5 Questions With a Pharmacist: Anthony Minniti from Bell Pharmacy

Anthony Minniti, BScPharm, RPh FACA, is the co-owner and pharmacist in charge at Bell Pharmacy in Camden, New Jersey. Established in 1931, Bell is the oldest family-owned pharmacy in Camden. Staying true to what Bell Pharmacy calls the “old-fashioned practice model of personal service,” Minniti and his team encapsulate what community pharmacy is all about.

Minniti is a graduate of The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and has since moved to New Jersey to establish his pharmacy career. He is currently the acting president of the New Jersey Pharmacists’ Association and his work has garnered local and national recognition. Outside of pharmacy, Minniti has 15 years of experience in politics and has served 4 terms as Mayor of Cinnaminson, New Jersey.

One of his focus areas within pharmacy includes cannabis, and he even opened a dispensary in 2023. Read about his experience in the industry and operating Bell’s Pharmacy.

Anthony Minniti, BScPharm, RPh FACA, co-owner and pharmacist in charge at Bell Pharmacy in Camden, New Jersey | image credit: Anthony Minniti

Drug Topics: What is the newest offering at your pharmacy that you think will increase customer engagement and/or overall revenue?

Anthony Minniti: Bell Pharmacy is proud to have developed and launched Camden Apothecary Dispensary at Bell Pharmacy, the nation’s first pharmacy-based cannabis dispensary. The inspiration for this practice model was the discovery of an old prescription bottle labeled “Tincture of Cannabis” when our family purchased Bell Pharmacy in 1997. I learned that Bell Pharmacy (then “Bell Drug Company”) was dispensing cannabis until its prohibition in 1937. When New Jersey announced its intention to pursue legalization of medical cannabis in 2013, I thought of that bottle and began developing a practice model where pharmacies would serve as medical cannabis dispensaries. Once New Jersey legalized cannabis for adult use, I revised the model to co-locate a full-service adult use cannabis dispensary alongside a pharmacy department in the same building. This innovative design is fully compliant with both New Jersey Board of Pharmacy and New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission regulations. Camden Apothecary Dispensary at Bell Pharmacy opened on November 8, 2023, making Bell Pharmacy the only facility in the nation to have dispensed cannabis during both the pre- and post-cannabis prohibition era.

I believe pharmacists need to play a central role in the responsible use cannabis, both in the medical and recreational sectors. By participating in both the pharmacy and cannabis spaces, we have the unique ability to make unbiased recommendations to patients. There are times when cannabis therapy may be considered a safer alternative to pharmaceuticals. Likewise, there are situations in which cannabis is inappropriate given a patient’s condition or medical therapy. Camden Apothecary Dispensary at Bell Pharmacy is the first facility to offer an endocannabinoid DNA testing kit. This groundbreaking technology determines which cannabis products will work best for each patient, based on their genetic profile, thereby creating the opportunity for individualized cannabis recommendations. This gives pharmacists the opportunity to play a leading role in ensuring the success and safety of this rapidly emerging landscape.

Drug Topics: What is one of the biggest challenges you face in today’s pharmacy industry?

Anthony Minniti: The greatest challenge facing pharmacy is the threat posed by the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) cartel. Most professionals in our industry understand the myriad problems caused by these entities. Practices like spread pricing, audit abuse, restrictive and exclusionary “specialty drug” networks, and one-sided contracts are some of the issues whose financial impacts have decimated both chain and independent drug retailers. Since all attempts at PBM “reform” have failed, I’ve proposed what I believe to be the only solution: PBMs must be prohibited by Federal law from owning, affiliating with, or having any financial interest in any entity that sells or distributes prescription drugs or devices. This blatant conflict of interest has imposed negative outcomes on patients, prescribers, and pharmacies alike. There is no other entity in the insurance sector where the insurance company writes the checks to itself, or where insurance-owned companies are in direct competition with the overall market. As someone who witnessed the “birth” of the PBM, I vividly recall the concerns expressed by our industry. At the time, there was no evidence to validate those concerns. Forty years later, the results are conclusive. PBMs must be restricted to their primary and intended role as insurance processors and administrators. As the influence of PBMs has expanded, the cost of healthcare has skyrocketed, and access to healthcare has become increasingly difficult. At the same time, the “Big 3” PBMs, ESI/Express, CVS/Caremark, & United Healthcare/Optum, have reaped record profits and are among the most profitable companies in the annual Forbes rankings. Corporate shareholders are the only winners in the current paradigm, and the Federal Trade Commission should step in and end this anti-competitive monopoly. The future of our profession is at stake, and bold action is required to save it.

