Public Health

Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to close health literacy gaps through clear communication and intentional patient education.

Bil Schmidtknecht joined Drug Topics to share his son’s tragic story and how it motivated him to join the greater fight in putting the lives of patients at the forefront of health care.

Pharmacies face time, workload, and sustainability challenges when integrating social care, but support and reimbursement can make these efforts viable.

Cross-training pharmacy staff as community health workers enables pharmacies to effectively address health-related social needs and improve community health outcomes.

Integrating health-related social needs programs into pharmacy practice strengthens patient care and positions pharmacies as vital public health partners.

Pharmacists leverage socioeconomic insights to combat health disparities, enhancing access to medications and public health services in underserved communities.

Samantha Picking, PharmD, senior director of immunizations at Walgreens, discusses how pharmacists have emerged as the ideal providers to manage vaccine administration.

Pharmacists and dietitians acknowledge that older adults and patients with misconceptions about or poor knowledge of diet should be screened for interventions.

Understanding post-PREP implications is critical for evaluating current public health delivery, identifying ongoing access, and informing future policy.

When independent and retail storefronts close across the country, creating a lack of pharmacy services in the community, pharmacy deserts arise.

Michael Murphy, PharmD, MBA, discusses the increasingly prominent impacts of pharmacy deserts, highlighting discrepancies in the term's definition and the financial pressures impacting sustainability.

Amid uncertainty about the best factors for measuring and defining pharmacy deserts, researchers explored the impacts of drive time and inequities in pharmacy access.

Michael Murphy, PharmD, MBA, provided insights on his research regarding pharmacy deserts, who they impact the most, and the methods needed to improve them in the US.

Michael Murphy, PharmD, MBA, discusses how the lack of a universal definition for pharmacy deserts is leading to a significant impact on patients’ access and outcomes.

IQVIA’s Lead Director of Research Michael Kleinrock discusses how federal policy has been impacting prescription drug costs in the US and where those trends are expected to go.

Researchers addressed the current trends in prescription drug use and spending among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries during the first year of clinician access to a real-time prescription benefit tool.

Our whole country needs to do better in providing harm reduction services, including naloxone and syringe service programs.

Pharmacy team members can help patients prepare for upcoming travels, ensuring they are up to date with the recommended vaccines for their locations.

In a session at PQA 2025, presenters discussed the impact of SDoH on health outcomes and how pharmacy teams can identify and address barriers.

Health care economist Marta Wosinska, PhD, senior fellow with The Brookings Institution, discussed the potential impact pharmaceutical tariffs may have on access to generic and brand-name drugs.

Marta Wosinska, PhD, senior fellow with The Brookings Institution, discussed her ongoing research regarding the potential impact of pharmaceutical tariffs on the prescription drug market.

Currently under development, the manufacturer’s investigational pandemic influenza vaccine is designed to target the H5 avian influenza virus, or bird flu.

The use of the terminology can alter the meaning when assigned to patients’ behaviors, unintentionally implying that barriers such as poverty or systemic racism are due to poor behavior or efforts.

In part 2 of our video series with drug market experts Luke Turnock, PhD, and Jenny Markell, we explored social media advertisements for prescription drugs and how they may impact patients.

Drug Market experts joined Drug Topics to discuss the rise in direct-to-consumer drug advertising and what it means for patients around the world.