Access to health care
In the face of the pandemic, NCL applauded the inclusion of COBRA subsidies in the HEROES Act to provide relief for millions of consumers losing their employer-based coverage. NCL celebrated the inclusion of surprise billing protections in the COVID Relief Omnibus bill to ensure consumers no longer fall prey to thousands of dollars in medical bills arising from emergency out-of-network care.
NCL supports continued reforms to make health care more affordable. NCL conducted a digital ad campaign geared towards human resources and insurance plan professionals advocating that assistance from copay accumulator programs be applied to patients’ out-of-pocket costs. NCL went on record in support of pharmacy copay assistance programs that help consumers afford their prescription medicines. Staff testified in support of the reauthorization of the FDA Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA) and Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) to ensure the FDA has the resources it needs to speed patient access to safe, affordable medicines.
Maternal health
Minority women suffer disproportionately from preterm birth. While there is not enough known about the cause, the FDA has recommended that the one agency-approved treatment to reduce preterm birth, hydroxyprogesterone caproate or “17P,” be withdrawn from the market. In June, NCL led a collaboration with 14 diverse health organizations and providers on a letter to the FDA urging the agency to protect patient access to 17P, a critical therapy that reduces the risk of preterm birth.
To further highlight this issue, NCL produced and hosted a podcast on preterm birth with Dr. Joia Adele Crear-Perry, founder and president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, and Dr. Kelle H Moley, Senior VP and Chief Science Officer at March of Dimes.
Counterfeit drugs: FakeRx
To reach consumers, NCL aired a FakeRx PSA during the daytime talk show, The Real, warning consumers of the dangers of taking counterfeit or illicit medication. In 2020, the Fraud.org/fakerx site underwent a redesign, which NCL highlighted during a webinar hosted by NeedyMeds. NCL’s advocacy efforts included moderating and participating in a panel composed of policy experts to discuss the dangers of counterfeit drugs in the era of COVID-19.
Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge
The 10th annual Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge has officially launched! The Team Challenge is a competition that engages health profession students and faculty, encouraging teams to develop creative grassroots initiatives to raise the levels of adherence. In 2021, 29 pharmacy schools will compete to foster medication adherence values in their communities. Teams will also contribute to their local COVID-19 response via vaccine confidence and pandemic-related education efforts.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges, 26 schools across 14 states participated and nearly 2,900 future healthcare professionals and volunteers engaged in outreach. Collectively, the teams counseled nearly 12,000 patients and introduced Script Your Future messaging to more than 430,000 consumers. Teams also implemented vaccine confidence messaging in their outreach.
Each year we solicit the support of our partners to help evaluate applications and select the best performing teams. Your valued input helps us recognize six deserving teams for their efforts in fostering medication adherence values. Click here to express interest in serving as a reviewer in this year’s Team Challenge. We will be in touch in the coming weeks with additional information.
COVID-19 response
NCL continued to pursue its mission to protect and empower consumers via its COVID-19 response. To better inform consumers during these uncertain times, NCL has hosted virtual briefings with then-FDA Commissioner, Dr. Stephen Hahn, released policy statements, and posted consumer-focused blogs on equitable access to COVID-19 testing and treatment, and vaccine confidence. NCL also testified several times before the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, and at the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Vaccine and Related Biologics Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) to ensure the consumer voice is heard in the COVID-19 vaccine development process.
To further engage with consumers, NCL hosted a Facebook Live interview with Dr. Lisa Larkin, CEO of Ms. Medicine. Dr. Larkin addressed consumer concerns regarding the access continuum of care and preventive services during the pandemic. NCL hosted web briefings with the American Clinical Lab Association and Quest Diagnostics calling for enhanced infrastructure for COVID-19 testing.
Vaccines
Throughout the fall, NCL’s health team has testified before the CDC Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices (ACIP) and FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). NCL testified in support of three standing priorities, which include safety and effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine, the responsible use of Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs), and diversity in clinical trials. NCL also prioritized the support of enhanced infrastructure for vaccine confidence and the promotion of consumer awareness of their overwhelming safety and efficacy.
Campaign: Consumers for Safe CBD
Over the past 12 months, the Consumers for Safe CBD campaign has reached more than 740,000 people organically via social content and earned media. NCL also conducted a national satellite radio tour about the misleading claims made by CBD manufacturers, reaching about 1,500 radio outlets with an audience of nearly 1.9 million.
In June, NCL published a research paper bringing to light the unsubstantiated therapeutic claims made by CBD manufacturers and the practice of using “research as marketing.” NCL participated in a panel hosted by Third Way, a national think tank, discussing the findings of NCL’s white paper. NCL also sent letters to the NY Department of Health and 23 attorneys general across the country to raise concerns about the sale of CBD products in their states claiming to have therapeutic properties for COVID-19.
In the fall, NCL met with House and Senate health committees, urging Congress not to bypass the FDA to regulate CBD products. NCL opposed The Hemp and Hemp-derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020 (HR 8179), which would legally classify CBD as a dietary supplement, bypassing the rigorous FDA review process. In further federal advocacy, NCL joined two other consumer groups in meeting with the FDA CBD Policy Working Group and submitted a follow-up letter urging the FDA to expand its enforcement of CBD labeling and ingredients found in retail products already in the marketplace.
Health Advisory Council
In 2020, NCL welcomed new members Amgen, Latinos Against Alzheimer’s, and MANA, a National Latina Organization to the Council.
On June 19, NCL hosted its inaugural virtual Health Advisory Council meeting, including a panel discussion focused on how frontline healthcare workers are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. The program featured an interview with Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), followed by a panel discussion with Lori Freeman, Executive Director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Lisa Stand, Senior Policy Advisor at the American Nurses Association, and Dr. Martha Dawson, President of the National Black Nurses Association.
At NCL’s December 4 virtual meeting, we moderated a panel discussion addressing health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists included Dr. Linda Fu, General Pediatrician and Director of Academic Development for Community Pediatrics at Children’s National Health System; Dr. Martha Dawson, President of National Black Nurses Association; and Dr. Fabian Sandoval, CEO and Research Director at Emerson Clinical Research Institute.
