Rising drug costs attract seniors to illegal online pharmacies: ASOP Global, CSIP, and NCL join forces to keep older Americans safe – National Consumers League

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June 6, 2016

Contact: ECI Communications, Caren Kagan Evans, caren_kaganevans@ecicommunications.com, 301-998-6114, 301-467-6337 (cell), or ECI Communications, Rachel Evans, rachel.evans@ecicommunications.com, 301-998-6114, 301-467-6167 (cell), or NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—With an estimated 49.5% growth of the U.S. senior population by 2030 and out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries skyrocketing*, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP Global), Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and National Consumers League (NCL) are joining forces to educate seniors and their caregivers about the health and financial risks associated with buying prescription medicines from illegal or rogue online pharmacies.

“10,000 people turn 65 years of age every day in the U.S.,” explained ASOP Global Executive Director Libby Baney. “Escalating costs for hundreds of drugs prescribed to treat chronic conditions not necessarily covered fully by Medicare make it more likely that seniors, who often are living on fixed incomes, will turn to the Internet to look for less expensive options. For twelve specialty drugs used to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Hepatitis C, Medicare Part D enrollees face at least $4,000 and as much as nearly $12,000 in annual out-of-pocket costs in 2016 for one drug alone,” she added.

A recent review of more than 11,000 websites selling prescription medications online to U.S. consumers found approximately 96% do not comply with U.S. laws and 50% of medicines sold online are fake or counterfeit.  They contain little or no active ingredients and/or dangerous and often deadly poisons, including floor wax, mercury, concrete, chalk, boric acid, road tar, paint or anti-freeze. Interpol estimates that counterfeit medicines are responsible for up to one million deaths annually worldwide.

“Our research shows that lower prices and convenience of shopping online are the two biggest factors driving consumers to the Internet, making older Americans easy targets for illegal online drug sellers offering ‘too good to be true’ discounts for fake or unapproved versions of the lifesaving medicines they depend on,” said Marjorie Clifton, executive director of the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies. “The criminal networks who develop fake websites have become very savvy in creating sites that are difficult to detect by even the most sophisticated consumers and law enforcement. This is why it is imperative that consumers are informed and our organizations are working together to do everything they can to shut down illegitimate sites.”

The majority of older Americans own a computer, smartphone or tablet and almost 60% of older Americans use the Internet on a regular basis.  Financial scams aimed at seniors, including counterfeit medicines sold online, are so prevalent that they are now considered “the crime of the 21st century” by the National Council on Aging.

“In addition to the health risks associated with buying prescription medicines online, the threat is further exacerbated by the fact that unknowing seniors provide these criminals with personal and credit card information, putting them at risk for fraud and identity theft,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League.

* In a 2016 AARP report, the average cost for a year’s supply of the 622 prescription medicines most widely used by people over the age of 65 doubled between 2007 and 2013 to more than $11,000 – almost half of the median income for Medicare beneficiaries. 

How to stay safe online

To stay safe seniors and their caregivers should avoid websites that: (1) do not require a valid prescription; (2) sell prescription medications simply by completing an online questionnaire; (3) offer drastically discounted prices; (4) do not have a licensed pharmacist available for consultation; (5) do not display a physical street address; (6) offer to ship prescriptions from other countries to the U.S.; and (7) are not verified by the National Association of State Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Consumers are encouraged to buy from sites ending in .pharmacy (e.g., “www.340B.pharmacy), which are verified by NABP.  In addition, online pharmacies that display the VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) Seal have successfully undergone NABP’s rigorous screening process.

For more information about illegal online pharmacies and counterfeit medicines, consumers should visit www.XtheRisk.com.  For help paying for prescriptions, seniors or caregivers should contact Needy Meds or the Partnership for Prescription Assistance.

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About the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP Global)

Founded in 2009, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies is an international 501(c)(4) social welfare organization dedicated to protecting patient safety globally and ensuring access to safe and legitimate online pharmacies in accordance with applicable laws.

