Where Are My Pills?

I'm not a pharmaceuticals manufacturer. I've never had to answer to a board of directors, or the FDA, or stockholders.

I'm not a politician. I haven't had to balance social issues and the constitution while creating laws and answering to my constituents and campaign contributors.

I'm not a doctor. I don't even play one on TV.

But I do know that fexofenadine pseudoephedrine ("Allegra-D") has improved my quality of life significantly for the past year, and my prescription can no longer be filled because the drug is now available over the counter, and this change increases the drug's monthly cost from \$5 (under my health care plan) to \$78 (out of pocket) at the local Hannaford. Less than 24 hours after taking my last pill, my nose is running, I'm congested, and I've started sneezing. I'm out of bed instead of resting with my family before dawn breaks and I head to work.

Not a good feeling.