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This week on TWIRx, we head into NCPA 2026 with independent community pharmacy front and center — from artificial intelligence and consolidation to supply-chain economics and policy reform.

 

We start with the TWIRx Rumor Mill — Behind the Counter Intelligence, looking at three developing stories worth watching.

 

TWIRx RUMOR MILL — TOP 3

 

1. Another massive pharmacy transaction may be coming.

 

The owner of Walgreens Boots Alliance is reportedly nearing a deal to sell UK pharmacy giant Boots to the Weston family in a transaction valued at roughly $9 billion, including debt. The Weston interests already control Loblaw Companies and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. No final transaction has been announced, so this remains one to watch.

 

TWIRx Take: Pharmacy consolidation isn't slowing down. As major organizations continue reorganizing, buying, selling, and vertically integrating assets, what does that mean for independent pharmacy — and where does scale become too much scale?

 

 

2. Specialty pharmacy keeps getting bigger — and Cigna sees an enormous opportunity.

 

At its 2026 Investor Day, Cigna identified a specialty pharmacy and care-services market approaching $500 billion, with Accredo and its specialty operations positioned as major growth drivers.

 

TWIRx Take: Follow the money. Specialty drugs, rare disease, biologics, infusion and complex medication management continue to reshape pharmacy economics. The question for community pharmacy is: How much of this expanding market can independents capture?

 

3. AI is moving from pharmacy experiment to pharmacy infrastructure.

 

Just as NCPA prepares to make AI implementation one of the major topics at its 2026 Annual Convention, health-profession regulators are increasingly discussing governance and accountability surrounding AI. NCPA's programming includes real-world AI implementation and operational applications for community pharmacies.

 

TWIRx Take: The conversation is changing from "Should pharmacy use AI?" to "How do we use it responsibly, profitably and safely?"

 

And that takes us directly into our first featured conversation.

 

SEGMENT 1 John Boos, PharmD, MBA — HendrenAI AI Meets Independent Community Pharmacy

 

Sponsored by HendrenAI and Independent Pharmacy Cooperative

 

NCPA 2026 officially opens October 3 in Kansas City, with independent pharmacy owners and innovators gathering to focus on practical ways to increase efficiency, expand services and strengthen pharmacy profitability. AI implementation is specifically among this year's featured topics.

 

In Part One of our conversation with John Boos, PharmD, MBA of HendrenAI, we set the stage for NCPA 2026 and examine what artificial intelligence can realistically do for independent pharmacy.

 

This isn't AI replacing the pharmacist.

 

It's AI giving pharmacists and their teams additional capacity.

 

As margins tighten and workload continues to increase, the pharmacies that intelligently automate routine work may be able to redirect valuable human time toward the things pharmacists do best: patients, clinical care, relationships and growing the business.

 

SEGMENT 2 Yvonne Dominguez — Independent Pharmacy Cooperative IPC Acquires IntegralRx

 

Independent Pharmacy Cooperative recently announced its acquisition of IntegralRx, bringing together two organizations serving independent community pharmacies.

 

IntegralRx has supported thousands of pharmacies through purchasing opportunities, service and pharmacy relationships. IPC says the acquisition will expand access to products, services and resources designed to help pharmacy owners remain competitive and profitable.

 

We talk with Yvonne Dominguez about:

 

• Why IPC made the acquisition
• What IntegralRx brings to the cooperative
• What changes — and what stays the same — for IntegralRx pharmacies
• How scale can strengthen independent pharmacy purchasing power
• Why independent pharmacies increasingly need collaboration without surrendering their independence

 

TWIRx Question: Can cooperatives create enough collective scale to give independent pharmacies some of the economic leverage enjoyed by vertically integrated competitors?

 

SEGMENT 3 David A. Hargraves — CEO, Pharma Logistics Jessica Daley — Industry Intelligence Pharmacy Supply Chain: Fighting for Every Dollar

 

Finally, we turn to an issue that doesn't always generate headlines but directly affects pharmacy profitability:

 

What happens to medication inventory after a pharmacy can no longer use it?

 

Pharmacies continue to face significant economic pressure, and many of the largest forces affecting reimbursement remain outside the direct control of the pharmacy owner.

 

But there are areas pharmacies — and policymakers — can change.

 

One is pharmaceutical return policy.

 

The Problem

 

Pharmacy economics are being squeezed from multiple directions.

 

Reimbursement pressure. Inventory expense. Expired medication. Operational costs. Supply-chain complexity.

 

When margins are razor thin, seemingly small inefficiencies become substantial.

 

The Opportunity

 

Medication return policies represent an area where pharmacies may have an opportunity to recover value that otherwise disappears from the business.

 

Virginia's regulations, for example, specifically address circumstances under which drugs can be returned within the supply chain while maintaining appropriate storage conditions, documentation and product integrity.

 

The Bigger Conversation

 

With David A. Hargraves, CEO of Pharma Logistics, and Jessica Daley of Industry Intelligence, we examine how smarter pharmaceutical returns and responsible policy reform could improve pharmacy economics.

 

Closing Thought

 

As we head into NCPA 2026, the independent pharmacy conversation isn't simply about surviving another difficult year.

 

It's about finding leverage.

 

Leverage through AI.

 

Leverage through cooperative scale.

 

Leverage through better supply-chain economics.

 

And leverage through policy change.

 

Independent pharmacy may not control every economic force affecting the profession — but this week's TWIRx demonstrates that there are still areas where pharmacy owners, innovators and advocates can take action.

 

We'll see you in Kansas City for NCPA 2026.

In this podcast episode, I interview Dr. Sarah Apple, a board-certified occupational therapist and the owner of Happy Pelvis Pelvic Floor Therapy in Cookeville, TN. Dr Apple talks about how she has dedicated her practice to helping women better understand and care for their pelvic health. In addition, we discuss how pelvic health relates to sex therapy. Dr Sarah Apple's Bio: Dr. Sarah Apple is a board-certified occupational therapist and the owner of Happy Pelvis Pelvic Floor Therapy, a local practice in Cookeville, TN dedicated to helping women better understand and care for their pelvic health. She specializes in pelvic floor therapy through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond, with a passion for helping women recognize that common symptoms aren’t always something they simply have to live with. Through Happy Pelvis, Sarah strives to educate, empower, and help women feel confident in their bodies. Practice Website: https://www.happypelvistherapy.com/ Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565217837049 LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-apple-otd-otr-l-58817a236/

Welcome everyone to the Bottom Line Rewind, your monthly recap of the Bottom Line Pharmacy Podcast. This month, we feature interviews on topics about operating an Infusion pharmacy in 2026, distributor cutoffs, peptides, and personal guarantee insurance. Click below to check out the full episodes: Episode 1: Infusion Pharmacy Ownership in 2026: https://youtu.be/rdMKsMjN8Zs?si=jqZq-MXU7IVk3KmB Episode 2: Distributor Injunctive Relief: https://youtu.be/hAAo6AY-Ai0?si=2nbb6GVyaN9qr44A Episode 3: Peptides, Nexus Issues, and Tradeshow Takeaways: https://youtu.be/8_clXDyhVbM?si=2s-6je4YAG26889m Episode 4: Personal Guarantee Insurance 101: https://youtu.be/4v3cRtMvfIM?si=k0h36O_CIc7-IaCC Episode 5: Financing a Pharmacy Acquisition: https://youtu.be/CYxfBISoBco?si=kzEzUdmUh6YHXRvz

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Rita Jew, PharmD, MBA, President of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), about what it takes to keep specialty medication use safe. They discuss the distinct risks of specialty medications and detail ISMP's mission to prevent medication errors, providing drug-specific risk assessments, resources, and interactive tools that help pharmacies uncover gaps between policy and practice.

