Studies have shown that independent pharmacy closures mainly happen in low-income neighborhoods, and with Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS shuttering some operations, this health inequity might be exacerbated.
Walgreens is closing more than 300 of its stores, according to statements made in 2019 and June 2023. As of August, the chain has 8,700 pharmacies, according to its website. In 2021, CVS announced its plan to close 900 of its nearly 2,000 stores by the end of 2024.
Most recently, Rite Aid declared bankruptcy and has slated 154 of its 2,000-plus pharmacies for closure.
Communities that are facing more pharmacy closure signs are predominantly Black, Latino and low-income, according to the Post.
“This has been going on historically, and that pretty much just exacerbates preexisting health disparities,” Lorece Edwards, DrPH, a professor at Baltimore-based Morgan State University who focuses on health disparities, told the Post. “It interrupts care and interrupts all the access to medical advice, access to vaccines, access to food, access to staples.”
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
