Mayer, the offices of Senators Patrick Gallivan, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Anthony Palumbo, Timothy Kennedy, Jonathan Rivera, and the offices of Assemblymembers Phillip Steck, Mary Beth Walsh, Andrew Hevesi, Karen McMahon and Crystal Peoples-Stokes to advocate for the following legislation:

• Pharmacist CLIA-Waved Testing (S3467A, Rivera/ A6627B, McDonald): amend public health and education laws to include pharmacists as qualified healthcare professionals to order and administer certain Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived tests. This would allow pharmacists to perform clinical laboratory tests on patients to expedite health assessment, diagnosis or treatment of disease.
• Expanded Access to Treatment (S7839, Rivera/ A8596, McDonald): allow pharmacists to begin the initial stages of care following a positive test result for COVID-19, Streptococcal A and Influenza to patients in accordance with New York State Department of Health protocols. The bill includes requirements for pharmacists to communicate case information and treatment provided to a patient’s designated provider as well as referral protocols and requirements for pharmacists to provide patients with available primary care providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Registered Pharmacy Technician Practice (S8545, Cooney/ A9251, Solages): expand the practice of registered pharmacy technicians in New York State, allowing registered pharmacy technicians to practice in all pharmacy settings and authorizes registered pharmacy technicians to do compounding and to administer vaccinations under the direct supervision of licensed pharmacists.

PharmD students from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Touro College of Pharmacy, Long Island University College of Pharmacy and St. John Fisher Wegmans School of Pharmacy also attended the legislative sessions.