Thomas E. Hanzel joins host Todd Eury to discuss how AI, automation, data access, and emerging at-home care models can help long-term care pharmacies improve efficiency, expand patient care, and diversify revenue.

Host: Todd Eury Guest: Thomas E. Hanzel, PharmD, MBA

In this special episode of This Week in Pharmacy, Todd Eury welcomes Vox, the PPN and RxPR Intelligence Officer, for a timely conversation about the forces reshaping pharmacy.

Together, they examine the reimbursement pressures threatening independent pharmacies, the progress—and unfinished work—of PBM reform, and how artificial intelligence can augment pharmacists, strengthen operations, and create more time for meaningful patient care.

The discussion also looks ahead to NCPA 2026 in Kansas City, emerging innovations from Hendren AI and FDB, YARAL Pharma’s support of community pharmacy, and the upcoming Veterans Pharmacy Care Summit.

The message is clear: pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must engage lawmakers, host pharmacy tours in 2027, and share the patient stories that demonstrate pharmacy’s value.

This is not our platform. This is your platform.

In Episode 2 of our special podcast series presented in partnership with Clinigen, we celebrate World Pharmacists Day by examining how hospital pharmacy is changing—and where the profession may be headed next.

 

Host Todd Eury welcomes Carel Bouwer, a pharmacist and Managing Director for Clinigen’s Africa region, and Nicolene Schoeman, Dispensary Manager at Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital in South Africa.

 

Together, they explore the hospital pharmacist’s position at the intersection of science and humanity. Although hospital pharmacists are recognized for their knowledge of medicines, their ability to listen, understand individual patient experiences, and help people navigate complex treatment journeys is equally important.

 

The conversation addresses the pressures reshaping hospital pharmacy, including increasing prescription volumes, workforce shortages, financial constraints, emerging therapies, and changing patient expectations. Carel and Nicolene discuss how the profession can meet these demands without losing the pharmacist-patient relationship that has traditionally defined pharmacy practice.

 

Topics include:

 

• What people misunderstand about the work pharmacists perform
• How pharmacy education must evolve for the next generation
• Pharmacogenomics, personalized medicine, AI, and digital health
• Preparing pharmacists for business and operational leadership
• Integrating pharmacists into multidisciplinary care teams
• Hospital pharmacists’ often-unseen contributions to patient care
• Pharmacy-led care and its potential to reduce pressure on physicians and hospitals
• Antibiotic stewardship and expanded clinical responsibilities
• The continued growth of specialist and prescribing roles

 

Looking ahead, the guests consider a future in which technology manages more routine tasks while pharmacists assume greater responsibility for personalized medicine, clinical decision-making, prescribing, and direct patient care.

 

The future of pharmacy will be more technologically advanced—but its success will still depend on human judgment, empathy, communication, and trust.

 

 

 

Host: Todd S. Eury Guests: Carel Bouwer and Nicolene Schoeman Presented in partnership with: Clinigen

Guest: Iowa State Representative Brett Barker, PharmD — District 51 Guest Host: Todd S. Eury, Pharmacy Podcast Network Regular Host: Greg Reybold — on special assignment Sponsored by: American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI)

 

Iowa has delivered one of the most significant state-level victories in the continuing fight for pharmacy benefit manager reform.

 

On this episode of the PBM Reform Podcast, guest host Todd S. Eury sits down with Iowa State Representative Brett Barker, PharmD, a practicing pharmacist and representative of Iowa House District 51, for an inside look at the passage of Senate File 383 and what the new law could mean for independent pharmacies, employers, patients and the future of PBM regulation across the country.

 

Representative Barker brings a rare perspective to the discussion. In addition to serving in the Iowa Legislature, he is a pharmacist and pharmacy executive who understands firsthand the financial pressures facing community pharmacies. Barker served as one of the House floor managers for SF 383 as the legislation moved through the Iowa General Assembly.

 

The legislation cleared the Iowa House by a 75–15 vote after previously passing the Senate 36–14. Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 383 into law on June 11, 2025, and its primary provisions became effective July 1, 2025.

 

SF 383 establishes substantial new requirements governing pharmacy benefit managers and their relationships with pharmacies, health plans and other payors. Among its provisions, the law addresses PBM reimbursement practices, pharmacy contracting, pass-through pricing, pharmacy appeals and disputes, network participation and protections intended to prevent discriminatory treatment of pharmacies.

 

One of the central themes of the legislation is greater transparency and accountability surrounding the flow of prescription-drug dollars. The law defines and establishes requirements involving pass-through pricing, in which payments made by a third-party payor to a PBM for prescription drugs correspond to payments made to the dispensing pharmacy, including applicable professional dispensing fees.

 

During the conversation, Todd and Representative Barker explore:

 

• Why PBM reform became such an urgent issue for Iowa pharmacists and patients.
• What community pharmacies were experiencing financially before SF 383.
• How pharmacists, pharmacy owners and advocacy organizations helped educate Iowa lawmakers.
• The political battle surrounding the legislation and what ultimately helped generate bipartisan support.
• Why PBM reimbursement methodology is central to pharmacy sustainability.
• The importance of giving pharmacies meaningful mechanisms to challenge reimbursement and contractual disputes.
• The role Representative Barker's pharmacy background played in explaining PBM economics to fellow legislators.
• The opposition lawmakers encountered while attempting to move PBM reform forward.
• What other states can learn from Iowa's strategy.
• Why pharmacists need greater representation inside state legislatures.
• Whether Iowa's legislation could become a model for broader PBM reform nationwide.

 

Governor Reynolds described the legislation as an effort to bring greater accountability to PBMs and noted when signing the bill that Iowa was joining a growing number of states pursuing similar reforms.

 

For independent community pharmacists, the Iowa experience demonstrates something increasingly important: PBM reform is no longer simply a pharmacy reimbursement debate. It is becoming a healthcare access, competition and patient-care issue being fought state by state.

 

Representative Barker's story also highlights another major theme of the PBM Reform Podcast — the importance of pharmacists becoming directly engaged in public policy.

 

When pharmacists bring their clinical knowledge, business experience and patient relationships into state government, they can help lawmakers understand how policies written hundreds of miles away ultimately affect whether a pharmacy can keep its doors open.

 

Iowa's passage of SF 383 represents a major milestone in that movement.

 

About Our Guest

 

Brett Barker, PharmD, represents Iowa House District 51. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa and has worked extensively in community pharmacy. His professional background gives him firsthand insight into pharmacy operations, prescription-drug reimbursement and the challenges facing independent pharmacies.

 

About the PBM Reform Podcast

 

The PBM Reform Podcast examines pharmacy benefit manager practices, prescription-drug economics, legislation and public policy affecting pharmacists, employers and patients across the United States.

 

The program features pharmacists, policymakers, healthcare executives, legislators and advocacy leaders working to create greater transparency, accountability and competition within the prescription-drug marketplace.

 

Sponsored by American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI).

 

Guest Host: Todd S. Eury Regular Host: Greg Reybold — on special assignment Production: Pharmacy Podcast Network

 

PBM Reform Podcast — following the legislation, the policymakers and the pharmacists fighting to change the prescription-drug marketplace.

Tune into a multi-episode recap of the Retail Business Conference (RBC) 2026, hosted by Corey Huckabey, Director of Customer Experience, and Semaki Corfias, Sr. Manager, Customer Care. Throughout this series, Corey and Semaki sit down with Cardinal Health leaders, industry experts, pharmacy owners, and solution specialists to discuss the trends, innovations, and opportunities transforming independent pharmacy. Hear exclusive conversations and actionable insights directly from the RBC 2026 show floor.

