UB PharmD students advocate at Pharmacy Lobby Day in Albany

Pharmacy Lobby Day is an annual advocacy event where student pharmacists and professionals meet with state legislators to discuss key issues impacting the pharmacy profession and patient care. It provides an opportunity to educate lawmakers on the value of pharmacists and to advocate for legislative changes that improve health care delivery.

The SPPS Student Pharmacists' Association of Western New York (SPAWNY) organized this year’s event, with more than 30 UB PharmD students traveling to Albany alongside Karl Williams, JD, MBA, BS ’80, director of professional affairs and clinical professor of pharmacy practice. They were joined by pharmacy students from across New York State.

“Pharmacy Lobby Day is not simply advocacy—it is a professional obligation,” says Mohamad Ghazi, MPH ’22, PharmD ’27, SPAWNY president. “It is our collective voice to protect patient access, advance the role of pharmacists in health care, and ensure that no individual or community is left without the care and guidance they deserve.”

Meetings took place with Senators Rob Ortt, Stephen Chan, Toby Ann Stavisky and Mario R. Mattera, as well as Assemblymembers Sam Berger, Michael Cashman and James Skoufis, to advocate for the following legislation:

• Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform: Aims to increase transparency, fair reimbursement and regulation of PBM practices to protect community pharmacies and ensure patient access to medications.
• Reimbursement Reform (PAPA Bill): The Pharmacy Access and Patient Protection Act (PAPA Bill), aims to establish fair and sustainable reimbursement for pharmacies, prevent below-cost payments and protect patient access to essential pharmacy services.
• Expanded Scope of Practice (Test and Treat): Authorizes pharmacists to test and treat patients for common illnesses, improving timely access to care.

“When your loved ones, your parents, and your grandparents are at their most vulnerable, uncertain about their medications, concerned about their health, or seeking guidance, they turn to us,” Ghazi adds. “As pharmacists, we are among the most accessible and trusted health care providers, serving our communities at the moments that matter most. Yet, with the recent closure of pharmacies, access to this essential care is being compromised, creating a growing gap between patients and the support they rely on.”