The representative of American Pharmacists Association, Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner (PhD in pharmacy), joined government officials few weeks ago to start the initiatives aiming at improving patients’ medication use and health awareness.
Rodriguez de Bittner and U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona participated in a few high-profile media events Sept. 9 to 10. One of them was an introduction of Carmona’s satellite media tour to promote his new OTC drug guide, made in cooperation with the National Council on Patient Information and Education and titled “Be MedWise Prescription for Taking OTC Medicines.”
Rodriguez de Bittner and Josefina Carbonell, assistant secretary for aging in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, took part in a U.S. Administration on Aging press conference that spotlighted the needs of senior citizens’ medication management. Carbonell talked about the role of the pharmacist as a relevant advisor to seniors and their caregivers.
In her speech delivered in English and Spanish, Rodriguez de Bittner persuaded seniors and pharmacists to do their best to improve medication use.
“We are delighted that pharmacists this week were given the prominence the deserve as consumers’ medication experts,” said John Gans, Pharm.D., APhA executive vice president. “These media events show that APhA is recognized as the association [that] represents all pharmacists. We’ve reinforced our position as the natural go-to resource for journalists covering pharmacists consumers and medications.”
