Columbus, OH – On Wednesday, The Buckeye Institute submitted written testimony (see full text below or download a PDF) to the Ohio House State and Local Government Committee on the policies in House Bill 6, which would allow pharmacists to test for COVID-19 and administer COVID-19 vaccines—a recommendation that Buckeye made in the early days of the pandemic.
In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, highlighted that pharmacists play a “pivotal role” in fighting the pandemic and other illnesses, and that with an “estimated 90 percent of Americans liv[ing] within two miles of a pharmacy…authorizing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines…makes pharmacies critical access points for coronavirus testing, prevention, and treatment—especially important for rural areas facing health care shortages.”
Lawson urged lawmakers to remove “obstructive regulatory red-tape” to help fight the pandemic, which is “essential for Ohio’s long-term success.”
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Allow Pharmacists to Help Care for Ohioans
Interested Party Testimony; Ohio House State and Local Government Committee; House Bill 6
Greg R. Lawson, Research Fellow; The Buckeye Institute; February 17, 2021
Chair Wiggam, Vice Chair John, Ranking Member Kelly, and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony regarding House Bill 6 and Ohio’s need for regulatory reform.
My name is Greg R. Lawson. I am the research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, an independent research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to advance free-market public policy in the states.
House Bill 6 cuts through some of Ohio’s unnecessary regulatory red-tape and represents a commonsense approach to expanding testing and vaccination for COVID-19. As The Buckeye Institute explained during the early stages of the pandemic, pharmacists can play a pivotal role is this effort. By allowing pharmacists as well as pharmacy interns and technicians to order and administer the COVID-19 test, House Bill 6 will make testing more accessible across the state. An estimated 90 percent of Americans live within two miles of a pharmacy, so by authorizing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines House Bill 6 makes pharmacies critical access points for coronavirus testing, prevention, and treatment—especially important for rural areas facing health care shortages.
House Bill 6 reinforces the state’s testing and vaccination effort by allowing podiatrists to administer COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, and by letting those at least 17 years old and enrolled in a career technical school to register as pharmacist technician trainees. Currently, trainees must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. These measures will expand the pool of qualified testers and vaccinators, which will make Ohio’s testing and vaccination roll-out faster.
Moving beyond the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for Ohio’s long-term success. Doing so, while managing the risks of coronavirus mutations, requires an all-hands-on-deck approach to testing, infection tracking, treatments, vaccinations, and quarantines. House Bill 6 removes obstructive regulatory red-tape and helps those efforts.
The Buckeye Institute appreciates the opportunity to submit written testimony on this important issue.
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