About the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP)

The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 and represents the technology sector and Internet intermediaries.  CSIP’s mission is to promote best practices in the technology and commerce industries and educate consumers about safe shopping online.

About the National Consumers League (NCL)

The National Consumers League (NCL) has been representing consumers and workers on marketplace and workplace issues since 1899. One of NCL’s long-term projects is the Fraud Center (www.fraud.org), which was launched in 1992 to give consumers the information they need to avoid becoming victims of telemarketing and Internet fraud.

NCL issues warning to teens: Avoid these most dangerous summer jobs – National Consumers League

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June 3, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—As millions of American teenagers begin summer jobs this month, a national child labor watchdog group is issuing a warning to avoid this year’s most dangerous seasonal work. The National Consumers League (NCL), the country’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy group, founded in 1899 to fight child labor, issued its annual report on the worst jobs for teens, with work in tobacco fields topping the list.

“Nearly 5,000 workers die on the job each year in the United States, an average of 13 workers a day. Tragically, some of those workers are teenagers,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Summer jobs are a great American tradition, a wonderful learning and earning opportunity. But each teen worker death causes irreparable suffering and pain to the families, friends, and communities of these youth. Today we issue our annual warning to serve as a reminder to teens and parents that there are jobs that pose extreme risks to youth workers and should be avoided at all costs.”

Thousands of American children are hurt on the job each year, approximately one every 9 minutes, according to the Children’s Safety Network. In a typical year, 20-30 U.S. children will die on the job, although the statistics are generally trending in the right direction; 20 years ago, that number was 70+ per year. In 2012, 29 children died while working. In 2013, that number fell sharply to 14, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Unfortunately, progress isn’t always steady. The teen work death toll increased from 14 in 2013 to 21 in 2014—the latest year for which we have data. “We hope that the increase does not represent a trend,” said Greenberg.

The 2016 report names five job categories that present an above average risk of injury or fatality. It also provides practical advice for staying safe as well as tips for parents and employers to help make teen work safer.

NCL’s 2016 Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens 

  • Tobacco harvester
  • Agriculture: Harvesting crops and using machinery
  • Traveling youth sales crews
  • Construction and height work
  • Outside helper: Landscaping, grounds keeping and lawn service 

“Many teens lack the experience and sense of caution needed to protect themselves from dangerous conditions on the job,” said Reid Maki, director of child labor advocacy and report author. “In addition, they are often reluctant to challenge authority or  ask for safety information. Their judgment and ability to exercise caution is still developing. Parents should keep a close eye on the type of work their children perform and encourage kids to tell their employer, ‘I’m sorry, that seems dangerous.’”

NCL’s Five Most Dangerous Jobs for Teens encourages youth workers to say “no” when certain dangerous tasks are requested. NCL includes the following blacklist of jobs that involve any of the following tasks:

  • door-to-door sales, especially out of the youth’s neighborhood;
  • long-distance traveling away from parental supervision;
  • extensive driving or being driven;
  • driving forklifts, tractors, and other potentially dangerous vehicles;
  • the use of dangerous machinery;
  • the use of chemicals;
  • working in grain storage facilities; and
  • work on ladders or roofs or other work that involves heights where there is a risk of falling.

Recent on-the-job deaths of American teens

Over time, government agencies, NCL, and other youth advocates have tracked the categories of jobs that have proved most dangerous to teens, and NCL’s report is intended to make teens and their parents aware of those dangers. However, teens are injured and even killed working jobs that don’t fall into the most dangerous jobs categories.

  • Farmhand Heather Marie Barley, 17, of Buckley, Michigan, died suddenly while working on a hog farm in December 2015. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide were suspected to have come from a steam generator connected to a pressure washer.
  • On his first day on the job feeding tree limbs into a wood chipper, in December 2015, 19-year-old Mason Cox in Gastonia, North Carolina died instantly when his body was pulled into the chipper. His employer was so disturbed by the incident that he had a heart attack.
  • December 2015: 19-year-old Oscar Martin-Refugio was shot in the heart by robbers as he worked in a Bridgeport, Connecticut pizza shop. He died soon after.
  • Grant Thompson, 18, died from a snakebite while working in his parents’ pet shop in Austin, Texas in July 2015.
  • In October 2014, 18-year-old Jeremy McSpadden, Jr., of Spokane Valley, Washington was working as an actor at a Halloween haunted hayride when he died tragically after losing his footing and falling under the rear wheel of a bus.

