USC Mann, March 22, 2023 Funding will support research to advance policies within Medicare Part D to prevent pharmacy closures and advance equitable access to medicines. Dima M. Qato, associate professor of pharmacy at the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Director of the Program on Medicines and Public Health, was awarded…Continue Reading Qato Awarded $1.65M NIH Grant
Healthcare Brew, March 15, 2023, by Maia Anderson In some parts of the US, it seems no matter where you look, you can find a Walgreens, CVS, or Rite Aid. But many neighborhoods still lack convenient access to a pharmacy. These areas are called “pharmacy deserts,” but unlike actual deserts, they’re all over the US. …Continue Reading How pharmacy deserts are formed
USA Today, December 15, 2022, Bailey Schulz Major chains like Walgreens and Rite Aid say they’ve had to curb operating hours due to a national labor shortage. Experts say this shift – along with retail pharmacy closures – can hinder access to prescriptions, especially for low-income patients. Reduced operating hours at pharmacies can be more than just an…Continue Reading Pharmacies are cutting hours and closing stores. What it means for customers.
USC News, November 2, 2022, Leigh Hopper A USC-developed interactive mapping tool shows the location of every pharmacy in the United States — and which neighborhoods are “pharmacy deserts.” Designing a map that identified ‘pharmacy deserts’ Her latest project is an interactive, nationwide mapping tool showing the location of every pharmacy in the United States…Continue Reading High-tech map promotes access to medicine and pharmacy services
NCPA, October 24, 2022 ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Oct. 24, 2022) – A collaboration between the National Community Pharmacists Association and University of Southern California has resulted in a new interactive mapping tool that could promote health equity by identifying pharmacy shortage areas in the United States. It can also help policymakers see the consequences of unfair…Continue Reading NCPA Collaborates with USC on Groundbreaking Pharmacy Mapping Project
CBS News, August 9, 2022 Andrea Flores You may have heard about food deserts, areas where access to fresh food might not be easily accessible. But pockets of Chicago — particularly on the South and West sides — also lack convenient access to a local pharmacy. Dima Qato, director of the University of Southern California’s…Continue Reading Some Neighborhoods on South and West Sides See Increasing ‘Pharmacy Deserts’
CBS News, August 4, 2022 Rachel Bluth Californians will decide in November whether to lock the right to abortion into the state constitution. If they vote “yes” on Proposition 1, they will also lock in a right that has gotten less attention: the right to birth control. Should the measure succeed, California would become one…Continue Reading In California, abortion could become a constitutional right. So could birth control.
WBEZ Chicago, By Cheyanne Daniels, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, August 3, 2022 Even as drug stores are providing more vital services — including COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, contraceptive counseling and wellness visits — a recent study shows communities on Chicago’s South and West sides have fewer pharmacy locations than other parts of the city. These areas…Continue Reading Fewer pharmacies found on Chicago’s South and West sides, an analysis finds
KCRW, July 2, 2022 Janaya Williams The Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has some people worried that access to birth control will be next on the chopping block. But beyond the legal ramifications of a post-Roe nation, there are already major barriers to accessing contraception even in blue states like California and liberal…Continue Reading LA pharmacies fall short on Plan B and other contraceptive access
USC Schaeffer Center, June 24, 2022 The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down Roe v. Wade will likely result in 26 states implementing laws that restrict or ban access to abortion services. In many of these states, the legislation is so sweeping, it will also impact emergency contraceptives like Plan-B—also known as the “morning after”…Continue Reading Women and Adolescent Girls Face Barriers Accessing Contraceptives – Even in Blue States Like California