Episode Breakdown

• Inventory Optimization: Unlocking the Future of Inventory Management – Hear how pharmacy owner Jason Kizer implemented Inventory Optimization and his experience on the benefits of the program compared to Cardinal Health Inventory Optimization (CIM). 

• ContinuCare Pathway: Bridging the Gap in Diabetes Supplies – Learn how the ContinuCare Pathway Program can help pharmacies streamline access to Cardinal Health’s direct-to-patient DME provider for diabetes devices and supplies. 

 

Tune into a multi-episode recap of the Retail Business Conference (RBC) 2026, hosted by Corey Huckabey, Director of Customer Experience, and Semaki Corfias, Sr. Manager, Customer Care. Throughout this series, Corey and Semaki sit down with Cardinal Health leaders, industry experts, pharmacy owners, and solution specialists to discuss the trends, innovations, and opportunities transforming independent pharmacy. Hear exclusive conversations and actionable insights directly from the RBC 2026 show floor.

Episode Breakdown

• Vantus™ HQ Updates and Customer Communications – Discover how Vantus HQ turns customer feedback into meaningful enhancements to the platform and enhances customer experience.

• Experience Digital Growth and Engagement with Cardinal Health E.D.G.E. –

Independent pharmacies are at a crossroads, where tradition meets transformation. Learn how Cardinal Health and Lumistry break down strategies to help independent pharmacies stay competitive in today’s challenging digital landscape.

Tune in to a multi-episode recap of the Retail Business Conference (RBC) 2026, hosted by Corey Huckabey, Director of Customer Experience, and Semaki Corfias, Sr. Manager, Customer Care. Throughout this series, Corey and Semaki sit down with Cardinal Health leaders, industry experts, pharmacy owners, and solution specialists to discuss the trends, innovations, and opportunities transforming independent pharmacy. Hear exclusive conversations and actionable insights directly from the RBC 2026 show floor.

Episode Breakdown

• From Card to Counter Making Medicare Advantage OTC Benefits Work In Your Pharmacy – Discover how independent pharmacies can unlock the value of Medicare Advantage OTC benefits. Learn how pharmacies can strengthen patient relationships, drive front-end sales and growth within their pharmacy.

• Strengthening Support for an Aging Population – Learn how AARP's HomeFit Guide helps individuals create safer, more accessible homes through practical home safety and accessibility strategies that support independence and aging in place.

 

In this IPC-sponsored episode, Todd Eury explores how manufacturer-direct programs, direct-to-consumer channels, cash-pay models, specialty carve-outs, and new reimbursement structures are reshaping medication access and independent pharmacy.

 

Joining the conversation are Shelley Bailey of Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and Sammy Salem, Principal Owner and COO of Vios Health and an Executive Board Member of AAPARx.

 

Manufacturer-direct care is often associated with websites, telehealth, and mail-order fulfillment—but it does not have to exclude community pharmacy. IPC is developing infrastructure that allows patients to receive manufacturer-supported pricing while participating independent pharmacies remain the dispensing location.

 

The discussion examines IPC’s manufacturer-sponsored GLP-1 opportunities and a broader network covering more than 140 branded medications. Shelley and Sammy explain how these programs can improve patient affordability, create more sustainable pharmacy economics, and help independent pharmacies reconnect with patients lost to online and manufacturer-controlled channels.

 

Topics include:

 

• Whether the traditional pharmacy benefit is beginning to fragment
• How manufacturer-direct programs can include independent pharmacy
• The economics behind manufacturer-supported reimbursement
• Finding patients facing denied authorizations, high deductibles, lost coverage, or limited brand access
• Why excellent service must now be paired with digital access and new payment models
• Employer drug carve-outs and the importance of evaluating total benefit economics
• Point-of-sale affordability and acquisition-cost protections
• What manufacturers need to provide for pharmacy participation
• How successful pharmacies can prepare for the next access model

 

The central message is clear: the industry may not need to create new dollars—it needs to change where existing dollars land.

 

In partnership with GoodRx, this manufacturer-direct program combines GoodRx’s trusted consumer platform and broad patient reach with IPC’s nationwide network of independent pharmacies. Together, we create a more direct and accessible path from patient engagement to prescription fulfillment—while keeping community pharmacies at the center of care.

 

IPC GPO members interested in participating should contact their IPC Regional Director. Other IPC members, affiliates, and interested pharmacies can reach IPC Digital Health at digital-health@ipcrx.com.

 

Host: Todd S. Eury, Pharmacy Podcast Network Guests: Shelley Bailey, IPC; Sammy Salem, AAPARx and Vios Health Sponsored by: Independent Pharmacy Cooperative

A specialty prescription can pass through a payer, PBM, hub, specialty pharmacy, provider’s office, and manufacturer support program before the patient receives the first dose. At every handoff, critical time, information, and patient confidence can be lost.

 

In Episode 1 of this three-part series, Todd Eury and leaders from AcariaHealth and CassianRx examine where fragmentation often begins: the moment a specialty prescription is written and the prescriber loses visibility into what happens next.

 

The conversation explores AcariaHealth’s use of the CassianRx ONE Journey physician portal to reconnect prescribers and their staff with the specialty pharmacy process. The platform provides NPI-scoped access to prescription status, shipment history, patient information, secure two-way communications, and document exchange.

 

The episode also examines why provider adoption is an experience challenge—not simply a technology challenge. Even the most advanced portal delivers limited value if it creates another login, adds complexity, or fails to provide immediate and meaningful information.

Topics include:

• The true cost of status calls, faxes, and disconnected workflows
• Improving transparency from referral through dispensing
• Designing technology that prescribers and office staff will use
• Secure communication between practices and specialty pharmacies
• Scaling the provider experience across a national specialty operation
• The appropriate role of AI in specialty pharmacy workflows
• How provider connectivity can accelerate patients’ access to therapy

The episode closes with the series’ recurring question: What is the one handoff you would eliminate?

Episode 1 establishes the provider layer of the specialty journey before Episode 2 shifts attention to the person still navigating access, affordability, onboarding, and treatment—the patient.

 

Hosted by: Todd S. Eury, Pharmacy Podcast Network Featuring: AcariaHealth and CassianRx

• Chris Corsi - CEO CassianRx
• Paige Davis - Vice President Product and Client Success
• Peter Bergen - Acaria Health Vice President - Pharmacy Operations
• Jennifer Iverson - AcariaHealth Vice President, Product, Clinical and Data Strategy

Series sponsor: CassianRx and the ONE Journey platform

 

One patient. One journey. Every stakeholder.

This week on TWIRx, we’re looking at the expanding role of pharmacists in public health, value-based care, artificial intelligence, medication intelligence, and the technology infrastructure supporting independent community pharmacy.

 

We begin with a special conversation featuring Alex J. Adams, PharmD, MPH, Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and Pennsylvania pharmacy leader Robert “Rob” Maher, PharmD, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network (PPCN).

 

Dr. Adams brings a pharmacist’s perspective to federal health and human services leadership, while Maher leads a statewide clinically integrated pharmacy network focused on measurable patient outcomes. Together, we discuss how pharmacists are becoming increasingly involved in public health initiatives and how organizations such as PPCN are helping demonstrate the value of pharmacist-provided care through value-based models in Pennsylvania.

 

Next, we continue our countdown to NASP inSPire 2026 with one of PPN’s Podcast Press Sponsors, Hendren AI.

 

John Boos, PharmD, MBA, Founder and CEO of Hendren AI, joins us to examine the growing role of artificial intelligence in specialty pharmacy and rare disease management. We discuss how AI-enabled tools can support pharmacists by processing complex information, improving workflow efficiency, automating administrative processes, and helping pharmacy teams devote more time to clinical care and patient engagement.