To read the full report, click here (PDF).

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League (NCL), founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL chairs the Child Labor Coalition, which seeks to remove children from work that threatens their health or development. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org or www.stopchildlabor.org.

Consumer groups oppose H.R, 5230, demand real protection from pyramid schemes – National Consumers League

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June 2, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, and four national consumer groups, today called on members of the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose H.R. 5230, the Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act of 2016. The bill, which is currently pending before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, purports to strengthen consumer protections from fraudulent pyramid schemes. In reality, it would rob the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of its ability to protect Americans from all but the most egregious forms of pyramid schemes.

The FTC has consistently stated that a critical difference between a legitimate multi-level marketing (MLM) business and a pyramid scheme is that an MLM succeeds primarily by retailing products and services. In contrast, an illegal pyramid scheme incentivizes recruitment over retail sales and induces participants to focus on recruiting distributors who typically must pay to join the business opportunity. This characterization has been developed and embraced by over 40 years of case law. Unfortunately, H.R. 5230 would remove this core tenet and instead provide numerous carve outs and exemptions for pyramid schemes masquerading as MLMs.

“Despite its positive name, H.R. 5230 undercuts the FTC’s ability to protect consumers from pyramid schemes disguised as legitimate direct sellers,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “Consumers should not be put at risk by legislation designed to give a pass to all but the most blatant pyramid schemes.” 

The groups cited numerous ways that the bill would weaken current prohibitions on pyramid scheme activity, including: 

  • Relieving MLMs of the need to have actual customers outside the distributor network. This would allow MLM operators to simply sell distributors on the idea of joining an endless chain, instead of operating their own retail business.
  • Allowing an MLM parent company to profit off a churning base of recruits who, in an effort to qualify for rewards, are urged repeatedly to purchase directly from the parent company.
  • Eliminating anti-pyramiding safeguards that were put in place after the FTC’s landmark 1979 Amway decision. Those important consumer protections require companies that want to be regarded as legitimate MLMs ensure that sales by distributors are made primarily to customers outside of the distribution network.
  • Giving MLMs permission to engage in purchase and recruiting behaviors the courts have already identified as endemic to illegal pyramid schemes.

Signatories of the letter included Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Watchdog, the National Consumers League and U.S. PIRG.

To read the full letter, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL calls on FCC to require strong data security rules for Internet service providers – National Consumers League

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May 27, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, has submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the FCC’s broadband privacy notice of proposed rulemaking.

Should an internet service provider (ISP) data breach occur, the personal information of millions of consumers including their browsing history, could fall into the hands of hackers and identity thieves. Because of this risk, NCL has called for ISPs, and the third parties that they share their data with, to be subject to robust data security rules including:

  • Mandating that broadband internet access services (BIAS) providers implement high, minimum baseline data security measures such as multi-factor authentication;

  • Limiting the collection of consumers’ personal data, such as their browsing history; and

  • Mandatory breach notification to consumers should their data be compromised.

ISPs are in a unique position in the Internet ecosystem. Due to the large amounts of consumer data that flows across their networks, there is a heightened risk to consumers should those networks be compromised in a data breach. NCL has long advocated for a comprehensive data security and breach notification law that covers all entities that collect, store and use consumers’ data. The FCC’s proposed rules are an important first step in that direction, requiring a key player in the Internet ecosystem to abide by strong data security and privacy rules.

“Given the sensitive nature of the data ISPs have access to and the growing number of data breaches affecting consumers, it is imperative that ISPs be required to do all they can to protect the privacy and security of their customers’ data,” stated John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “We commend the FCC for taking action to require that ISPs abide by strong and comprehensive data security and breach notifications rules.”

