Briefly...

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Apr 17, 2023

Becerra Meets with Pharmacy Leaders

Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra met virtually with national pharmacy leaders in late March “to discuss how HHS will continue to partner with pharmacies across the nation on a variety of critical issues,” according to an HHS news announcement following the meeting.

“The group discussed implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act to lower healthcare costs for millions of Americans, and how to ensure continued access to healthcare with the planned end of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on May 11, 2023,” the announcement added.

Meeting participants included the American Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Community Pharmacists Association, along with CVS Health, Walgreens, and WalMart.

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Report: Pharmacists Experiencing Burnout

Burnout among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic has been well documented. Pharmacists are no exception, according to a late March story in the Washington Post that highlighted the immense stress many pharmacists are feeling, as workloads increase and staffing shortages persist.

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Essay: Pharmacists Can Support Human Trafficking Victims

A new essay in Pharmacy Times says pharmacists are in a prime position to spot victims of human trafficking by learning how they and their traffickers typically behave in pharmacies. The essay also shares resources that can help.