Celebrating American Pharmacists Month

Since 1925, October has marked a time for us to celebrate the pharmacy profession. American Pharmacists Month began that year as National Pharmacy Week. In 2004—nearly 8 decades later—that week became a month, and American Pharmacists Month was born.

This year’s theme is Your Pharmacist: Improving Health. Increasing Access., which recognizes the vital role that pharmacists in all practice settings play as part of a patient’s health care team.

This year, the American Pharmacist Association toolkit¹ highlights some key statistics about pharmacists. It is well-known that 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a pharmacy, and pharmacists play a vital role in public health:

• Pharmacists administered 300 million COVID-19 vaccines;
• Over 90% of COVID-19 vaccines were delivered at pharmacies;
• Between 2018 and 2021, 60% to 70% of vaccinations during flu season
  were given at a pharmacy; and
• 85% of influenza, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccines administered
  in the United States were given at a pharmacy.

Don’t forget to observe National Women Pharmacist Day (October 12), National Pharmacy Week (October 15 to 21), and Pharmacy Technician Day (October 17).

To access the full toolkit, visit pharmacistmonth.com.

The role of pharmacists is evolving rapidly, and pharmacists are now involved in numerous aspects of patient care, from dispensing medications to providing immunizations to managing chronic diseases. As the health care landscape continues to change, you are well-positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead—and Drug Topics is honored to continue supporting you.

Reference
1. American Pharmacists Month resource toolkit. Accessed September 25, 2023. https://www.pharmacistsmonth.com/Portals/0/APhM-2023-Toolkit.pdf