Released on 2-JUL-2024 by EurekAlert The Massachusetts statewide standing order policy was associated with a 32% increase in emergency contraceptive fills at pharmacies versus comparison states. After the policy, fills for prescription-only ulipristal more than doubled and accounted for the observed increases in fills for emergency contraceptives. Read more here

Published on JUNE 26, 2024 By Elissa Nadworny, NPR Birth control prescriptions are down in states with abortion bans A study finds sharp drops in prescriptions for birth control and emergency contraception in states like Texas that implemented highly restrictive bans after the Supreme Court upended abortion rights. Read more here

Published Wed June 26, 2024 - By Deidre McPhillips, CNN Women have become less likely to get birth control in states that restricted abortion, study finds Women in states with the most restrictive abortion laws have also become less likely to access prescription birth control, a new study suggests. In a dozen states that have enacted…

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…

Published Wed December 20, 2023 - By Kristen Rogers, CNN Emergency contraception sales may surge after New Year’s, study suggests Sales of emergency contraception in the United States may spike by around 10% following New Year’s celebrations, according to a new study that found the trend has occurred over the past several years. New Year’s…

Posted at Dec 19, 2023, By Ben Jordan, TMJ4, Milwaukee among 8 cities with the worst pharmacy desert disparities, study shows Walgreens is planning to permanently close its third Milwaukee store in the past three months. The latest closure highlights the little-known issue of pharmacy deserts in Milwaukee. A 2021 study shows the city has…

Posted On DEC. 13, 2023 3 AM PT, By Emily Alpert Reyes, L.A. Times Pregnant people can get a shot to protect babies from RSV, but some hit hurdles (...) The shots have been hailed as a game changer for RSV, an illness that crowds pediatric wards in fall and winter and causes tens of…

December 9, 2023 Dima M. Qato, Hygeia Centennial Chair at USC Mann, was awarded a $437,920 grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE). The grant supports research assessing trends and impact of the availability of the medication buprenorphine for opioid-use disorder at pharmacies in communities across the U.S. Read more here

Published on December 8, 2023 By Sophie Putka, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Mobile Unit Preferred for Buprenorphine Access People using opioids were significantly more satisfied with accessing buprenorphine from a mobile unit than from a pharmacy, a prospective cohort study in Chicago found. "This study, though very small, demonstrates that many people face barriers…

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.…

Published on Nov. 10, 2023, By Anika Nayak, STAT How pharmacy deserts are putting the health of Black and Latino Americans at risk As pharmacies shutter stores across the U.S., people in low-income and predominantly Black, Latino, and Indigenous neighborhoods are increasingly left in pharmacy deserts, without easy access to medications and other essentials. In…

Published Mon November 6, 2023 By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Drugstore closures could make pharmacy deserts even worse As major chains close their doors, the number of independent pharmacies in the United States has stayed pretty steady over the past three years, according to data from the National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents the interests of…

AP, October 17, 2023, By Tom Murphy Rite Aid’s bankruptcy plan stirs worries of new ‘pharmacy deserts’ Rite Aid’s plan to close more stores as part of its bankruptcy process could hurt access to medicine and care, particularly in some majority Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and in rural areas, experts say. The drugstore chain said late…

CNN Business, October 17, 2023, By Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are closing thousands of stores. Here’s why Drugstore chains for decades saturated US cities, suburbs and small towns with new stores. Now, they are closing thousands of stores, leaving gaps in communities for medicines and essentials. (...) Retail pharmacy chains over…

Total Pharmacy September 2023, Volume 1 Issue 4,  Fred Gebhart Pharmacists Work to Sustain Care in Health Care Deserts When rural areas lose hospitals and primary care clinics, residents must turn to pharmacies to receive the care they need. Health care deserts, which are areas with poor access to hospitals, clinics, primary care, and other…

LAist 89.3 FM - Southern California Public Radio , May 15, 2023, Lindsey Wright A Birth Control Pill Could Soon Be Available Over The Counter, But It Might Not Be As Accessible As You Think. The panel of FDA advisers voted unanimously in favor of drugmaker Perrigo’s request to sell its once-a-day medication on store…

The Baltimore Banner, April 26, 2023, Clara Longo de Freitas and Ryan Little A Baltimore Banner data analysis found majority-Black and majority-minority neighborhoods have a slight disadvantage in access to pharmacies compared to mostly white communities. Pharmacies play a multifaceted role in communities. In addition to selling over-the-counter medications and dispensing prescriptions, pharmacies serve as…

Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2023, Talia Soglin Community leaders raise concerns about health care, pharmacy access in wake of Walmart closures. Read More

WBEZ Chicago, April 12, 2023, by Lynnea Domienik, Stephanie Kim Walmart to close four Chicago stores this weekend Sunday will be the last day to shop. Pharmacy customers have up to 30 days to fill orders. Walmart has announced it will shutter half of its Chicago stores this weekend. The retail giant says the four stores…

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…

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. …

BBC News, January 4, 2023 Dima Qato, PharmD, MPH, PhD was interviewed by BBC Business Report about changes to how women can access abortion medication in the U.S. (interview starts at 5:26). Listen here

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…

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…

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…

Everyday Health, September 22, 2022, Nuna Alberts, LCSW Medically Reviewed by Allison Young, MD  Making matters more confusing, a medication you’re taking could also be to blame. A University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy study, published in 2018 in JAMA, estimated that 37.2 percent of U.S. adults may be using one or more…