To read NCL’s full comments, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League statement on end of Verizon strike – National Consumers League

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May 28, 2016

Contact: Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League today applauded the news that the 45-day work stoppage at Verizon has reached a successful conclusion. The following statement  is attributable to Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL:

“The agreement in principle to resolve the concerns of striking workers from CWA and IBEW is an example of how business and labor can come together for mutual benefit.  Giving workers a seat at the table is in the best tradition of American commerce. Good jobs with good wages and benefits help working families do well, which benefits the overall economy. We applaud, in particular, the assistance of a talented and determined Secretary of Labor in helping the parties reach this important agreement.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL’s Breyault testifies in support of legislation to reform the rigged live event ticket industry – National Consumers League

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May 24, 2016

Contact: Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, today testified before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade in support of legislation to reform a live event ticketing marketplace that is rigged against fans.

Currently, less than half of available tickets go up for sale to the general public for a typical event. For example, less than 300,000 of Adele’s 750,000 available tickets from her 2016 North American Tour were made available to the general public. The majority of tickets are diverted to fanclubs, premium credit card holders, and the stars themselves, who often scalp their own tickets on the secondary market. Of the minority of tickets that ever make it to general sale, Ticketmaster has stated that 60 percent of those tickets may be purchased by sophisticated computer programs called “bots” that can electronically jump the line to buy hundreds or thousands of tickets in a matter of seconds. Those tickets are then resold through brokers at greatly inflated prices.

“The modern ticket-buying experience is too often an exercise in frustration for fans who want only to see their favorite artists or sports teams at a fair price,” said John Breyault, NCL’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud, who spoke at the hearing. “Due to a backdoor system of private sales, secret ticket diversions, rampant use of ticket-buying ‘bots’ and unscrupulous broker practices, the average music and sports fan falls victim to a rigged system. To address the broken ticket marketplace, Congressional action is sorely needed.”

NCL spoke in support of H.R. 5245, the Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act of 2016 (“BOSS ACT”), introduced by Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ). The BOSS ACT offers comprehensive solutions that will significantly improve fan ticket buying experiences. By requiring greater transparency in the primary ticketing market, prohibiting egregious broker practices like undisclosed speculative ticketing, and limiting the ability of connected insiders to divert tickets to the secondary market, the BOSS ACT would lead to critical structural reforms in the ticketing marketplace.

To access Breyault’s full testimony, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts students recognized for community service leadership with Safety Smart® scholarships – National Consumers League

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May 24, 2016

National Consumers League-UL partnership brings science, health, safety, citizenship lessons to elementary classrooms via teen leadership program

Contact: National Consumers League, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—LifeSmarts, the national consumer literacy educational program and scholarship opportunity for students in grades 6-12, has announced this year’s group of students who have been awarded scholarships for their outstanding participation in its Safety Smart® Ambassador program, a community service project offered to students in partnership with UL. The Safety Smart Ambassador program is a service learning and leadership opportunity, which enables teens to teach elementary-level educational lessons to younger students on topics ranging from health and safety to citizenship. Safety Smart is a UL-created program that, in the last three years, has been made available to LifeSmarts participants.

This year, LifeSmarts participants from 21 states participated in Safety Smart Ambassador program, making 130 presentations to 3,150 young children during March and April. This year’s six scholarship winners, chosen among 25 entries, hail from schools across the country and each received a $1,000 post-secondary scholarship. Winners were chosen based on applications judged for criteria including evidence of personal growth, size of audiences presented to, number of presentations, and the quality of presentations.

“For the past three years LifeSmarts has partnered with UL on its Safety Smart Ambassador program to provide a way for LifeSmarts students to give back through community service,” said Lisa Hertzberg, LifeSmarts program director. “LifeSmarts students become Safety Smart Ambassadors by delivering interactive safety messages to younger children in their communities, and we were so pleased at their participation and leadership.”

