DCI News

Jefferson City, Mo– The Missouri Board of Pharmacy is launching a community public awareness program called “RX Cares for Missouri”, an initiative geared towards promoting medication safety in the state of Missouri.  

Because of their professional experience as “drug experts, pharmacists play a key role in protecting patients and improving their overall health. The “RX Cares for Missouri” initiative is part of the Board’s ongoing effort to educate Missourians on ways pharmacists can help consumers increase their health by taking medication safely and appropriately. This educational campaign will provide information and answer questions on many topics consumers might have regarding their overall health and wellness including:

• Appropriate ways to take prescription medication
• Tips for talking with a pharmacist
• Recognizing the effects and signs of prescription drug misuse 
• Avoiding medication mistakes, and
• Proper medication disposal.  

According to Board President Christian Tadrus, Pharm.D., "Pharmacists are widely available medication experts, yet their knowledge is often underutilized by healthcare teams and by the public. They are specifically trained to help minimize risk and to optimize medication therapy outcomes.” 

Tadrus continues, “Through this initiative, the Missouri Board of Pharmacy hopes to raise awareness of the positive impact these healthcare professionals can have on the health and safety of all Missouri residents." 

The launch takes place on October 15^thand coincides with American Pharmacists Month, a national celebration sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association to recognize pharmacists’ contributions to health care and the vital role pharmacists play in providing patient care. 

“I applaud the efforts of our Missouri Board of Pharmacy,” said Chlora Lindley-Myers, director of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. “This educational campaign will enable consumers to have a more beneficial relationship with their pharmacists and will help improve the health and safety of Missouri consumers.”

The “RX Cares for Missouri” campaign theme and central message - STOP. ASK. BE SAFE. YOUR PHARMACIST KNOWS. - will bring awareness to the wide array of services pharmacists can provide such as:

• Medication management and counseling, including, management/counseling for chronic pain or conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, high cholesterol and smoking cessation
• Medication review and assessment
• Developing medication treatment plans 
• Administering vaccines and other prescribed medication, and
• Monitoring and evaluating the patient’s response to therapy to increase medication outcomes.                       

Additional information about the “RX Cares for Missouri” initiative is available onlineat www.rxcaresformo.org                                                                                                                       

About the Missouri Board of Pharmacy

The Missouri Board of Pharmacy was statutorily created in 1909 by House Bill 87 and has proudly served the citizens of Missouri for over 100 years. The Board of Pharmacy is an autonomous Board within the Division of Professional Registration, an agency of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration.

It is the mission of the Board of Pharmacy and the Division of Professional Registration to serve and protect the public by providing an accessible, responsible and accountable regulatory system that:

• Protects the public from incompetency, misconduct, gross negligence, fraud, misrepresentation or dishonesty;
• Licenses only "qualified" professionals by examination and evaluation of minimum competency, and;
• Enforces standards by implementing legislation and administrative rules.

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapters 610, RSMo, the Board maintains records of all of its proceedings for both open and closed session meetings. The public may request access to open records by writing to the Missouri Board of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 625, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Find out more at https://pr.mo.gov/pharmacists-about-the-board.asp.