by Crystal A. Frost, PhD

Sign the “Stop the BOP” petition here.

The upcoming California Board of Pharmacy (BOP) meeting on September 12 presents an important opportunity for public participation, especially for those with chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease.

Public comment is a powerful way to voice concerns about the proposed regulations which threaten patient access to critical compounded medications that Stop The BOP is fighting to protect, including glutathione, NAD+, and methylcobalamin (vitamin B12).

Here’s everything you need to know to make your voice heard!

How the Meeting Works

The BOP meeting will be held on Thursday, September 12, at 9:00 AM PDT. You can attend virtually via Webex or in person in Sacramento. Access links, prompts, and other information are easily accessible at stopthebop.com/actnow.

Commenters are allotted between 2 and 5 minutes to comment and share their thoughts on the proposed regulations. If you have concerns not directly tied to the agenda, there is a designated time at the start of the meeting for public comments on non-agenda items. For agenda-specific topics (like these restrictions on pharmacy compounding that we are fighting), the public comment period takes place later in the meeting.

This is where things get tricky. For those battling chronic illness or other disabilities, waiting through long discussions can be exhausting or impossible. At the July 31 meeting, the session lasted over 7 hours, with public comments pushed to the later half, discouraging many from staying long enough to speak.

But hang on—we may have a solution so that you can participate without risking your health.

Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation

To ensure that your voice is heard without having to endure the entire meeting, you can request a reasonable accommodation. This option is specifically designed for those with chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease or other disabilities who need to give their public comments at the beginning of the session. Email Debbie Damoth (debbie.damoth@dca.ca.gov) to request this accommodation and attach a doctor’s note or other documentation. (Download our doctor’s note template)

We encourage patients to email their requests as soon as possible. The deadline is technically five business days prior, which was yesterday. That said, the Board has an obligation to ensure the democratic process is inclusive, so we encourage everyone to still follow these steps if they believe they qualify for a reasonable accommodation:

1. Email Debbie Damoth your request as soon as possible, and attach a doctor’s note or some other form of proof if you have it. (debbie.damoth@dca.ca.gov)
2. Join the Webex meeting and click the “raise hand” button right away, ensuring they call on you during the non-agenda public comment period at the beginning.
3. Prior to your public comment, introduce yourself and say: “I emailed Debbie Damoth as instructed to request a reasonable accommodation to give my agenda item comment during this non-agenda comment period. Thank you for allowing me to speak now and thank you for filing my comment with the correct agenda item later on.”
4. Do not wait for a reply. This is your allotted time and no one is supposed to interrupt you. You can proceed to immediately give your public comment after this introduction.

This way you’ll still have the chance to make an impact without spending your entire day on Webex!

Unable to secure a doctor’s note or other documentation in time? Email Ms. Damoth anyway and follow the same directions above. Stop The BOP has also sent a reasonable accommodation request on behalf of all patients attending. Though we do not yet know if it will be honored, we are trying to ensure your public comments are prioritized.

Why This Meeting Is Important for Lyme Patients

The Board is proposing regulations that directly impact access to treatments for patients with chronic illnesses. Many of these treatments—like glutathione, vitamin B12, and NAD+—are essential for those with Lyme disease and other conditions that mainstream medicine frequently fails to adequately treat. The Board needs to hear from the people who will be most affected by their decisions!

If You Have to Stay the Whole Time

In case the Board doesn’t grant your accommodation request, staying for the entire meeting is still an option, and we’re here to support you! If possible, ask a friend or family member to take shifts with you—this way, you can rest, stretch, or take breaks when needed. Don’t forget snacks, water, and lunch! Your camera will be off, and your mic muted, so feel free to relax while waiting for the comment period. Even showing up at all is a huge victory for our community, and any level of engagement is incredibly valuable. Lyme Warriors, we’ve got this!

Exercising Your Right

No public speaking experience? No problem. Simply share your experience and concerns from the heart. Every voice matters, and you will be given at least two minutes to speak. We’ve created a helpful list of prompts to guide your public comments, which you can download at https://stopthebop.com/actnow. These prompts should help you structure your statement and give you ideas on how to best communicate the importance of protecting access to these essential treatments.

Whether you can only spare 30 minutes or the whole day, your participation is crucial! Remember public participation is a right. Don’t let the length of the meeting discourage you from attending—request an accommodation and ensure your voice is heard. Your feedback could be the difference in stopping these harmful regulations from being pushed forward.

Note: You do not need to currently reside in California to give a public comment. These regulations will impact businesses and loved ones outside California as well. If you could be directly OR indirectly affected by these regulations, you are welcome to join the conversation.

Details

• Date & Time: Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 9:00 AM PST

• Location: Virtually via Webex or in-person (address below)

• Meeting Link: Join the Webex Meeting

• Webinar Number: 2495 261 7185

• Webinar Password: CSBP912

• CA Board Of Pharmacy website: https://pharmacy.ca.gov

• Stop The BOP has all of this info and more at: https://stopthebop.com/actnow

What to do next:

• Sign and share the petition to protect patient access.

• Email Debbie Damoth at debbie.damoth@dca.ca.gov to request a reasonable accommodation if needed.

• Visit stopthebop.com/actnow to download the meeting agenda, prompts and more! Access links and everything else you need to participate in the meeting will be available on this page.

• Follow @stop.thebop on Instagram for immediate updates and to view our post with the full list of compounds facing restrictions

• To learn more about Stop The BOP and what’s at stake, visit stopthebop.com

• Make your voice heard. Your participation in the democratic process is an invaluable part of protecting California patients from harmful restrictions on widely used alternative medicines.

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