Drug Topics: What are some things your pharmacy does to make the community feel welcomed?

Anthony Minniti: Bell Pharmacy has a long history of serving the underserved in the city of Camden, New Jersey. From the early Jewish and European immigrant communities of the mid 1900’s to the Black, Latino and most recently, the rapidly growing LGBTQ communities of today, Bell Pharmacy has always embraced the diversity and uniqueness of the many communities that call Camden home. We have always been very active in neighborhood and civic organizations. We donate scholarships to Camden students through the Camden Schools Foundation and have developed an innovative program with Camden School District to provide mentorship/internship programs at Bell Pharmacy for students interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy. We have been able to destigmatize risk mitigation programs through our first of its kind Pharmacy based PrEP Clinic. The trust built between the pharmacy and the community was crucial in our ability to help a vaccine “hesitant” population become educated about, and more comfortable with, becoming vaccinated during COVID. Camden achieved its goal of 70% adult vaccination with Bell Pharmacy leading the way. The Camden Apothecary at Bell Pharmacy has enabled cannabis to reach a new population of patients who might consider cannabis as a legitimate therapy but would never visit a cannabis dispensary. Ultimately, our long and established history of embracing our community has resulted in a unique trust and bond between Bell Pharmacy and the City of Camden.

Drug Topics: What is your favorite or most rewarding thing about serving your community in Camden, New Jersey?

Anthony Minniti: Bell Pharmacy has been a bedrock institution in the Parkside neighborhood of Camden, New Jersey since 1931. For the 93 years that Bell Pharmacy has been serving the community, there have been three family ownership groups: the Bellitz (namesake) family, the Schwartz family, and since 1997, the current Doganiero/Minniti family. Because of this history, a unique bond has been forged between Bell Pharmacy and the Camden community. Both Marian, my sister/ business partner, and we consider ourselves stewards of something that belongs to the residents of the city. We recognize the importance of that relationship and are committed to doing all we can to ensure that bond is never broken. Though our practice may expand and become more diverse in our offerings, our core mission as the original neighborhood pharmacy remains as central to our identity as it was in 1931. There is no greater reward than being a part of preserving and advancing this proud tradition

Drug Topics: What do you believe is in store for the future of pharmacy and for your business in particular?

Anthony Minniti: I believe the future of independent retail pharmacy is limitless and I have never been more optimistic. In 1992, one of my professors at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, Dr. Calvin Knowlton, created a company named ExcellRX. Dr. Knowlton was also a successful independent pharmacy owner. He spoke of a “post dispensing” future for our profession where robotics would take over the dispensing functions, and pharmacists would become more active in actual patient care. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical, but that era has arrived. thanks to our profession’s performance during COVID-19 pandemic. I see independent pharmacies flourishing, particularly in diverse urban and underserved rural communities where the local pharmacy will become a healthcare “hub.” Independent pharmacies are in the unique position of being able to provide specialized patient care based on the unique characteristics of their communities. State and private insurers are creating new payment models centered on compensation for patient management rather than. product dispensing fees. I envision pharmacists playing a leading role in risk-mitigation programs like PrEP and naloxone distribution, as well as alternative holistic treatment options like cannabis and even the emerging use of psilocybin. I have developed and implemented models in these areas that can be customized for use by pharmacies across the nation. As Dr. Knowlton envisioned many years ago, the value and potential of pharmacists is finally being recognized as more than just dispensers of medication, opening up a whole new world of opportunities for us as professionals.

If you or a pharmacist colleague is interested in being featured in Drug Topics’ 5 Questions With a Pharmacist series, please send all inquiries to editors@drugtopics.com.

READ MORE: 5 Questions With a Pharmacist: Lea Wolsoncroft from Remedies Pharmacy

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