Celebrating American Pharmacists Month

October is American Pharmacists Month, and this year’s theme is Caring for Our Communities. In recognition of the month, three pharmacists with HHS’s Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) shared their thoughts on the essential role pharmacists play in health care with HIV.gov.

Shaping the Future of Public Health

LCDR Neelam ‘Nelly’ Gazarian, PharmD, MS, AAHIVP, said: “Every time I walk into work at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building [HHS headquarters] and see former Vice President Humphrey’s picture in the Great Hall, I’m reminded that he was a pharmacist—and how pharmacists play an essential role in every aspect of American health care. Like Humphrey, today’s pharmacists are helping shape the future of public health. Nowhere is this more evident than their expanding role in HIV prevention, especially through PrEP and PEP services. Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare providers, close to patients and embedded in their communities. Their work is critical in addressing the syndemic of HIV, STIs, and other diseases. I would like to thank pharmacists everywhere!”

Accessible Healthcare Providers

Ronald J. Levinson, PharmD, HIV and STI Research ORISE Fellow, OIDP, noted that when graduating from pharmacy school, every graduate takes the Oath of a Pharmacist and devotes a lifetime of service to others through the pharmacy profession.

“Our profession is everywhere. We’re often the most accessible healthcare provider communities rely on, providing expert advice on prescription use, over-the-counter medications, and other health concerns a patient may have. Our accessibility is crucial in times of public health crises. I am personally so grateful to have administered hundreds of vaccines in my pharmacy career during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a pharmacist, this month I am proud to recognize all pharmacists who save lives each day in their communities. Happy American Pharmacists Month!”

Shary M. Jones, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service, Director, OIDP Engagement Team Region 6, said American Pharmacists Month allows pharmacists to reaffirm their critical role in the public health infrastructure, especially considering the syndemic nature of many health crises today.

“We are on the frontlines and frequently encounter patients dealing with overlapping health conditions like HIV, diabetes, hypertension, substance use disorders, and mental illness,” she said. “Our proximity to patients allows us to identify and respond quickly to the compounding effects of syndemics. By recognizing this month, we highlight how pharmacists are more than medication experts—we are vital public health advocates working at the frontlines of syndemic care to improve the well-being of the communities we serve.”

According to the American Pharmacists AssociationExit Disclaimer, there are 700,000 pharmacy professionals in the U.S., including pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. More than 500,000 are trained in immunizations, and pharmacists accounted for more than 74% of all vaccinations given during the 2023–2024 respiratory season in the U.S.