“Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to seriously disrupt medical practice over the next 5 to 10 years,” said Steven Charlap, MD, MBA, founder and CEO of SOAP Health, an AI-powered artificial digital human assistant that identifies, verifies, and simplifies patient-reported data collection, risk assessment, and electronic delivery.

Clarissa Chan, PharmD

In February 2023, CDC released its immunization schedules for 2023. Both adult and childhood/adolescent schedules received updates, with changes covering recommendations for COVID-19; measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); hepatitis B; pneumococcal vaccines; and more.

Olivia Welter, PharmD

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on November 16, 2022, herpes zoster (more commonly known as shingles) is associated with an almost 30% higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event.

Lauren Howell, PharmD

Vaccinations are widely viewed as one of the greatest success stories in the history of public health.

Ariel L. Clark, PharmD

Drug waste costs U.S. insurers billions of dollars annually, with Medicare Part B spending increasing year by year as a result.

Corey Diamond, PharmD

The initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has worn off. Fast forward 3 years later to today, and a clearer picture has emerged of both the individual as well as broader organizational effects of prolonged stress from the pandemic. Some pharmacy personnel are leaving, others are experiencing apathy, and there are clear threats to patient safety.

Last October, Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) and its generics entered shortage status. As prescribers scrambled to find alternatives for their adult and pediatric patients with ADHD, many other central nervous system stimulants have seen intermittent shortages as well.

In March 2023, FDA approved naloxone for OTC sale in a move that public health experts hope will dramatically increase access to the nasal spray and slash opioid overdose deaths.

The community pharmacy may be the very place where addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) can be a reality, not just a concept.