 

Our 3rd segement on today’s TWIRx, we catch up with Vince Costanzo of RxBLU for an important discussion about the rapidly changing pharmacy technology landscape.

 

Pharmacy software today is about far more than features and functionality. For an independent pharmacy, its technology platform can sit at the center of dispensing, claims, inventory, patient communication, workflow, and business continuity.

 

We discuss why pharmacies should evaluate not only the technology they purchase, but also the stability, accessibility, support structure, and long-term strategy of the company behind it. As consolidation continues throughout healthcare technology, independent pharmacy owners need to understand what a potential acquisition, ownership change, or shift in corporate priorities could mean for the software platforms their operations depend upon.

 

Our featured Podcast Press Sponsor is First Databank — FDB.

 

David Delaney, MD, President of FDB, joins TWIRx to discuss the company's newly announced FDB Script Agent™, an AI-powered prescribing agent designed to move ambient listening beyond clinical documentation.

 

FDB Script Agent converts patient-clinician dialogue into structured prescriptions ready for clinician review, using FDB medication intelligence to provide clinical grounding and codification rather than relying on simple natural-language processing alone. We explore what this next generation of ambient AI could mean for prescribing workflows, medication safety, clinicians, and ultimately the pharmacies receiving those prescriptions.

 

It’s another packed edition of This Week in Pharmacy — connecting pharmacy leadership, public health, specialty pharmacy, artificial intelligence and the technology shaping the future of the profession.

 

This is TWIRx — This Week in Pharmacy, from the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

Hospital pharmacy is evolving rapidly — and pharmacists are playing a more influential role than ever in shaping safe, personalised and effective patient care.

In this first episode of a special three-part series presented in partnership with Clinigen’s Love Your Pharmacist Awards, we explore how hospital pharmacy has transformed from a traditionally dispensing-focused profession into a highly clinical, technology-enabled and collaborative discipline.

Host Todd Eury welcomes Dr. Varun Sethi, SVP, Asia-Pacific and Japan Region at Clinigen, and Alison Tennant, former Chief Pharmacist and recipient of the 2025 Love Your Pharmacist Lifetime Achievement Award.

Together, they discuss how pharmacists are helping solve complex treatment challenges, manage medicine shortages, support multidisciplinary clinical decisions and improve access to specialised therapies. The conversation also examines the growing influence of artificial intelligence, electronic prescribing, automation, pharmacogenomics and personalised medicine — and why human judgement, empathy and patient advocacy remain irreplaceable.

The episode also looks ahead to emerging innovations including advanced formulations, precision therapies and 3D-printed medicines.

At the heart of the discussion is a simple message: hospital pharmacists are often working behind the scenes, but their impact can be felt throughout the entire patient journey.

The Love Your Pharmacist Awards celebrate those extraordinary contributions.

The NACDS Total Store Expo was in Boston, MA from August 15-17! Pharmacy owners, pharmacy students, and pharmacists gathered for forward thinking conversations and innovation to create more profit and better outcomes in their pharmacies. The NACDS TOTAL STORE EXPO is the largest gathering of retailers and suppliers in the health and wellness industry. Discover new and innovative products, technology and services and find the partners you need to thrive in an unpredictable consumer environment.

 

In this "on the street" style of interviews, our host Todd Eury, CEO and Founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network connects with:

 

• Stephen Beckman - YARAL Pharma
• Marzio Pozzuoli - NuraLogix
• Rob Headman - First Data Bank
• Justin Hammerling - Infinitrak
• Matt Gilbert - Medsense
• Anthony Dragisics - ELOS Thermal
• Richard Voskoboynikov - Wolters Kluwer
• Chris Krese - NACDS 

I felt like I could record a whole series of episodes, and still not run out of topics to talk about with today’s guest, and glean her wisdom. Her own story and the health challenges of her loved ones have inspired her to become the kind of practitioner she sought. She and I agree: true healing is about supporting the body's innate ability to recover. Coming from a conventional emergency-care background, she’s built a successful concierge practice showcasing that personalized nutrition, targeted supplementation, and addressing the root causes of illness helps patients achieve lasting wellness. Dr. Pamela M. Cipriano, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, is the founder and president of The Practice of Health and Wellness in Thomaston, Connecticut. A board-certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with more than 30 years of healthcare experience, she specializes in integrative and functional medicine, helping patients with complex chronic illnesses by combining evidence-informed conventional care with personalized, root-cause approaches. Dr. Cipriano is an international speaker, published researcher, and member of the ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) Membership Committee. She is passionate about educating both patients and healthcare professionals on the interconnected roles of immune dysfunction, chronic infections, nutrition, environmental health, and lifestyle in achieving lasting wellness and restoring hope for those living with complex chronic disease. Connect with Dr. Pamela via: Email: pcipriano@ppmlinc.com Website: thepracticeofhealthandwellness.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/dr.pamela.cipriano IG: https://www.instagram.com/practicehealthwellness YT: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.pamelacipriano1329 LI: linkedin.com/in/dr-pamela-m-cipriano-dnp-aprn-673a2224

Specialty Pharmacy Access, Innovation & Independent Pharmacy Growth

 

This Week in Pharmacy, we explore specialty pharmacy, pharmacy innovation, emerging career opportunities, and new business models for independent community pharmacy.

 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Clearway Health, Value Drug Company, and FDB (First Databank, Inc.)

 

First, Allison Arant of Clearway Health joins us to discuss the next phase of specialty pharmacy within hospitals and health systems.

 

As rare disease and specialty therapies become more complex, health systems are looking for better ways to improve medication access, strengthen continuity of care, and keep patients connected to trusted clinical teams.

 

Todd and Allison discuss how health-system specialty pharmacy can expand community access and improve management of complex and rare disease treatments.

 

Learn more:

https://www.clearwayhealth.com/

 

National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) #inSPire2026

 

Next, we preview inSPire 2026, taking place September 22–25, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

 

The specialty pharmacy community will come together to discuss medication access, emerging therapies, technology, patient services, clinical care, and the continued evolution of specialty pharmacy.

 

The Next Dose Summit

 

Then we welcome Jordan Smith, PharmD, AAHIVP, CPGx, and Melinda Fowler, RPh, ABAAHP, FAAFM to preview The Next Dose Summit, happening October 14–15, 2026.

 

RxPR and the Pharmacy Podcast Network are proud press and media partners.

 

The event focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, emerging career pathways, and new opportunities for pharmacists looking beyond traditional roles.

 

It is designed for pharmacists, students, entrepreneurs, and healthcare leaders asking one important question:

 

What’s next for pharmacy — and what’s next for me?

 

Register here:

https://www.jscommunitycare.org/store/p/2026-the-next-dose-summit-registration

 

Expanding Independent Pharmacy

 

Finally, Rick Seipp, PharmD, President and CEO of Value Drug Company, returns to discuss creative strategies for expanding independent community pharmacy.

 

Todd and Rick explore cash-based pharmacy, transparent pricing, clinical services, new revenue streams, and other non-PBM-dependent models that can help independent pharmacies diversify and grow.

 

The conversation focuses on how community pharmacies can strengthen their businesses while continuing to serve as trusted healthcare destinations.

 

Learn more:

https://www.valuedrugco.com/

 

Sponsored By

 

Clearway Health

https://www.clearwayhealth.com/

 

Value Drug Company

https://www.valuedrugco.com/

 

First Databank — FDB

https://www.fdbhealth.com/

 

TWIRx — This Week in Pharmacy is hosted by Todd S. Eury and produced by the Pharmacy Podcast Network — Amplifying the Voice of Pharmacists & Our Profession.

