Health care is rapidly changing in this country. Almost daily, new laws and regulations are being proposed that will affect your pharmacy practice. While some of these laws may be beneficial to you, others may be harmful and unduly burdensome. Thus, it is extremely important that we elect officials who understand the key role that pharmacists can play in a changing health care environment. The direction and expansion of pharmacy depends on this.

That is why PSW administers the "Friends of Pharmacy Fund" (FPF). The FPF is a political conduit that will help us support pro-pharmacy political candidates. Most of the larger associations, and many businesses in Wisconsin with an interest in government affairs, operate conduits of this kind.

When you contribute to a conduit such as the FPF your check is deposited in a financial institution. Then, when PSW identifies a candidate who is supportive of pharmacy issues, those funds can be used to help get him or her elected (or re-elected) to office. It is important to note, however, that before your FPF funds can be used to support a candidate, PSW will contact you to gain your permission; that is because a conduit is simply a mechanism to hold a large number of individual contributions. PSW can then makes suggestions as to where your conduit funds should go.

To truly be successful and to have the impact that pharmacy needs, membership support of the FPF is absolutely critical. The future of pharmacy will be closely tied to the laws and regulations that are promulgated tomorrow, and PSW’s future ability to support or oppose these laws will be closely tied to the FPF. The FPF will allow us to help those candidates who maintain pro-pharmacy viewpoints.

Please support PSW’s government affairs activities by sending in your Friends of Pharmacy contribution. A $50.00 minimum contribution is requested.