As pharmacists, we are the nation’s most accessible health care professionals.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief

According to CDC, more than half of adults in the United States are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with 63% having received at least one dose. While that is amazing progress in a short time, and vaccine uptake has continued to increase since its initial approval in December 2020, it isn’t enough.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief

According to CDC, nearly 50,000 people died from an opioid-involved overdose in 2019, and this number jumped to about 100,000 deaths in 2020.

According to the latest CDC data, the U.S. has experienced a bump in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and death this winter.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, shared decision-making “occurs when a health care provider and a patient work together to make a health care decision that is best for the patient.”

Kristin Wiisanen PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists’ scope of practice has expanded exponentially, with pharmacists on the front lines administering COVID-19 vaccines and offering COVID-19 testing services.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

As an age-advanced (i.e., older) pharmacist, I can remember the days when proton-pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists, fluticasone nasal spray, and many other self-care products required a prescription.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

Since the start of the pandemic, pharmacists have faced an unprecedented level of chronic stress and burnout.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

Patients often take action on their health and wellness based on what they hear on TV. Surprising, but true. According to CDC, over a 6-month period, nearly three-quarters of primetime viewers in the United States reported learning something new about a health or wellness topic simply by watching TV.

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

Entrepreneurship is on the rise in our profession. In the past, entrepreneurial ventures primarily involved independent pharmacy ownership. But as pharmacists’ scope of practice has widened and workforce demands are causing decreased satisfaction, innovative (ad)ventures in pharmacy are on the rise!

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP