ISMA happy with decision

To the editor:
The Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) is dedicated to Indiana physicians and their efforts to provide the best possible health care to their patients.
For this reason, the ISMA was pleased to see the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Procedure deny a vote on the recently proposed prescription mandate for medicine containing pseudoephedrine.
Pseudoephedrine is a safe and effective decongestant commonly used to treat seasonal colds and allergies. Many Indiana residents rely on this medicine to stay functional throughout the year, and physicians understand the benefit of its affordability.
A prescription requirement for pseudoephedrine would have unduly burdened both patients and physicians. Patients would have had to pay additional costs to consult their doctors while doctors would have had to make time to prescribe safe, FDA-approved cold medicines.
Doctors’ offices are already overcrowded. Forcing Hoosiers with common colds to visit their doctors would only result in longer wait times for patients with more serious conditions.
While we support the legislature’s efforts to curb meth abuse, we’re pleased they rejected a policy that creates unnecessary difficulties for physicians and their patients.
Our organization has long devoted our energy and resources towards protecting the rights of patients and ensuring physicians are able to deliver care without hindrance.
Thank you,
Deepak Azad
M.D.
ISMA President[[In-content Ad]]