A strong online reputation starts with meaningful patient experiences. Join us as we explore how pharmacies can build trust, engage with their communities online, and manage their digital presence. Featuring special guest and trusted partner FlavoRx, who shares industry insights on creating positive patient experiences that inspire lasting loyalty—both in the pharmacy and online.

Thank you First Data Bank (FDB) for sponsoring this episode's coverage of the NACDS Total Store Expo!

The NACDS Total Store Expo was in Boston, MA from August 15-17! Pharmacy owners, pharmacy students, and pharmacists gathered for forward thinking conversations and innovation to create more profit and better outcomes in their pharmacies. The NACDS TOTAL STORE EXPO is the largest gathering of retailers and suppliers in the health and wellness industry. Discover new and innovative products, technology and services and find the partners you need to thrive in an unpredictable consumer environment.

In this "on the street" style of interviews, our host Todd Eury, CEO and Founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network connects with:

• Mike Plinski - FDB (First Data Bank)
• Amantha Bagdon - RxPost
• Kris Rhea - Pharmacy Marketplace
• EJ George - Pharmacy Student
• Christopher Thomsen - CAPSA Healthcare
• Heather Haro - DiversifyRx
• Daniel Heusmann - Eyecon RxSafe

This episode explores how to navigate grief and how it can impact relationships including the one with yourself. Link to Hope Edelman's book "Motherless Daughters" https://www.hopeedelman.com/books Link to Emma Hemming Willis' book "The Unexpected Journey" https://emmahemingwillis.com/the-unexpected-journey/ Link to Rx Meter Product Sleep Spray: https://myplusone.com/products/restful-sleep-magnesium-spray

 

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On this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, sits down with Narlyn Lopes and Megan Winebrenner of CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy to talk about how modern hub models have grown well past basic access support; they're now built to deliver a coordinated, personalized experience across the whole specialty medication journey. The conversation digs into how better technology and closer collaboration are cutting down on delays and administrative burden, so patients can start therapy sooner and stay supported once they're on treatment.

 

TWIRx NEWS 1. Medicare Part D Paid Nearly $588 Million for Ineligible OTC Drugs

 

A federal audit found that Medicare Part D sponsors made approximately $587.7 million in ineligible payments from 2021 through 2023 for medications that had effectively transitioned from prescription to over-the-counter status.

 

The HHS Office of Inspector General cited outdated FDA information and the lack of a clear CMS rejection timeline as major contributors.

 

Why it matters: This exposes a serious coordination problem across FDA data, manufacturers, CMS, health plans and pharmacy claims systems.

 

Pharmacists may see the rejection or payment issue at the counter, but the failure often begins far upstream.

 

Read the Fierce Healthcare report Read the HHS-OIG audit

2. FDA Responds to Estradiol Patch Supply Pressure

 

The FDA is working with six manufacturers to improve access to estradiol transdermal patches amid increased demand.

 

While FDA has not declared a national shortage, availability varies by product, strength and geographic area. Manufacturers are increasing production through larger batches, added shifts and expanded capacity.

 

Why it matters: Pharmacists are again serving as the front line of a supply-chain challenge—helping patients locate medication, coordinating with prescribers and identifying alternatives.

 

Read the Reuters report Read the FDA update

3. New RSV and COVID-19 Guidance Released

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have issued updated recommendations for RSV and COVID-19 protection during the 2026–2027 respiratory season.

 

Why it matters: Pharmacists may face conflicting recommendations, patient confusion and questions about eligibility.

 

Clear counseling and coordination with pediatric and obstetric providers will be critical.

 

Read the Pharmacy Times report

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUTCOMES

 

A special update from Megan Urban and Outcomes.

 

Outcomes is highlighting new enhancements to its Rx30 pharmacy management platform, including a refreshed user experience, automated data-entry capabilities and support from a dedicated Client Success Team.

 

The program will explore how these updates can streamline pharmacy workflows, save time and support greater focus on patient care.

 

Presented by: Dalia Rios and Kaley Lester September 9, 2026 — 1:30 p.m. ET

 

Register here

FEATURED CONVERSATION Building a Bridge to GLP-1 Access

 

Our featured guest is HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, PharmD, RPh, Senior Pharmacy Director at Buzz Health.

 

HaVy works at the intersection of pharmacy, healthcare technology, medication affordability and prescription access.

 

Buzz Health operates platforms including BuzzRx, RxCompare and RxAffect, with a focus on helping connect patients, pharmacies, prescribers and prescription pricing information.

 

That makes today’s discussion particularly timely.

THE MEDICARE GLP-1 BRIDGE

 

CMS launched the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge on July 1, 2026, to provide eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries access to selected GLP-1 medications for weight management.

 

The demonstration runs through December 31, 2027.

 

Eligible beneficiaries pay $50 for a monthly supply, while the program operates outside the traditional Part D payment flow through centralized prior authorization, claims adjudication and pharmacy payment.

 

Eligible therapies currently include:

 

Foundayo® Wegovy® Zepbound®

 

The bigger issue is not simply GLP-1 coverage.

 

It is how healthcare connects eligibility, affordability, prior authorization, pharmacy workflow and patient access.

 

The central question for today’s discussion:

 

Can we create a medication-access system where patients know whether they can obtain and afford their therapy before they reach the pharmacy counter? CLOSING THOUGHT

 

The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge is more than another federal drug program.

 

It is a real-world test of how healthcare can better connect coverage, affordability, prior authorization and pharmacy fulfillment around high-demand therapies.

 

Pharmacists remain at the center of that process.

 

The opportunity is to use technology to move more complexity upstream—allowing pharmacists to spend less time troubleshooting prescriptions and more time caring for patients.

 

Our thanks to HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, PharmD, RPh, Senior Pharmacy Director at Buzz Health, for joining us on This Week in Pharmacy.

 

Learn more about the CMS Medicare GLP-1 Bridge

 

Learn more about Buzz Health

 

TWIRx — This Week in Pharmacy Pharmacy Podcast Network

 

Amplifying the Voice of Pharmacy.

Welcome to the 2026 Cencora ThoughtSpot Rewind, sponsored by Outcomes!

 

In this special 4-part series we get a deep look into the event that took place this year in Orlando Florida. The Pharmacy Podcast Network was embedded into the Outcomes booth where we caught all the action on the show room floor. To learn more about what Outcomes is doing for pharmacies, visit https://www.outcomes.com/

 

In this episode hosted by Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, we hear from:

Mike Muniz - NewRx Pharmacy

Tim Weber - Good Neighbor Pharmacy

Brian Pinto - Tiffany Natural Pharmacy

Paul Shelton - LTC@Home Pharmacy Network

Armawn Asgari - CurifyLabs

Psychedelics, hallucinogens, natural medicines, you name it, if it has been, is, or will be in a clinical trial, we’re covering it on this episode of the Pain Pod folks! We’ll chat through all types of psychedelics including LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, DMT, and Ketamine and beyond. No trippin’ just learnin’! You’re not going to want to miss this one! Come one, come all, to the Pain Pod!!!

 

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Featured Guest: Bhuren Patel, CEO, PelMeds Presented by: SuiteRx Pharmacy Technology Platforms

 

Episode Focus

This episode will explore how PelMeds has developed a closed-door, full-service pharmacy model centered on medication management, specialized packaging, compounding, specialty products, and coordinated delivery. PelMeds serves residential schools, group homes, hospice and palliative care organizations, assisted living residents, individual patients, and veterinary clients.

 

Discussion Topics

 

1. The PelMeds Growth Story Bhuren’s pharmacy leadership journey and how PelMeds evolved to meet increasingly complex medication needs.

