Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) visited the St. James Pharmacy in Cudahy on Atlantic Avenue to learn more about the owner’s and employees’ experiences operating an independent community pharmacy in the 34th Congressional District. 

Voted Pharmacist of the Year in 2010 by the Indian Pharmacy Association, Mr. Pratish “Pat” Mistry, the pharmacy’s owner and head pharmacist, led the congresswoman on a tour of his business and talked about the role community pharmacies play in helping to maintain patient health. 

During the tour, Pharmacist Mistry shared his concerns about decreased business at his pharmacy because of competition from big retail stores and mail order pharmacies, which can sell prescriptions at higher volume and lower cost.  The congresswoman assured him that she supports federal efforts to assist independent community pharmacies to operate profitability and competitively alongside large chain drug stores and to sell prescriptions to their customers for the lowest price available.  They discussed federal efforts to make generics more affordable to pharmacies and patients, and to better ensure that manufacturer drug rebates are passed along to the customer rather than middlemen who broker the pharmacy contracts.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Teresa Fausto (Pharmacy Clerk of South Gate); Esperanza Robles (Pharmacy Clerk of Bell); Congresswoman Roybal-Allard; Pratish (Pat) Mistry (Pharmacist/Owner); Abigael Perez (Pharmacy Technician of Bell Gardens; and Diana Reyes (Pharmacy Technician of Los Angeles.)