Access to medication is a big problem in the United States. While some things might be improving, plenty of things aren’t. If the goal is to make medication more accessible, major changes have to be made.

In-House Manufacturing

The first thing that should change is the manufacturing of medications. The reality is that many of the medications people need aren’t made in this country.

Pharmaceutical companies move manufacturing to other countries. This helps cut costs, but it means the medicine is harder to access. People have to wait longer for certain medications, and that’s not good. On top of that, if there’s an interruption in global distribution, Americans could get hurt.

Deliverability

Another major issue to address is delivery. Once the medication arrives in the country, it should be available right away, but that’s not always the case. Depending on where a person is in the United States, it could be hard to get it delivered quickly.

The good thing is that there’s already a model in place that could make this issue better, and it happens to be in the cannabis industry. All one has to do is type in, “dispensary delivery near me” in a search engine and have a dispensary deliver their cannabis right to their homes.  This has to be expanded throughout the country.

Tech Reliance

Tech can make medications more accessible in different ways. If the medical industry invests in tech education, patients can learn how to use online portals, online dashboards, and video conferencing tools.

These tools reduce in-person doctor visits and offer immediate assistance, which can save time and money. In essence, doctor visits are streamlined, and that helps speed everything up, including getting your prescription. Patients often have to wait for medication because it hasn’t been prescribed yet, but these tech tools can dramatically change things for the better.

Affordability

One big hurdle is affordability. You may need some type of medicine but may be unable to get it because it’s too expensive.

People may feel like their lives are only worth what they have in the bank. Policymakers have to work for the people and find a way to make medications more affordable. Allowing more competition is one way to make this happen, but there are many options.

Compassionate Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical companies need to listen to the public. Part of the reason it’s hard to get the population to take medications is that pharmaceutical companies create barriers to medications.

These barriers make it hard for folks to accept the medication. For example, Muslim communities have a hard time accepting medicines and vaccines that aren’t labeled halal. If pharmaceutical companies aren’t respectful and compassionate enough to meet concerns, their medications won’t be as accessible as they could be.

Decreasing Red Tape

Sometimes, the medication is available, but the patient can’t get it because the insurance companies make things difficult. Americans rely on insurance companies, and the people behind these companies like to save as much money as possible.

When patients need medication, all they can do is hope these people approve the expense. This can take a while sometimes, and that’s not a good thing. Insurance companies must get better at this. They need to streamline the approval process. Policies need to be enacted, and for that to happen, you can be more politically involved and stay informed.

Improved Communication

Accessibility is sometimes damaged due to poor messaging. Pharmaceutical companies need to get better at informing the public about their medications, and they need to be transparent.

Confusion about ingredients or side effects means folks may have a hard time accepting medications. Some folks might become suspicious of the medication or the vaccines if the messaging isn’t clear and genuine. Poor communication can hurt accessibility, so investing in this is vital for the sake of people’s health. Offering science-backed studies that show the positive and negative sides can give people an idea of what to expect.

While these changes can improve things, they won’t solve every issue. There’s always room for improvement, and people need to look for ways to make things better as time moves on.