 

2. Serving Diverse Care Environments The operational differences involved in supporting group homes, assisted living communities, residential programs, hospice care, individual patients, and veterinary practices.

 

3. Medication Management and Specialized Packaging How adherence packaging, refill coordination, delivery, and proactive communication improve safety, efficiency, and continuity of care.

 

4. Technology Behind the Workflow How pharmacy technology can connect dispensing, packaging, documentation, communication, delivery, and customer service.

 

5. Balancing Personal Service with Scale Maintaining a high-touch pharmacy experience while expanding operations, services, and customer relationships.

 

Key Takeaway

Successful pharmacy growth increasingly depends on combining technology, medication-management expertise, dependable delivery, and personalized service—not simply filling prescriptions.

As MTM evolves and pharmacies prepare for increased demand, what does success look like from both the technology side and the pharmacy operations side? Ross brings the perspective of innovation, workflow transformation, and MTM Intelligence. Jon brings the perspective of an independent pharmacy owner and operator who understands the realities of staffing shortages, prescription volume, patient expectations, and limited resources. The result is a conversation that feels less like a product discussion and more like an industry discussion about helping independent pharmacies thrive.

 

Guests: Jon Grice and Ross Frei

 

Schedule an Rx Assessment Welcome everyone to the Bottom Line Rewind, your monthly recap of the Bottom Line Pharmacy Podcast. This month, we feature interviews on topics about Inventory, AI and Automation, the Peptide PCAC meeting, R&D Tax Credits, and Basis when buying a pharmacy. Click below to check out the full episodes: Episode 1: Inventory Management in 2026 with Jared Barton, CEO of Inventory IQ Episode 2: Inside a Pharmacy AI Bot with Ross Miller, VP of Sales at TJM Labs Episode 3: R&D Tax Credit, Trump Accounts, Taylor Swift's Wedding Episode 4: Peptides, Policy, and PBMs with Dr. Anne West, Clinical Pharmacist at Atrium24, Dae Y. Lee, PBM & Pharmacy Practice Group Co-Chair at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, P.C. Episode 5: Understanding Basis When Buying a Pharmacy with Ollin Sykes, CPA, CMA, CITP Stay connected with us: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Blog

Today’s episode of This Week in Pharmacy — #TWIRx is sponsored by Value Drug Company and explores two major forces reshaping pharmacy: the evolution of the community pharmacy business model and the expanding role of artificial intelligence in medication optimization and value-based care.   PART ONE: The Impact of the Cash-based Community Pharmacy   Special Guest: Rick Seipp, PharmD President, Value Drug Company Community pharmacy is entering a new era.   In Part One, Todd Eury sits down with Rick Seipp, PharmD, President of Value Drug Company, to discuss the continued evolution and expansion of independent community pharmacy and the many different business models emerging across the profession.   Independent pharmacy owners are increasingly evaluating new ways to build sustainable businesses while creating greater professional freedom for pharmacists. One of the most interesting developments is the growth of cash-based and cost-plus pharmacy models that reduce or eliminate dependence on traditional insurance reimbursement and PBM-controlled prescription economics.   These models can give pharmacy owners greater control over pricing, patient relationships, clinical services and the overall direction of their businesses — while allowing pharmacists to practice with significantly less interference from insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers.   Two pharmacies in the Pittsburgh region are demonstrating how powerful this model can become: Blueberry Pharmacy — Kyle McCormick, PharmD has built Blueberry Pharmacy around a transparent, cash-based model designed to simplify prescription pricing and create a more direct relationship between the pharmacist and patient. Forward Rx Pharmacy — Brandon Antinopoulos, PharmD is another emerging example of how pharmacists can create innovative pharmacy businesses built around transparency, accessibility and freedom from many of the traditional constraints of third-party reimbursement.   Todd and Rick discuss what these models mean for the broader independent pharmacy marketplace and why community pharmacy may be moving toward a much more diversified future.   Sponsored by Value Drug Company, a pharmacist-led wholesale distribution partner committed to supporting the continued growth and independence of community pharmacy. https://lnkd.in/ehf76qUs PART TWO: AI-Powered Medication Optimization   Special Guests: Yoona Kim, PharmD, PhD Co-Founder & CEO, Arine Jenny Behan, PharmD Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Arine In Part Two, #TWIRx shifts from pharmacy business innovation to one of the most important developments occurring in clinical pharmacy: the use of artificial intelligence to optimize medication therapy at scale. Arine is an AI-powered medication optimization platform designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by helping ensure patients receive the most effective and appropriate medications.

Listen to This Week in Pharmacy — TWIRx on the Pharmacy Podcast Network across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Pharmacy Podcast Network — Amplifying the Voice of Pharmacy.

Welcome to the 2026 Cencora ThoughtSpot Rewind, sponsored by Outcomes!

 

In this special 4-part series we get a deep look into the event that took place this year in Orlando Florida. The Pharmacy Podcast Network was embedded into the Outcomes booth where we caught all the action on the show room floor. To learn more about what Outcomes is doing for pharmacies, visit https://www.outcomes.com/

 

In this episode hosted by Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, we hear from:

Kushal Vaghani - Denbigh Pharmacy

Kevin Boesen - Outcomes

Gold Eneyo - Cencora

Nic Bernabe - Outcomes

Steven Dolan - Monroe Pharmacy

Dalia Rios - Outcomes

Christian Hampel - Family Prescription Counter

Can the Body Heal Itself? A Pharmacist and Naturopath Talk Pregnancy and Nutrition Dr. Randi Shannon said she was going to blow our minds, and she delivered! In this episode of MaternalRx, pharmacist Danielle Plummer, PharmD, sits down with Dr. Shannon, a traditional naturopath who uses Face, Tongue and Nail Analysis, an approach she describes as rooted in thousands of years of traditional medicine. Their conversation explores pregnancy preparation, nutrition, nausea and vomiting, minerals, essential oils, disease prevention, and Dr. Shannon’s belief that the face, tongue, and fingernails can reveal clues about what is happening inside the body. The interview is followed by a commentary where Danielle puts her pharmacist hat on for an evidence-based debrief, examining several of the episode’s most surprising claims and asking an essential healthcare question: What happens when an idea sounds biologically plausible, yet the clinical evidence has not been tested? Topics include Type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome, salt intake, peppermint oil in pregnancy, cholesterol, dietary oils, pharmaceuticals, nutrient requirements, and the important distinction between traditional naturopaths and licensed naturopathic doctors. This isn’t a conversation about dismissing complementary medicine. It’s about listening with curiosity while still asking important questions: What do we know? What don’t we know? Where might an approach put a patient or pregnancy at risk, and where might it support the body’s ability to heal? Stay through the end to hear Danielle's Takeaway! Section 1:

• Welcome and disclaimer
• Meet Dr. Randi Shannon
• What is a naturopath?
• Preparing the body for pregnancy
• Nausea in pregnancy and gut health
• What can fingernails tell us?
• Nutrients and claims about preventing or reversing disease
• What can the tongue reveal?
• What can the face reveal?

