Category: Pharmacy Access

Independent pharmacies know their communities. But many are struggling to stay open

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By Nada Hassanein for Stateline on January 17, 2025 Independent drugstores are closing at an alarming rate — about one a day in 2023 — squeezed by the huge companies that reimburse pharmacies for costly medications. But with each closure, a community loses more than another place where they can buy medicine. Experts say independent…Continue Reading Independent pharmacies know their communities. But many are struggling to stay open

Dima M. Qato, PharmD, MPH, PhD was quoted in AARP about the importance of signing up for a health plan that provides more pharmacy options….Continue Reading

‘Unprecedented’ number of pharmacies shuttered in recent years, putting Black and Latino communities at risk

‘Unprecedented’ number of pharmacies shuttered in recent years, putting Black and Latino communities at risk By Helen Jeong and Ted Chen for NBC Los Angeles, December 5, 2024 Black and Latino communities are facing growing risks of losing access to medical services as an unprecedented amount of pharmacies across the U.S. closed in the recent…Continue Reading ‘Unprecedented’ number of pharmacies shuttered in recent years, putting Black and Latino communities at risk

As Drugstores Close, Older People Are Left in ‘Pharmacy Deserts’

As Drugstores Close, Older People Are Left in ‘Pharmacy Deserts’ By Paula Span for NY Times, Dec. 21, 2024 Shuttered drugstores pose a particular threat to older adults, who take more medications than younger people and often rely on pharmacies for advice. Nearly 30 percent of pharmacies in the United States closed between 2010 and…Continue Reading As Drugstores Close, Older People Are Left in ‘Pharmacy Deserts’

US drugstores vanish as pressures mount on business model

US drugstores vanish as pressures mount on business model By Gregory Meyer for Financial Times, December 24 2024 American drugstores are disappearing from street corners, with big chains Walgreens and CVS closing hundreds of locations and independent pharmacies struggling to survive. The number of pharmacies peaked in the middle of the past decade at about…Continue Reading US drugstores vanish as pressures mount on business model

Here’s what CVS’s potential breakup could mean for you

Here’s what CVS’s potential breakup could mean for you By Janelle Nanos Globe Staff,Updated October 1, 2024 Over the past year, CVS has made a concerted push to court seniors to enroll in its Aetna Medicare programs by offering free sports equipment, fishing rods, and other enticements. It worked maybe a little too well for…Continue Reading Here’s what CVS’s potential breakup could mean for you

Why drugstores could be on the list of troubled business models

Why drugstores could be on the list of troubled business models Published on Market Place by Matt Levin Oct 15, 2024   “When they do close, they’re more likely to close in Black and Latinx neighborhoods, low income neighborhoods, and neighborhoods where a larger share of the population is covered by Medicare or Medicaid,” said…Continue Reading Why drugstores could be on the list of troubled business models

More pharmacy closures leave consumers in pharmacy deserts without access to medications

More pharmacy closures leave consumers in pharmacy deserts without access to medications Published on USA Today by Betty Lin-Fisher on 10/18/2024 Nearly half of U.S. counties, or 46%, had at least one pharmacy desert, according to an article in August in the American Medical Association journal JAMA. The report used data from 2000 and does…Continue Reading More pharmacy closures leave consumers in pharmacy deserts without access to medications

Walgreens’ closing triggers fears of ‘pharmacy desert’

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Published February 14th, 2024 – By Avery Bleichfeld, The Bay State Banner Walgreens’ closing triggers fears of ‘pharmacy desert’ – Seniors feeling effects of latest shutdown in Roxbury Since November 2022, four Walgreens have closed in Boston, all in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods. One was in Mattapan, one in Hyde Park and two in…Continue Reading Walgreens’ closing triggers fears of ‘pharmacy desert’

Pharmacy Deserts Put The Health of Undeserved Communities at Risk

Posted on November 15, 2023, Spotlight on Poverty & Opportunity 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….Continue Reading Pharmacy Deserts Put The Health of Undeserved Communities at Risk