From health care informatics to public health leadership, pharmacists around the country are practicing in nontraditional roles. Few pharmacists may have charted these territories, but in the years to come, these roles may become more commonplace.

Loren Bonner

Whether it’s initiating prior authorizations or delegating tasks to pharmacy personnel, the ways in which pharmacists lead are endless. No matter the role they are in or the title they hold, pharmacists are leaders.

Lauren Howell, PharmD, MHA

Pharmacists who want to furnish medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) can now receive the necessary training.

Brian Cottingim, PharmD

“What’s happening in Virginia is about more than reimbursement,” said Jamie Fisher, executive director of the Virginia Pharmacy Association. “It’s about modernizing how care is delivered and recognizing pharmacists as essential, accessible members of the health care team.”

Loren Bonner

Since Washington became the first state to give pharmacists prescriptive authority under CPAs in 1979, they have become a cornerstone of efforts to expand pharmacists’ roles in direct patient care. 

Sonya Collins

The federal False Claims Act (FCA) allows citizens and the government to share financial penalties that must be paid by a dishonest seller of products to the government.

David B. Brushwood, BSPharm, JD

Pediatric patients are vulnerable to higher rates of adverse drug events for a variety of reasons, including frequent off-label drug usage, individualized dose calculations, and age-related differences in drug disposition and effect.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, PA

Updates from FDA

APhA Staff

After a precipitous drop during the pandemic, pertussis is resurging with over 28,000 people affected in both 2024 and 2025, according to the latest figures from CDC. In 2025, it caused at least 13 deaths in the United States.

Jen Hand

When patients struggle to keep their asthma symptoms under control, incorrect inhaler technique is very often the cause. Some studies say as many as 84% of users are misusing their inhalers at least some of the time.

Sonya Collins

Imagine being able to see into the future and save patients from a life-threatening disease.

Elizabeth Briand

Recently, colostrum supplements have gained popularity in the wellness industry for their purported promise of supporting gut health, boosting the immune system and health on a cellular level, and aiding muscle recovery after exercise. But as interest grows, further research is essential.

Mickie Cathers

There is more to patients than what meets the eye. Individuals who come to the pharmacy counter looking for OTC recommendations bring backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives with them that are just as important to consider as indication and duration of therapy when selecting a product.

Lauren Howell, PharmD, MHA

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease with high rates of mortality and significant impairment in quality of life, causes a chronic cough in up to 80% of patients with the disease.

APhA Staff

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a common arrhythmia characterized by sudden episodes of rapid heart rate.

Corey Diamond, PharmD

Back in September 2025 at the meeting for the National Association of Specialty Pharmacists, patient Taylor John told pharmacists: “Your work affects real people like me, and we need you."

Kevin Willmann

Unfractionated heparin has long been recognized as a high-alert medication, with administration errors such as incorrect infusion rates, inaccurate dosing, and omissions accounting for most reported events.

Aiya Almogaber, PharmD

In 2024, the March of Dimes Report Card, an annual report that grades states on maternal and infant health, detailed information on maternity care within the United States. The report indicated approximately 36% of the country lies within a maternity care desert.¹

Karen L. Kier, PhD, MSc, RPh, BCPS, BCACP, CTTS, FASHP, FCCP

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APhA staff

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