Today's Perspective
Kristin Wiisanen PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief
Pharmacists are among the most accessible health care professionals in America. Pharmacies sit on nearly every corner, and we serve our communities not just by dispensing medications, but by protecting our patients.
Improving immunization access has long been at the forefront of pharmacist-led public health initiatives. A 2022 JAPhA study revealed that community pharmacy teams administered more than 270 million COVID-19 vaccinations between 2020 and 2022, along with 50 million flu shots annually during that same time period. These efforts are a reminder of the powerful public health engine that operates within the walls of every community pharmacy.
But immunizations are only one part of the story. This month’s Pharmacy Today cover story puts the spotlight on the vital roles that pharmacists play in a wide range of public health interventions. From tobacco cessation counseling to initiating birth control, offering harm reduction services and supporting HIV management and prevention, we have the training and patient relationships to make meaningful change. As Karen Hudmon, PharmD, a professor of pharmacy practice at Purdue University points out about pharmacists’ essential role, “small, widely implemented interventions can have a big public health impact.” We just need the system to recognize, support, and compensate pharmacy teams for what we already know we can do.
In this issue of Pharmacy Today, you’ll also get the latest on probiotics for gut health, new GLP-1 treatment options in the pipeline, and the role of pharmacists in Mental Health First Aid. Find out whether apixaban is superior to rivaroxaban and warfarin for VTE treatment, get the latest on a new scientific statement on treating obesity and heart failure, and catch up with this month’s CPE article on new migraine treatment guidelines.
Whether pharmacists are training the next generation of immunizers or educating communities about naloxone and overdose response, we are making public health personal. Pharmacists are trusted, trained, and ready. With the right tools, we can bridge the gaps in care and build a healthier future—one patient at a time. ■