California’s Board of Pharmacy (BOP) has been trying its darnedest to restrict access to IV glutathione and other alternative treatments. (See here for background on the issue.)

Yet, vociferous opposition by chronic Lyme patients, the state’s firefighters, and others have turned this issue into the opposite of a “slam dunk” for the board.

Instead, there have been months of postponed votes, additional comment periods and other delays, leading to what was supposed to be a final showdown at the board’s March 6 meeting in Sacramento.

Guess what? The BOP delayed the vote again and offered yet another 15-day comment period, which ends March 21.

Here’s what Crystal Frost, a Lyme patient who founded the StopTheBOP movement, posted on Instagram:

The Board of Pharmacy vote was delayed AGAIN—to March 26. The board president, Dr. Seung Oh, confirmed that this really is the final vote this time, and they will not delay any further due to their April deadline. 

The Bad:

This is going to drag on a few more weeks despite the Board of Pharmacy’s mid-April deadline approaching rapidly.

The Good:

The Board does NOT yet have the votes to push this restrictive rules package through.

‼️ They want you to lose interest! Let’s not let that happen! Stay engaged and keep up the pressure.

Why they’re delaying the vote

It is clear the California State Board of Pharmacy (BOP) does not yet have the votes to push this through, so instead of voting, they are delaying for as long as possible. 

The BOP knows this is a redundant (and boring) regulatory process, and they know you are growing weary. Pushing to another written comment period and forcing participants to sit through another board meeting is a tactic to wear us down.

Thankfully, we have firefighters, doctors, patients, and federal standards on our side.

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Their Hope vs. Our Hope

THEIR HOPE

That Stop The BOP supporters, patients, and firefighters will get bored, give up, tune out, and stop participating.

OUR HOPE

That you will stick this out with us! We couldn’t do it without you.

Let’s show them we’re NOT backing down!

Action needed: submit comments & attend March 26 meeting

➡ Another 15-Day Written Comment Period is open until March 21.

Submit your comments to PharmacyRulemaking@dca.ca.gov

Use our pre-written email if you’re short on time: mailxto.com/stopthebop

➡ Another board meeting is scheduled for March 26.

We NEED you to show up and comment once again—in even greater numbers!

You can follow Crystal’s updates on Instagram and StopTheBOP‘s website.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, President of LymeDisease.org. She is co-author of Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease and of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.