USC Schaeffer, September 9, 2022, Stephanie Hedt Abstract Objective: Prior studies have reported inequitable global access to essential medicines for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, especially statins. Here we examine recent trends and disparities in statin utilisation at the income group, regional and country levels. Design: Ecological study. Pharmaceutical sales data were used to examine statin utilisation in…

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…

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…

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…

USC Schaeffer Center, July 27, 2022 Using multiple medications with known cardiovascular adverse effects at the same time doubled, and sometimes tripled, the risk for a heart attack, stroke or death among older adults with no prior cardiovascular disease, according to new research published in Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety.   “Although the cardiovascular risks of…

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…

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”…

FTC, June 7, 2022 Agency to Scrutinize the Impact of Vertically Integrated Pharmacy Benefit Managers on the Access and Affordability of Medicine The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it will launch an inquiry into the prescription drug middleman industry, requiring the six largest pharmacy benefit managers to provide information and records regarding their business…

KHN, Sarah Varney, June 7, 2022 At a moment when half of U.S. states stand poised to outlaw or sharply curtail abortion services, the last-ditch pill for women aiming to stave off an unwanted pregnancy rests in the unlikely stewardship of two private equity firms whose investment portfolios range from Italian foods to vineyard management…

The Stream, Al Jazeera, May 16, 2022 On Tuesday, May 17 at 19:30GMT: The 1973 landmark case, Roe v Wade, granted women in the United States of America the right to an abortion for nearly 50 years. However, that could soon change.   Read More

USC Press Room, May 5, 2022 Sanctuary states should improve access to emergency and preventive contraception “Expanding access to birth control — emergency and preventive contraception — at local pharmacies should also be prioritized. All pharmacies should be required to carry and mandated to dispense birth control to anyone that requests it with or without…

ABC News, May 6, 2022 By  Denise Dador According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, abortion is an important component of public health. The most recent data from 2019 offers a snapshot of which groups seek the procedure. As the data shows, barring access from the procedure would disproportionately affect young women. As…

USC News, May 6, 2022 By  Leigh Hopper The Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion that could reverse Roe v. Wade has many people wondering what a post-Roe landscape might look like. Dima Qato, an associate professor at the USC School of Pharmacy and senior fellow at the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy…

ABC Action News Tampa Bay, February 22, 2022 By  Chris Stewart “A pharmacy desert is a neighborhood where the majority of the population lives more than a mile or a half a mile--depending on their income and vehicle ownership--from their nearest pharmacy in urban areas," said University of Southern California associate professor Dima Qato. Qato…

AACP, February 14, 2022 By Jane E. Rooney As pharmacy deserts proliferate, more must be done to examine barriers to access and prepare future pharmacists to address the needs of underserved communities. The term “pharmacy deserts” is popping up with greater frequency as pharmacy closures become more widespread and independent pharmacies struggle to survive in…

AARP, February 3, 2022 By Stacey Colino, AARP Certain fruits, veggies, snacks and drinks can be problematic when combined with some common medications It’s routine to ask your doctor or pharmacist if a new prescription drug could interact with other medications you’re taking. But have you inquired about potentially problematic foods? It turns out, a…

Fortune, December 22, 2021. By Markian Hawryluk and Kaiser Health News Like other community pharmacists nationwide, Muldrow has seen private insurers steer his customers toward their own allied chain, mail-order and specialty pharmacies. Urban independent pharmacies, particularly those in low-income Black and Latino communities, have been more likely to close than chain drugstores. “There’s really no financial…

USC News, December 20, 2021 By David Medzerian Year in review: Whether they’re working with patients, test tubes or massive databases, USC scientists continue to push the envelope with discoveries that are literally changing people’s lives. Discovering a deadly trend “These findings indicate that many people are at risk of an opioid overdose and underscore…

Public Health Post, December 2, 2021. Pharmacies are an important part of the health care system because they dispense prescription and over-the-counter medications and increasingly provide preventative services, including Covid-19 testing and immunization. However, geographic access to pharmacies varies throughout the US, especially in segregated American cities. Disparities in pharmacy access impact medication adherence, or…

NPR Morning Report, November 19, 2021. Caroline Champlain– CVS says it is planning to close about 900 stores over the next three years, starting in 2022. The company says it’s an effort to review the retail side of its business, and focus on more health care services. But when it comes to choosing which stores…

Fox 59 News, October 25, 2021. INDIANAPOLIS– For many Hoosiers, filling their prescriptions can be a roadblock to getting healthier. That’s because many Indiana cities don’t have a pharmacy in their neighborhood. Dr. Dima Qato, from USC’s School of Pharmacy, coined the term pharmacy desert. She explained to Edmé the pandemic further impacted this health…

Health Care Council of Chicago, September 24, 2021. On September 24, the Health Care Council of Chicago (HC3) hosted a discussion to address challenges to medication compliance, address barriers to medication access, and examine the solutions and opportunities there are to address these inequities through innovation and policy-reform. Event Recap Panelist Introductions Dima M. Qato,…

NCPA. September 9, 2021. The National Community Pharmacists Association is working with the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy and Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics to tackle barriers to pharmacy access, including closures. The organizations’ Pharmacy Access Initiative will generate real-time information for various officials, academics and industry leaders to…

USC Press Room, September 8, 2021. One in 10 adults were at risk of overdose, with older Americans relying on high doses of opioids more than younger adults, researchers found in a national sample of prescription claims. Recent research led by USC School of Pharmacy Associate Professor Dima M. Qato aims to fill that knowledge gap. The…