A student-run political action committee is a rare occurrence, but UH College of Pharmacy student and class president, Osagie Ohonba is as serious as anyone else about being heard.
Ohonba aims to use his drive about medicine to make UH’s Pharmacy program something for his peers to become knowledgeable on.
“Health care and pharmacy is changing every day and students need to know what is going on,” Ohonba said. “Students get bogged down, so I want to make it easy for them to stay informed and get involved.”
According to a flier sent to all College of Pharmacy students, the goals of the PAC are to mobilize and develop students and maintain a positive relationship with local and state representatives to drive the pharmaceutical profession in the right direction.
The flier has links to more to both the Texas Pharmacy Association and the American Pharmacists Association to make it easier for students keep up to date.
“PACs on the national level are all backed by big pharmacy companies, each with their own agendas,” Ohonba said. “As pharmacy students, these changes people are fighting for affect them so they need a voice in it.”
According to an article on health industry spending in USA Today, the drug maker Pfizer’s PAC gave almost 60 percent of the half million dollars they donated in 2009 to lawmakers who voted against health care bills.
“We need unity between pharmacists,” Ohonba said. “The interests of individual organizations interests are fine, but we need to put it aside for our profession.”
The PAC plans on getting a group together to open up a dialogue with the 83rd Legislature in Austin and it is also working on developing an organized letter writing campaign.
The PAC also has support from the staff at the School of Pharmacy.
“When I first brought the idea to form the PAC to Dean Pritchard he was excited,” Ohonba said. “While they cannot advocate, (the staff is) very supportive. There are many great students, mentors and leaders here at UH.”
“We hope what we are doing here will catch fire,” Ohonba said. “The UH pharmacy program is a diamond in the rough and we’re hoping to not only put it on top, but UH as a whole.”