Section 2:

• Evidence-Based Debrief
• Do we need exactly 60 minerals, 16 vitamins, 12 amino acids and 3 essential fatty acids?
• Is Type 1 diabetes created during the first trimester?
• Can Type 1 diabetes develop later in life?
• Can maternal nutrition reverse Down syndrome in utero?
• Peanuts, mold, aflatoxins and liver risk
• Peppermint essential oil during pregnancy
• Are Americans “undersalted”?
• Pharmaceuticals, synthetic drugs and side effects
• Cholesterol, dietary oils and reproductive health
• Traditional vs. licensed naturopaths
• Danielle’s takeaway

About Dr. Randi Shannon Randi Shannon, ND, is a Florida-based traditional naturopath known for her use of Face, Tongue and Nail Analysis. She works with clients virtually in Florida, across the United States and internationally. Learn more: TheBodyCan.com RandiShannon.com/face-tongue-nail-analysis/ (844) 275-1056 About the Host Danielle Plummer, PharmD, is a pharmacist, antepartum doula, and founder of Obstet-Rx. Also known as HG Pharmacist, she helps women navigate Hyperemesis Gravidarum and medication use in complex pregnancies through education, advocacy and personalized medicine. HGPharmacist.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daniellerplummer HG Support Group: facebook.com/HGClinicalSolutions Important Listener Note This episode contains health and medical claims made by a guest that may differ from or contradict current evidence-based medical guidance. The guest’s statements represent her perspectives and should not be interpreted as endorsement by MaternalRx, Danielle Plummer, or the Pharmacy Podcast Network. The second half of the episode provides Danielle’s evidence-based commentary on several of these claims. This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. Patients should discuss medications, supplements, herbal products, essential oils, and other treatments with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

 

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Many pharmacy leaders focus on legislation and lobbying. Why is strategic communication on social media equally important?

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, host Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Nico Kernick, Head of Growth and Operations at Develop Health. They discuss the ways AI is reducing friction and increasing transparency in the prior authorization process for providers and specialty pharmacies. Nico shares how Develop Health's AI-native workflows now support over 3 million patients, boosting submission and first-pass approval rates while keeping providers in control every step of the way. Listeners can expect to learn how pharmacies can get started overnight, plus a special offer for NASP members.

Pharmacists and Advocacy for Patients in Pain 

Friday, August 21, 2026

What happens when patients living with chronic pain, their advocates, and the pharmacists responsible for dispensing opioid medications view the same healthcare system from very different perspectives?

This special episode of This Week in Pharmacy brings together the Doctor Patient Forum’s founders, Claudia A. Merandi and Bev C. Schechtman, with pharmacist and nationally recognized pharmacy advocate Dr. Shane Jerominski, PharmD—better known as “The Accidental Pharmacist.”

The discussion follows a wave of social-media debate surrounding Claudia’s use of the term “Harmacists,” which prompted responses from hundreds of pharmacists who felt the label misrepresented their professional responsibilities and the legal restrictions under which they practice.

Rather than allow that controversy to deepen the divide, TWIRx created an opportunity for direct, respectful conversation. The purpose of this episode is to help pain-patient advocates better understand the limits pharmacists face when dispensing opioids—and to identify opportunities for pharmacists and patient organizations to advocate together for safe, compassionate and uninterrupted pain care.

Five Legal and Supply-Chain Realities Affecting Opioid Dispensing

1. Pharmacists have a federal “corresponding responsibility.” Under 21 CFR §1306.04, a controlled-substance prescription must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose. Pharmacists share legal responsibility with prescribers for determining whether a prescription is valid. Knowingly filling an illegitimate prescription may expose the pharmacist to federal penalties and professional discipline. Review the federal regulation.
2. Schedule II prescriptions must satisfy strict requirements. Federal law generally requires a valid written or compliant electronic prescription before a Schedule II opioid may be dispensed. Emergency oral prescriptions are permitted only under limited conditions and require prescriber follow-up documentation.
3. Schedule II opioid prescriptions cannot be refilled. Under federal law, every additional dispensing generally requires a new prescription. Partial fills are allowed only under specific circumstances, documentation requirements and time limits. Pharmacists cannot simply extend or refill opioid therapy when a patient or prescriber requests it.
4. State laws add another layer of requirements. Depending on the state, pharmacists may have to verify prescriber authority, review prescription-monitoring information, validate electronic or security-form requirements, confirm identification, document partial fills, or comply with state-specific dispensing limitations. For example, California requires controlled-substance prescriptions to meet defined security and validity standards. California Board of Pharmacy guidance.
5. Wholesaler monitoring can restrict a pharmacy’s opioid supply. DEA-registered distributors must identify and report suspicious controlled-substance orders under 21 CFR §1301.74. National wholesalers therefore operate monitoring programs that may delay, limit or suspend shipments based on ordering patterns, geography, drug mix and internal thresholds. These controls are imposed upstream and can leave a pharmacy unable to obtain medication—even when the pharmacist believes a prescription is clinically and legally appropriate. Review the federal distributor requirements.

These examples are not exhaustive. Pharmacists must navigate overlapping federal law, DEA requirements, state pharmacy and controlled-substance laws, prescription-monitoring systems, employer policies, payer rules, wholesaler restrictions and professional standards. Requirements also vary by state and by the circumstances surrounding an individual prescription.

The Central Question

How can pain-patient advocates and pharmacists move beyond blame and work together to address the policies, supply restrictions, staffing conditions and regulatory pressures that can interfere with appropriate care?

This conversation explores:

• Why patients may interpret a refusal or delay as judgment, discrimination or abandonment
• Why pharmacists cannot treat a valid prescriber signature as automatic authorization to dispense
• How PDMP and risk-scoring information can influence clinical decisions
• The effect of corporate policies and wholesaler ordering controls
• The difference between professional judgment and stigma
• The communication failures that damage trust between patients, prescribers and pharmacists
• How advocacy organizations and pharmacists can pursue policy reform together
• Why patients deserve clear explanations, respectful treatment and continuity-of-care planning
• How pharmacists can remain vigilant without losing empathy for people living with pain

About the Doctor Patient Forum

The Doctor Patient Forum, founded by Claudia A. Merandi and Bev C. Schechtman, combines healthcare education, research, digital influence and patient advocacy to address the consequences of opioid-reduction policies and barriers to individualized pain care.

Claudia A. Merandi is an advocate and educator whose work contributed to a Rhode Island law protecting access to pain management. Since 2016, she has built a growing national audience while documenting systemic harms experienced by patients and healthcare professionals.

Bev C. Schechtman is a researcher, advocate and educator who examines opioid-reduction policies, prescription drug monitoring programs and surveillance technologies such as NarxCare. Her work helps patients understand and navigate an increasingly complex healthcare system.

Learn more: The Doctor Patient Forum

About Dr. Shane Jerominski, PharmD

Dr. Shane Jerominski is a pharmacist, Navy veteran and nationally recognized pharmacy advocate known as “The Accidental Pharmacist.” In 2025, his professional peers selected him as one of the “50 Most Influential People in Pharmacy.”

Through his influential social-media platform, Shane combines humor, candid commentary and frontline experience to advocate for safer working conditions, professional unity and meaningful reform throughout pharmacy practice. He is also a co-founder of The Pharmacy Guild and has become a prominent voice for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians nationwide.

A Call for Collaborative Advocacy

Patients should not be stigmatized because they require pain treatment. Pharmacists should not be vilified for complying with laws and professional obligations that can place their licenses and livelihoods at risk.

Progress requires both communities to recognize that many barriers originate beyond the pharmacy counter. Patients, pharmacists, prescribers and advocacy organizations share an interest in policies that protect medication safety without denying appropriate, individualized care.

The goal is not to determine which group has suffered more. The goal is to replace mistrust with understanding—and turn that understanding into stronger, unified advocacy.

This episode is intended for education and discussion. It does not provide legal or medical advice, and regulatory requirements may differ by jurisdiction and circumstance.

This episode looks at some smart ways to regulate pharmacy when it comes to med spas and pop-up clinics — ways that won’t cut patients off from their meds. We also look at the latest news on the thyroid-extract front, what’s happening with peptide compounding, and a bill in California that could bode well for pharmacists nationwide. Then we talk with Kristen Jones, PharmD, from Pharmacists Mutual about how insurance companies view compounding, and why compounders are taking a bigger risk than they might realize if they’re compounding peptides. Pharmacists Mutual: https://pmuw.com Join APC: a4pc.org/join Stay up to date on these topics and more at: a4pc.org/news

Welcome to the 2026 Cencora ThoughtSpot Rewind, sponsored by Outcomes!

