[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17767]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH

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                           HON. AUSTIN SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 20, 2013

  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, pharmacy is one of the 
oldest of the health professions concerned with the health and well-
being of all people.
  Today, there are more than 300,000 pharmacists licensed in the United 
States providing services to ensure the safe and effective use of all 
medications.
  The safe and effective use of medication, as a cost-effective 
alternative and a preventative mechanism to avoid more expensive 
medical procedures, is a major force in moderating overall health care 
costs.
  It is important that all users of prescription and nonprescription 
medications, their families or their caregivers, be knowledgeable about 
and share responsibility for their own drug therapy.
  Pharmacists have extensive education and expertise on drugs and 
medication therapy, which makes them ideally suited to work 
collaboratively with patients and their health care team members to 
improve medication use and outcomes.
  Pharmacists provide patients with expertise, knowledge and 
accessibility, all crucial factors to support improvement in our 
nation's public health.
  Pharmacists are best positioned to be the health care professionals 
to help patients improve their adherence to their medications, and 
provide patient care services that ensure optimal medication therapy 
outcomes.
  The American Pharmacists Association has declared October as American 
Pharmacists Month with the theme ``Know Your Pharmacist, Know Your 
Medicine.'' I rise today to join my colleagues and the American 
Pharmacists Association in recognizing October as American Pharmacists 
Month.
  Today's health fair is excellent demonstration of the important 
preventative health services our community pharmacies provide to many 
in rural towns and cities in Georgia and across the country. I call 
upon all Americans to acknowledge the valuable services of pharmacists 
to provide safe, affordable and beneficial patient care services and 
medications to all citizens.

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