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A conversation with Dr. Qato
Most of us may not think twice about the ease with which we can get a prescription filled. But for many Americans, particularly people of color, pharmacy access is becoming an increasingly dire problem, especially in low-income and underserved communities. A growing number of chain pharmacy closures are part of the problem, but the bureaucratic maze of the pharmaceutical industry and Medicaid regulations also makes it more and more difficult for independent pharmacies to survive in the areas that most need them. Dima Qato, an associate professor at the University of Southern California and director of the USC Program on Medicines and Public Health, studies pharmacy access and health equity and spoke with Spotlight recently about the problem. The transcript of that conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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