Independent Pharmacies Remain Resilient, Essential Community Providers | NCPA 2026

Independent community pharmacies represent over a third of all retail pharmacies in the country, according to the recently released 2026 NCPA Digest report.¹ With this crucial sector in pharmacy still exceeding the number of stores owned by any single chain, independent pharmacies continue to persevere through industry shifts, pressures, and challenges.

“Independent pharmacies continue to be resilient and providing health care services to people in communities large and small despite being faced with financial headwinds and ongoing challenges from anti-competitive pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, according to a release announcing the report. “They’re offering personalized and high-quality care that makes a difference in the daily lives of their patients.”

On the heels of its annual convention, held earlier this month in Kansas City, Missouri, NCPA released its annual digest, detailing some of the most crucial data that highlights the current state of independent community pharmacy.

READ MORE: The Drug Price Paradox: PBMs, Pharmacies, and the Path to Affordability

Get industry insights from the leading independent pharmacy organization and learn more about the unique happenings surrounding NCPA’s Annual Convention.

Expanding Clinical Services and Practice Models

Beyond dispensing prescriptions, independent pharmacies serve as essential clinical destinations for their communities. In 2025, 91% of independent pharmacies provided flu immunizations, 81% offered medication therapy management, and 62% conducted blood pressure monitoring. Additionally, 55% delivered long-term care services and 48% performed specialized compounding.¹

These clinical offerings are complemented by local philanthropy, with 69% of pharmacy owners donating over $3000 annually to community organizations. Operational agility allows independent practices to offer tailored services like medication synchronization and adherence packaging, which significantly improve clinical outcomes and lower health care costs.^1,2

According to the 2026 report, independent pharmacy represents a $103 billion marketplace with nearly 19,000 locations. Prescriptions drive over 96% of total revenue, with stores averaging nearly 66,000 prescriptions annually.¹

Because government programs account for nearly half of all prescriptions sold, public reimbursement policies heavily dictate financial viability. Practice models are also evolving, as 34% of locations operate as retail and long-term care combo sites, and thousands join clinically integrated networks to advance value-based care.

However, lower prescription volume limits direct bargaining power with PBMs, leaving independents vulnerable when major insurers exclude them from preferred networks.³

Safeguarding Geographic Equity and Local Economies

Geographic research highlights how independent pharmacies maintain equitable health care access nationwide. A spatial analysis shows that over 15 million Americans rely exclusively on independent pharmacies for optimal access, while 59 million individuals lack optimal access entirely.

Reliance is highest in rural areas, where 16.3% of residents depend solely on independent providers. Independents represent over three-quarters of pharmacies in rural areas and over half in urban Black and Latino neighborhoods. When national chains close stores due to corporate decisions, independent pharmacies remain to prevent pharmacy deserts.^2,3

Beyond health care delivery, independent pharmacies strengthen local economies by recirculating revenue, creating local jobs, and supporting nearby businesses. Their presence ensures that vulnerable groups, including older adults and low-income families, maintain access to clinicians who provide individualized attention.

Through clinical innovation, local commitment, and personalized care, independent pharmacists remain vital cornerstones of American health care.^1,2

“As the Digest shows, they’re increasingly integral to the infrastructure of American health care,” concluded Hoey, according to the release.¹ “The stronger independent community and long-term care pharmacies are, the stronger our health care system and population will be.”

Beyond the 2026 NCPA Digest

With the NCPA Digest designed to paint a picture for independents in the pharmacy space, the organization’s annual meeting also comes around every year for the advancement of independent pharmacy across the country. At this year’s NCPA Annual Convention 2026, the independent pharmacy industry was on full display as a collection of pharmacy leaders and award recipients were honored at the very start of American Pharmacists Month.

Here are some of the individuals honored at this year’s convention:

T.J. Woodard, PharmD, owner of Prescriptions to Geaux, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was named 2026 NCPA Willard B. Simmons Independent Pharmacist of the Year. Steve Giroux, owner of Middleport Family Health Center in Middleport, New York, received the NCPA’s 2026 Calvin J. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award, while Megan Smith, PharmD, associate professor and director of the PGY1 Community-Based Residency Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, was named the 2026 Outstanding Faculty Liaison of the Year.

Visit NCPA to learn more about the full list of award recipients, as well as the entirety of the happenings surrounding the organization’s annual convention. Furthermore, stay tuned for Drug Topics’ coverage of NCPA 2026, as we caught up with the pharmacy industry experts that took center stage at this year’s convention.

REFERENCES

1. NCPA releases 2026 Digest report. NCPA. News Release. October 4, 2026. Accessed October 7, 2026. https://ncpa.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/10/04/ncpa-releases-2026-digest-report

2. Why independent pharmacies are vital for community health. Mainline Pharmacy. May 1, 2026. Accessed October 7, 2026. https://www.mainlinepharmacy.com/post/why-independent-pharmacies-are-vital-for-community-health

3. Hernandez I, Tang S, Morales J, et al Role of independent versus chain pharmacies in providing pharmacy access: a nationwide, individual-level geographic information systems analysis. Health Aff Sch. 2023 Jul;1(1):qxad003. doi: 10.1093/haschl/qxad003