Published On: March 1, 2018283 words1.7 min readCategories: Press ReleaseTags:

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Arlington, Va. – At the invitation of The White House, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) participated in today’s White House Opioid Summit that featured the involvement of President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and members of the President’s Cabinet, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

NACDS Vice President of Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Kevin Nicholson represented NACDS at the event, which included panels on education, prevention, treatment and law enforcement.

NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, expressed appreciation for pharmacy’s continued recognition by the Administration as an essential part of the proactive discussion of opioid issues.

“From the front lines of healthcare delivery, NACDS members have a lot to offer to the national discussion and to the national commitment to address the opioid abuse epidemic,” Anderson said. “Just as NACDS has been invited to participate in prior Administration meetings on this crucial issue, we appreciate what has been an open invitation for pharmacy to engage as a working partner to enhance the wellbeing of familes, of communities and of the nation.

“NACDS continues to work collaboratively to advance the four new public policy recommendations that we announced in October 2017. These new recommendations are intended to build on pharmacy’s long-standing work in the areas of compliance programs; helping to pioneer and advance electronic prescribing; fostering safe prescription drug disposal; patient education; security initiatives; promoting naloxone access; stopping illegal online drug-sellers and rogue clinics; and more.”