2016 LifeSmarts Safety Smart scholarship recipients

  • Luke Dyer, Blair Oaks High School, Jefferson City, MO (two-year scholarship recipient)
  • David Korn, Flagstaff Home Educators, Flasgstaff, AZ
  • Austin Lin, Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE
  • Mary Pennington, Indiana Academy of Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, Muncie, IN
  • Kyle Schulte, Blair Oaks High School, Jefferson City, MO
  • Abigail Taylor, Iola High School, Iola, KS

“The LifeSmarts students who become Safety Smart Ambassadors not only develop leadership skills, but they gain a deeper understanding of environmental, health, and safety issues. This prepares them to perform better in both LifeSmarts competition and in real life,” said Hertzberg. “The LifeSmarts-Safety Smart partnership is win-win.”

“At UL, we truly appreciate this partnership with LifeSmarts and the opportunity to get our Safety Smart messages into communities across the country, via some of America’s brightest youth ‘Ambassadors,’” said Cara Gizzi, Director Safety Education & Outreach. “It is inspiring to see LifeSmarts students embrace the Safety Smart Ambassador program, and to provide education and mentoring to younger children, while learning about themselves in the process.”

Six additional $1000 scholarships will be awarded in December 2016. For more information, visit LifeSmarts.org/SafetySmart.

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About LifeSmarts and the National Consumers League

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

About UL

UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for more than 120 years. Its nearly 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, verification, validation, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit https://www.UL.com.

NCL letter to Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism on ransomware – National Consumers League

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May 17, 2016

The Honorable Lindsey Graham
Chairman
Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

RE: Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism Hearing on “Ransomware: Understanding the Threat and Exploring Solutions”

Dear Senators Graham and Whitehouse:

Ransomware has rapidly developed into a major threat to both consumers and businesses.  In the first three months of 2016, cyber criminals have extorted a reported $209 million from businesses, industry and consumers, up from $24 million in all of 2015.[1]  If this pace continues, hackers will collect $1 billion from business and consumers this year.[2] The rise of ransomware has had a detrimental effect on commerce and consumers as hackers have demanded ransoms and halted operations at schools,[3] government agencies,[4] small businesses,[5] utilities[6] and hospitals in growing numbers across the country. 

Ransomware can cost its victims more than just money. In March, MedStar Health, a $5 billion health care provider suffered a ransomware attack that prevented the hospital from accessing email and health records, resulting in many patients in need of treatment being turned away.[7] Likewise, Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital recently faced a similar attack and was forced to pay $17,000 to hackers if they wanted to regain access to their clients’ medical records. [8]

While ransomware is a grave threat, it is but one symptom of the larger threat that a lack of data security poses to consumers and organizations. To significantly reduce the risk of ransomware and other online threats, we urge the subcommittee to consider the legislative steps that NCL outlined in our 2015 Congressional Data Security Agenda.[9] In particular, we urge the subcommittee to support solutions that:

  • grant the Federal Trade Commission the authority they need to protect consumer’s data by granting the Commission civil penalty authority and clarifying its role as the primary authority in data protection; 
  • require data holders to abide by reasonable data security requirements that would stem not only ransomware attacks but which would also prevent data breaches that cause the loss of consumer data that cyber criminals use to steal identities; 
  • increase federal civil and criminal penalties for hacking to deter potential cyber criminals; and
  • Promote robust cyber insurance underwriting standards.

Many of these protections have already been proposed in several bills this Congress. In particular, we note Senator Leahy’s Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 is supported by NCL [10] and numerous consumer and public interest organizations.[11][12][13][14]

We urge you to support the proposals we have outlined in this letter as you explore solutions to the growing threat ransomware poses to consumers and commerce.

