Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Chambers County Commissioners approved a resolution expressing their support for the county’s local pharmacies and their legislative battle against pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) on Monday night.

“It’s good to have a local pharmacy, people that you [can] talk to,” said Commission Chairman David Eastridge to the VT-N. “… it’s just a hometown feel that we still have around here.”

Five local pharmacies have joined forces in a grass-roots movement to create a statewide coalition of independent pharmacies to fight the encroaching control of PBMs, companies that serve as intermediaries between pharmacies and health insurers.

County Attorney Skip McCoy presented the resolution to representatives from Valley Pharmacy, Hood’s Pharmacy, Fairfax Drug, Lowe’s Pharmacy and Greene Super Drug during the commission meeting.

“They’re very important for the local community,” Eastridge said.

The proclamation, which McCoy said would be sent to Alabama Senator Randy Price and Alabama Representatives Debbie Wood and Bob Fincher, read as follows:

“Whereas the Chambers County Commission appreciates the many contributions that local independent pharmacies make for Chambers County, whereas the Chambers County Commission recognizes the impact local independent pharmacies have on the livelihood of Chambers County citizens, and whereas the Chambers County Commission appreciates and is proud to have Valley Pharmacy, Hood’s Pharmacy, Lowe’s Pharmacy, Fairfax Drugs and Greene Drugs as local independent pharmacies here in our county.

“And whereas the commission knows these family-owned pharmacies have been in existence in serving the needs of county citizens for close to 100 years, and whereas the commission understands the detrimental impact that pharmacy benefits managers can have on local independent pharmacies.

“And whereas, to promote the public good and welfare of its citizens, the Chambers County Commission seeks to establish a record of its support of legislation that recognizes, supports and sustains local independent pharmacies in Chambers County, Alabama, it is therefore resolved as follows, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Senator Randy Price, Representative Debbie H Wood and Representative Bob Fincher, encouraging them to support legislation that promotes and sustains the existence of local independent pharmacies in Chambers County and throughout our great state, too, that a copy of the resolution be further provided to each of the five Chambers County independent local pharmacies referenced here, in establishing a record of Chambers County Commission’s support of these entities and the efforts of perseverance.”