PLAID Day creates conversation between students and legislators

This year’s PLAID Day, held Monday, Dec. 2, welcomed Senator Michael Ranzenhofer and Senator Patrick Gallivan, along with Legislative Directors Rick Rodgers and Joseph Popiolkowski, to take part in conversations with over 120 first-year pharmacy students. Executive board members from the Student Pharmacist Association of Western New York (SPAWNY) were also present to offer guidance and advocate for the profession.

Students came to the event ready to discuss three key issues with legislators: immunization expansion in New York State, clinical laboratory improvement amendments (CLIA)-waived testing and comprehensive medication management.

Immunization expansion makes permanent the current law allowing pharmacists to immunize, allows pharmacists to administer all CDC-recommended vaccines (currently, only a few vaccines are approved for pharmacist administration), and allows for a statewide standing order for all pharmacists to immunize.

CLIA-waived testing allows pharmacists to perform clinical laboratory tests that do not use invasive modalities to expedite treatment for HIV, influenza, strep and diabetes. This can potentially reduce ER visits and improve chronic disease monitoring while advancing public health goals.

Comprehensive medication management authorizes a physician to refer patients to a pharmacist for services related to medications for treating chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD, high cholesterol and high blood pressure through established written protocols.

“The most important point of this event is that students learn about legislative advocacy and got an opportunity to talk to legislators about issues pertaining to them,” says Kira Voyer (PharmD ’21), SPAWNY president.  “From here, we will work on local grassroots efforts and visits to the legislators in the area on a smaller scale to reiterate the points we made.”