Sincerely,

Sally Greenberg
Executive Director
National Consumers League

[1]Finkle, Jim. “Ransomware: Extortionist hackers borrow customer-service tactics,” Reuters. April 12, 2016. Online: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-ransomware-idUSKCN0X917X

[2] Fitzpatrick, David and Griffin, Drew. “Cyber-extortion losses skyrocket, says FBI,” CNN Money. April 15, 2016. Online: https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/15/technology/ransomware-cyber-security/

[3] Fitzpatrick, David, and Drew Griffin. “Ransomware’ Crime Wave Growing.” CNN Money. April 4, 2016. https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/04/technology/ransomware-cybercrime/

[4]  Bennett, Cory. “DHS: Ransomware Attacks Widely Targeting Feds.” The Hill. March 30, 2016. https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/274724-dhs-ransomware-attacks-widely-targeting-feds 

[5] Simon, Ruth. “Ransomware’ a Growing Threat to Small Businesses.” Wall Street Journal. April 15, 2015. https://www.wsj.com/articles/ransomware-a-growing-threat-to-small-businesses-1429127403

[6] Smith. “Ransomware Attack Forces Michigan Utility to Shut down Systems, Phone Lines, Email.” Networkworld. May 1, 2016. https://www.networkworld.com/article/3063773/security/michigan-utility-shuts-down-systems-phone-lines-email-after-ransomware-attack.html

[7] Cox, John Woodrow. “MedStar Health Turns Away Patients after Likely Ransomware Cyber Attack.” Washington Post. March 29, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/medstar-health-turns-away-patients-one-day-after-cyberattack-on-its-computers/2016/03/29/252626ae-f5bc-11e5-a3ce-f06b5ba21f33_story.html

[8]McLaughlin, Jenna. “Hackers Attempt to Hold Capitol Hill Data for Ransom.” The Intercept. May 10, 2016. https://theintercept.com/2016/05/10/hackers-attempt-to-hold-capitol-hill-data-for-ransom/

[9] “2015 Congressional Data Security Agenda: A To-Do List for the 114th Congress.” SlideShare. December 9, 2014. https://www.slideshare.net/nationalconsumersleague/national-consumers-leagues-2015-cybersecurity-policy-agenda

[10] “National Consumers League Statement on Introduction of Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015.” National Consumers League. April 30, 2015. https://nclnet.org/consumer_privacy_protection_act_2015

[11] Bradshaw, Alex. “Consumer Privacy Protection Act is Data Breach Legislation We Can Support,” Center for Democracy and Technology. April 30, 2015. Online: https://cdt.org/blog/consumer-privacy-protection-act-is-data-breach-legislation-we-can-support/

[12] Stella, Shiva. “Public Knowledge Supports the Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015,” Public Knowledge. April 30, 2015. Online: https://www.publicknowledge.org/press-release/public-knowledge-supports-the-consumer-privacy-protection-act-of-2015

[13] Consumer Watchdog. “Consumer Watchdog Backs Consumer Privacy Protection Act Introduced By Sen. Leahy,” Press Release. April 30, 2015. Online: https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/consumer-watchdog-backs-consumer-privacy-protection-act-introduced-sen-leahy

[14] Consumer Federation of America. “Statement from Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy Concerning the Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015,” Press Release. April 30, 2015. Online: https://consumerfed.org/press_release/statement-from-susan-grant-director-of-consumer-protection-and-privacy-concerning-the-consumer-privacy-protection-act-of-2015/

 

National medication adherence campaign honors student leaders in multi-profession challenge – National Consumers League

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May 17, 2016

Fifth annual Script Your Future contest saw participation by 75 health profession schools hosting 300+ events in 19 states, and reaching more than 2 million consumers nationwide

Media contact: National Consumers League – Carol McKay, carolm@nclnet.org, (412) 945-3242 or Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC — Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) and its partners announced the winners of the fifth annual Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge, a competition designed to engage health profession students and faculty across the nation by encouraging teams to develop creative ideas, events, and initiatives to raise public awareness about the importance of medication adherence. This year’s winners are University of Charleston School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) and the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. 

The 2016 Medication Adherence Team Challenge is part of the national Script Your Future public awareness campaign coordinated by NCL and its 135+ public and private stakeholder organizations, which include Challenge sponsors—the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation, the American Medical Association (AMA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).

