OPPOSE HOUSE BILL SB566

Proposal for an 8th Pharmacy School in Texas at UT Tyler 1) CALL AND WRITE YOUR STATE SENATOR
To find your state senator, click here. Tell your senator you are AGAINST opening another pharmacy school in Texas. You can cite some of the data from the below letter sample or simply say you are not in support of another profit center that will flood our quickly saturating market with additional graduates. Sample Letter: Senator ________, I am writing to inform you that as a Texas-licensed Pharmacist (or Pharmacy student), I am strongly opposed to SB566 and the opening of another pharmacy school in our state. In 2000 there were 81 accredited pharmacy schools in the United States. Per ACPE, as of July 2012 there are 124 accredited pharmacy schools and an additional five with pre-candidate status, representing a 53% increase in the number of pharmacy schools since 2000. Key metropolitan markets in Texas are already becoming saturated years ahead of the estimated surplus date proposed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics due to the uncontrolled expansion of new pharmacy schools over the past decade. Texas also acts as a healthcare epicenter, drawing in more out-of-state pharmacists than any other state. The opening of an eighth pharmacy school in Texas at best will add about 40 faculty positions while flooding an already saturated market with more graduates. There is no benefit to opening another school other than creating an additional academic-based profit center at the cost of its enrolled students future as practitioners. Our profession cannot support this continued uncontrolled and irresponsible increase in pharmacy programs. As my State Senator, I urge you to vote against SB566 and any other bills proposing additional pharmacy programs in Texas. Sincerely,

Your name Title

2) CALL AND WRITE THESE KEY SENATORS

Senator Leticia Van De Putte (the sole pharmacist in the Texas legislature) Senator Leticia Van De Putte P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station EXT E1.610 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (210) 733-6604 Senator Eltife and Senator Nichols (the UT Tyler Bill Sponsors) Senator Robert Nichols P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station EXT E1.706 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512) 463-0163 Senator Kevin Eltife P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station CAP 3E.16 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512) 463-0101

3) CONTACT TPA AND TSHP

Demand from your state association leadership (TPA and TSHP) oppose SB566 and any creation of new pharmacy schools. Make it clear you do not intend to support an association that cannot or will not defend your future! You can join TPA or TSHP or simply contact them as a non-member and tell them you will not be joining if they will not defend the future of our profession. TPA 12007 Research Blvd., Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78759 Phone: 800-505-5463 (toll-free) 512-836-8350 (local) TSHP 3000 Joe DiMaggio Ste 30A Round Rock, Texas 78665 Phone: (512) 906-0546 E-mail: tshp@tshp.org

The creation of the UNT school and UT Tyler campus will create approximately 40 new faculty positions while flooding an already saturating market with more labor. Ask supporters of these programs if they feel that a handful of new jobs is worth the sacrifice of thousands of others. PLEASE DO YOUR PART TODAY!