Pharmacy benefit managers put lupus patient health care at risk

There’s no question that lupus is a challenging, painful and scary condition. It’s an often-debilitating, chronic autoimmune disease that pits the immune system against the body’s healthy tissues. It can affect your joints, skin, brain, heart, lungs and just about every other vital organ in your body. Lupus can be fatal and there is no cure.

As we celebrate Lupus Awareness Month, it’s important to remember that lupus patients throughout Oregon rely on timely medications to manage their condition and maintain their quality of life. That’s why our state’s local pharmacies are so essential. They provide people access to the care they need when they need it. But now, many pharmacies are under serious threat—and our most vulnerable patients along with them.

Greg Dardis is program director for Kaleidoscope Fighting Lupus