Executive Insight

BY MICHAEL JACKSON, RPH MICHAEL JACKSON, BPHARM, EVP & CEO, FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

Changes in Public Policy and Donations to Political Committees: The Relationship Is Real

As a profession, there are all kinds of tools available to advocate for and influence good public policy making. Generally, the issues that the Florida Pharmacy Association will bring to the table have been beneficial to improving public health, lowering costs and also growing professional opportunities for our industry.

The tools we use to get these issues on the table are driven by our comprehensive advocacy efforts of our Governmental Affairs Committee, FPA leadership, volunteer members, lobbyists and general counsel. There are many hours devoted to building a viable plan designed to convince the 120 members of the Florida House and 40 members of the Florida Senate that our suggestions are worthy of debate. This includes the development of draft language, talking points, and hosting informational webinars and countless hours meeting and educating members of the Florida Legislature.

In some cases the issues are so complex that we also need to facilitate informational meetings within our own stakeholder group so that everyone can understand what is being done and why.

It would be ideal if doing the things mentioned above would be all that was needed, however there is one more very important tool the FPA needs to be successful in an aggressive advocacy campaign. We have to elect members of the House and Senate who understand our profession and are sensitive to our needs. To do that we have to invest heavily in political campaigns using the resources we have in the Florida Pharmacist Political Committee. What is the Florida Pharmacist Political Committee?

The Florida Pharmacist Political Committee (FPPC) is a voluntary nonprofit organization of pharmacists and others created to promote and strive for the improvement of state policy decision making that affects the practice and business of pharmacy. It is one of the most effective ways to help the profession achieve its legislative agenda through coordinated support of political campaigns and issues friendly to our cause.

The funding for the FPPC comes solely from member and corporate donations. Over 90 percent of the donations you make go toward political campaigns recommended by our lobbyists as beneficial investments. These recommended donations are reviewed and approved by the FPPC Board of Directors consisting of volunteer FPA members. The only costs of the FPPC are mandatory state reporting, accounting and recordkeeping requirements. None of these resources are used by the FPA.

Our investments through the FPPC has resulted in a number of pharmacyproactive issues being signed into law by Florida’s governors. We also have development-friendly legislative advocates who are fighting off some of the bad issues that we see proposed from time to time.

This message to our members in this issue of Florida Pharmacy Today is critical in that we need to rebuild the FPPC war chest and ask that you consider making a donation to the FPPC. We are accepting, Mastercard, Visa, Discover as well as American Express. You may also donate by check. There is even an option for you to make regular monthly automated donations if you choose to do so. We want to thank our many long-term supporting members including John Noreiga, William Garst, Theresa Tolle, Barbara Beadle, Kathy Petsos, Preston McDonald, Norman Tomaka, Howard Kichler, Alex Pytlarz and many others who are regularly making generous donations. To view a complete list of donors visit this hyperlink: https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/committees/ComDetail. asp?account=60881

The FPPC needs your support and we hope that you will add your name to our growing list of donors. Please join me in helping support our profession. In looking at our member database, we have about 5 percent of our members who are donating to the FPPC. It would be amazing if we can get that percentage above 25 percent. It could make a difference in good or bad public policy making. n

Michael Jackson, B.Pharm