“The Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge has been an innovative method for our future healthcare professionals to engage with their local communities,” said Dr. Lucinda L. Maine, Executive Vice President and CEO at AACP. “The communication and events held in these communities provide essential information and strategies for patients to improve their medication adherence and ultimately their health outcomes.”

Research shows that nearly three out of four Americans do not take their medications as directed. This may lead to devastating results, particularly for people with chronic conditions. National health advocacy leaders have recognized poor medication adherence as a public health priority, the outcome of which leads to more than one-third of medicine-related hospitalizations and at least 125,000 U.S. deaths each year. Improved medication adherence leads to better health outcomes and reduced total health care costs, and it was for these reasons that NCL launched the Script Your Future awareness campaign in 2011. The Team Challenge was established as a way to extend campaign messages into medical and other health profession schools, and to nurture adherence-minded values in future generations of professionals entering the workplace.

“We were so impressed by the interprofessional collaborations and creativity of this year’s teams in reaching out to their communities to improve adherence,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “NCL’s recent survey research confirms the importance of good patient-provider communication in helping patients to take their medications as directed. We look forward to continuing to work with the next generation of health professionals as they seek to improve medication adherence and patient health.”

Top-performing teams are honored with a National Award for overall outstanding team achievement, or a Focused Award, which recognizes outstanding team achievement in the specific areas of health disparity/under-represented community outreach, media/communications outreach, or creative interprofessional team event. This year, the Script Your Future National Awards went to the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. The Focused awardees were: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) (Health Disparities), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) (Media) and the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (Creative Interprofessional Team Event).

“The lack of medication adherence in America is a disturbing phenomenon that undermines patient health and increases costs,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA. “Solving this problem requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and it is clear that health care providers, including pharmacists, can work together to drive greater adherence. That is why we strongly support the Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge, a contest for the next generation of health care professionals as they experiment with new ways to help patients take their medications as prescribed. Congratulations to this year’s very deserving award winners for their efforts.”

For this year’s Challenge, hundreds of future health care professionals held more than 320 events in 19 states, counseled more than 12,000 patients and reached more than 2.3 million consumers nationwide. Since the Challenge began in 2011, more than 9,500 future health care professionals have directly counseled more than 34,000 patients and reached more than 11 million consumers.

“Medication non-adherence is a key driver of health care costs and poor patient outcomes in our country. That’s why the AMA is a proud supporter of the Script Your Future Challenge aimed at promoting medication adherence through community outreach,” said AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. “The Challenge allows medical and pharmacy students, along with other health care professionals-in-training, to work together in teams to create innovative solutions to address this important public health issue and ultimately improve health outcomes for patients.”

“The Medication Adherence Team Challenge inspires students to develop efforts to boost medication adherence within their communities,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger. “This year’s Challenge participants demonstrated the tremendous power that health care professionals can have advancing patient care and improving public health through medication adherence. We’re very proud to be a part of this Program that fosters education and collaboration among faculty and students, allowing them to work side-by-side to advance the health of their communities.”

“Considering both their expertise and accessibility, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to help patients maximize the value of their prescription medications which includes highlighting the need for adherence. We are excited to be involved with the Medication Adherence Team Challenge and the strong message it sends to health care professionals and patients about the importance of medication adherence,” said APhA CEO Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD (Hon), FAPhA.

The recognized schools’ campaigns, selected from dozens of applications and 75 participating educational institutions, are listed below.

National Challenge Award: University of Charleston School of Pharmacy

The University of Charleston School of Pharmacy partnered with the University’s Physician Assistant Program and 18 student organizations to sponsor 20+ innovative medication adherence events and activities that reached 1.05 million people in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. The Charleston team participated in six health fairs, partnered with local hospitals, and provided direct patient counseling, point-of-care testing, and medication reviews to three underserved rural communities. Activities also included the distribution of 60,000 Script Your Future informational flyers through 29 locations of a large pharmacy chain, appearances on West Virginia Public Radio and local TV and radio shows, a Legislative Day, a 5K run and extensive social media outreach on the importance of medication adherence.         

