Meet the Specialty Pharmacist Championing HIV Care

In high school, Cassandra Esperant, PharmD, AAHIVP, told her chemistry teacher that she didn’t need his class because she’d be going to law school, driven by a desire to advocate for others and a belief that being an attorney was one of the only ways she could. But when she got to college, she shifted her studies to pre-pharmacy, quickly learning the role that pharmacists play in improving the lives of their patients.

“I realized that as a clinical pharmacist, we’re one of the patient’s number one advocates, so I get to channel my attorney hat,” she told Drug Topics in an interview for American Pharmacists Month.

Now, as a credentialed HIV clinical pharmacist with the American Academy of HIV Medicine, Esperant finds herself in a position to champion patients' health. She understands and appreciates the impact she has on those she cares for—“How I interact with them determines how they proceed moving forward,” she says—and the opportunity to meet patients where they are.

Beyond her clinical practice, Esperant educates her followers on all-things HIV prevention through Instagram (@ThePrEPandHIVPharmacist). As the founder and CEO of PrEPRx, she extends her reach through public speaking engagements and public health consultations, ensuring that those in need of care have access to vital information and support.

Our coverage of American Pharmacists Month continues all October. To view all of our interviews, visit our American Pharmacists Month landing resource center.