Today's Perspective
Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief
It has been said that life is about the journey, not the destination. For many of us, our journey through 2020 with COVID-19 has been marked by anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty and peppered with personal and professional challenges. While we have achieved many milestones and victories in our fight against COVID, we have also said goodbye to many normal societal routines, such as carpools, movie theaters, and birthday parties. Sadly, many of us have been faced with the loss of friends and loved ones.
This month’s Pharmacy Today cover story chronicles our professional journey through COVID-19 in 2020. There is pain and tragedy in this timeline, from the first COVID death in the United States in February of this year, to this fall, when the global COVID-19 death toll passed 1 million. But there is also progress and triumph, from May’s nationwide authorization for pharmacists to conduct COVID-19 testing, through this fall’s ruling to expand pharmacists’ authority to administer immunizations. Each moment in this timeline brings us to where we are today, with efforts now ramping up to combat a virus resurgence in the harsh winter months ahead.
In this issue of Today, you will also find the latest new drugs and updates from FDA, recommendations for using turmeric for knee pain and the most recent guidance on treating head lice. Dig into this month’s CPE article for a comprehensive update on chronic use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants.
Our COVID-19 journey in 2020 has been marked by unprecedented professional, personal, medical, and societal challenges. Although it is unlikely that we will reach our destination for some time, it is my hope that our 2021 journey will reflect medical advancements and our ultimate triumph over this virus through preventive and treatment measures. Until we reach that day, stay safe, strong, and connected with friends and family. We are on this journey together.