National Challenge Award: University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy partnered with medical, dental, nursing and occupational therapy students to counsel more than 1,000 patients about proper medication adherence in community pharmacies, hospitals, medical clinics and senior community and living centers throughout Western Pennsylvania. The team’s targeted interventions included disease state-focused conversations including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and smoking cessation. 

The team’s social media platforms stressed the importance of medication adherence to nearly 75,000 people. In addition, the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy produced an excellent video with tips for improving medication adherence and recorded Script Your Future Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in 10 languages.

National Challenge Award: Finalists

The following schools were named Finalists under the National Award category: Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy, Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy (LECOM), Temple University School of Pharmacy, Touro University California College of Pharmacy and the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.     

FOCUSED AWARDS

Health Disparities/Under-represented Community Outreach Award: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)

Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) focused its outreach on underserved populations and those with health disparities, addressing both economic and cultural barriers to medication adherence. Examples of NEOMED’s efforts include work in two free clinics, a medical mission trip to Honduras and outreach to Hispanic patients through an appearance on a local TV show, translation of the Script Your Future PSA into Chinese and Russian, educational efforts in three underserved senior apartment complexes and outreach to underserved residents throughout Northeast Ohio.

Communication and Media Outreach Award: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For 2016, the Challenge incorporated a “Quality Video” component into the Media/Communications Outreach Focused Award in order to encourage the development of high-quality videos to promote medication adherence beyond the Challenge. This year’s Media/Communications Outreach Award went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). UNC-Chapel Hill also educated thousands of patients through social media and “Medication Adherence Awareness Month” proclamations in Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

Creative Inter-Professional Team Event Award: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy partnered with students from the University’s medical, dental, dental hygiene, nursing, law and social work schools to conduct 14 innovative events that raised awareness of the importance of taking medications as directed. Activities included participation in “Million Hearts Week,” educating 147 Maryland state legislators, teaming up with nursing students to educate patients on sodium intake and extensive interprofessional collaboration in which teams of students provided medication adherence education and Script Your Future wallet cards, direct patient counseling and point-of-care testing.

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About Script Your Future

Launched in 2011, Script Your Future is a campaign of the National Consumers League (NCL), a private, non-profit membership organization founded in 1899. NCL’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. As an advocacy organization, NCL is working to educate consumers and key health stakeholders on the importance of taking medication as directed. For more information about the Script Your Future campaign, visit ScriptYourFuture.org. For more information on NCL, please visit nclnet.org.  

National Consumers League statement on Maryland Attorney General action on structured settlements – National Consumers League

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May 16, 2016

Contact: Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, applauds action by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh to help consumers who are victims of predatory schemes designed to deprive them of their structured settlements. 

The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director:

“Structured settlements, by their very nature, are designed to provide ongoing support to consumers who have been the victims of harmful business practices. Unfortunately, many of these vulnerable consumers fall prey to criminals who seek to deprive them of their money by offering pennies on the dollar in lump-sum payments. The recent action by Attorney General Frosh addresses one of the most egregious incidents of this conduct that we have ever seen. Consumers like the late Freddie Gray, who have endured lead poisoning, deserve to be compensated adequately for the harm caused to them — harm that often permanently impairs their ability to earn a livelihood.”

NCL also urged Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to sign into law HB 535/SB 734, which would reform how structured settlements are administered in the state. The bill, which was passed with unanimous support in the Maryland General Assembly last month, will ensure that holders of a structured settlement are better protected from the kinds of unfair and deceptive practices that Attorney General Frosh’s enforcement actions are designed to stamp out.

“NCL has a long track record  on this issue, working with disability advocacy groups like the American Association of People with Disabilities and industry groups like the National Structured Settlements Trade Association, to shine a light on abusive practices in this industry,” said Greenberg. “It is our hope that the actions in Maryland and across the country will help protect the many consumers for whom a structured settlement is a financial lifeline.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.