NCPA Statement on Tom Daschle Being Selected to Be Secretary of Health and Human Services ...( ALEXANDRIA Va. Nov. 20 -...),Health

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Upon the unofficial announcement that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) will be nominated by President-elect Barack Obama to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Bruce T. Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), issued the following statement:

"The National Community Pharmacists Association would like to congratulate Tom Daschle on being selected to be Secretary of HHS in the Obama-Biden Administration next year. During his time in the Senate, Mr. Daschle embraced common-sense policies that allowed our more than 23,000 members to operate on a level playing field in providing patients with their health care needs.

"We know Mr. Daschle will have a large portfolio as he leads the charge in reforming our health care system. It is our hope that small business community pharmacists will have an opportunity to lend their expertise and ideas to that discussion, because if properly utilized we offer many ways for greater efficiency and cost-savings to be achieved."

The National Community Pharmacists Association, founded in 1898, represents the nation's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation's independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation's retail prescription medicines. To learn more go to www.ncpanet.org.