Pharmacy Deserts
What to Know: “Pharmacy deserts”—areas without pharmacies—are growing, as pandemic lockdowns have forced the closure of many small drug stores.
The TPPF Take: Here’s where allowing doctors to dispense medicines to patients would be helpful.
“Efforts to expand physicians’ ability to dispense drugs are contested by The Texas State Board of Pharmacy,” says TPPF’s David Balat. “Their primary stated reasons for opposition are patient safety, the need for regulatory oversight, and potential conflicts of interest. Even though all of these points have been debunked, Texas is still one of five states in the nation that does not allow for a competitive option that is safe and affordable.”