 

In this special 4-part series we get a deep look into the event that took place this year in Orlando Florida. The Pharmacy Podcast Network was embedded into the Outcomes booth where we caught all the action on the show room floor. To learn more about what Outcomes is doing for pharmacies, visit https://www.outcomes.com/

 

In this episode hosted by Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, we hear from:

 

Scott Lake - Rx.co

Kaley Lester - Outcomes

Nicholas Turos - Cencora

Janet Parrish - Adair Drug; Colombia, KY

Kaushal Patel - Apollo Pharmacy; Savannah, GA

Bianca Bradshaw - Elmore Pharmacy; Red Bluff, CA

Zackary Levine - Cencora

Growing your pharmacy doesn't always mean finding new patients. It can also mean making the most of the ones you already serve. In this episode, we're joined by our partners AxeRx and Scriptly to share proven strategies for increasing revenue through stronger patient engagement, expanded services, and smarter use of technology to streamline workflows and free up valuable staff time. Tune in for practical insights you can start putting into action today.

 

The PBM Reform Podcast, sponsored by APCI, welcomes John Vinson, PharmD, Chief Executive Officer of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association, for a timely conversation with host Greg Reybold about the management of the TRICARE pharmacy benefit.

 

Express Scripts administers pharmacy benefits for TRICARE, the Department of Defense healthcare program serving more than 9 million active-duty service members, military retirees, and family members. In fiscal year 2023 alone, TRICARE spent more than $8 billion on prescription medications.

 

Greg and John examine concerns surrounding Express Scripts’ administration of the program, including shrinking pharmacy networks, reduced patient choice, questionable contractor reporting, specialty-drug delivery oversight, and the consequences for independent and rural pharmacies.

 

A 2025 Government Accountability Office investigation found that:

 

• TRICARE’s minimum network requirement fell from 50,000 to 35,000 pharmacies.
• The network had approximately 13,165 fewer pharmacies in late 2024 than in late 2022.
• An estimated 380,000 beneficiaries may have been forced to find another pharmacy.
• The Defense Health Agency relied heavily on contractor-submitted reports that contained inaccuracies.
• DHA had not consistently audited the data used to evaluate beneficiary access.
• GAO’s two corrective recommendations remain open as of August 2026, although DHA has begun adding reporting and auditing requirements.

 

The episode also addresses higher 2026 prescription copayments. For most non-active-duty beneficiaries, home-delivery copays are now $14 for generic formulary drugs, $44 for brand-name drugs, and $85 for non-formulary medications. At retail network pharmacies, the corresponding 30-day copays are $16, $48, and $85.

 

Greg and John discuss whether PBM-driven network reductions represent true savings—or simply transfer costs, inconvenience, and access barriers to military families and the community pharmacies serving them.

 

Key discussion points

• Express Scripts’ role in administering the TRICARE pharmacy benefit
• Pharmacy network contraction and beneficiary disruption
• Access challenges facing rural communities and military families
• Inaccurate contractor data and insufficient federal oversight
• Specialty-pharmacy delivery and monitoring concerns
• Rising 2026 copayments and pressure toward mail order
• Arkansas’ leadership in challenging PBM vertical integration
• The need for transparency, accountability, adequate reimbursement, and patient choice

 

Important clarification: TRICARE is administered by the Department of Defense and is distinct from healthcare and pharmacy services operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

Sponsored by APCI — American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc.

 

Sources: U.S. Government Accountability Office, TRICARE’s 2026 pharmacy-benefit update, official 2026–2027 pharmacy costs.

Independent pharmacies need partners they can trust—and patients need a prescription-drug system that puts access ahead of profits.

In this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, Todd Eury welcomes Rick Seipp, PharmD, President of Value Drug Company, to discuss the importance of choosing a dependable wholesale distribution partner. Following Smith Drug Company’s announced operational transition, Value Drug Company is prepared to help affected independent pharmacy owners evaluate their purchasing, distribution and operational needs while developing an orderly transition that protects continuity of service.

For more than 90 years, pharmacist-led Value Drug Company has supported community pharmacies through transparent pricing, dependable distribution, collective purchasing power and programs designed to improve efficiency, growth and profitability. Rick explains how the company will provide transition assistance and regional gatherings where pharmacy owners can speak directly with Value Drug Company leadership.

The episode also features a follow-up conversation with patient advocate Bil Schmidtknecht about the continuing fight for Cole’s Act. Named in memory of Bil’s son, Cole, the proposed reforms seek to protect patients from unexpected formulary and coverage changes that can suddenly make essential medications unaffordable.

“Patients can’t afford more delays, and lives should never be collateral damage in a profit-driven system,” Bil says. The discussion examines PBM accountability, medication affordability and why families must receive meaningful notice before coverage changes place lifesaving treatments beyond their reach.

TWIRx News: Week Ending August 14, 2026 Employers Are Moving Away from the “Big Three” PBMs

A new employer survey points to growing disruption in the PBM marketplace. Forty-six percent of surveyed employers reported using a PBM outside CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx—up from 37% the previous year. Employers are increasingly seeking transparent pricing, access to claims data and greater control over prescription-drug spending.

Read the Axios report

FDA Delays Major iPLEDGE Changes Until November

The FDA has postponed implementation of updated iPLEDGE REMS requirements from August 8 to November 15, 2026, to allow additional system testing. The forthcoming changes are intended to reduce burdens on patients, pharmacists and prescribers while maintaining safeguards surrounding isotretinoin.

Read the FDA iPLEDGE update

 

Episode Resources

• Value Drug Company transition-support announcement
• Value Drug Company transition assistance: 1-866-226-1772
• Patient Protector
• Modern Medical Mafia: PBM Reform
• Pharmacy Podcast Network

About the Guests

Rick Seipp, PharmD President, Value Drug Company

Bil Schmidtknecht Patient advocate and father of Cole Schmidtknecht

 

Welcome to the 2026 Cencora ThoughtSpot Rewind, sponsored by Outcomes!

 

In this special 4-part series we get a deep look into the event that took place this year in Orlando Florida. The Pharmacy Podcast Network was embedded into the Outcomes booth where we caught all the action on the show room floor. To learn more about what Outcomes is doing for pharmacies, visit https://www.outcomes.com/

 

In this episode hosted by Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, we hear from:

Ross Frei - Outcomes

Ana Jimenez - Farmacia Las Americas, West Palm Beach, FL

Todd Pendergraft - Broken Arrow Family Drug APA, Broken Arrow, OK

Justin Erro - Medzoomer

Nick DeSouza - Outcomes

Jevic Dunn - Outcomes

In the first episode of this three-part CurifyLabs Podcast Series, we provide a broad overview of the CurifyLabs platform and its role in modernizing personalized medicine and pharmaceutical compounding. The discussion explores how the platform combines digital workflows, automated production technology, and standardized processes to help pharmacies and healthcare organizations improve efficiency, consistency, quality, and scalability.

 

Listeners will learn how CurifyLabs supports the preparation of customized medications while helping pharmacy teams reduce manual complexity, strengthen documentation, and expand access to patient-specific therapies. This opening episode establishes the foundation for the series and examines how technology can help transform the future of pharmaceutical compounding.

This was one of the most special podcast episodes I’ve recorded to date, especially since it was the first time it was recorded LIVE! We gathered for GALILEA's Gathering — an intimate evening that brought together clinicians, researchers, founders, and facilitators for a real conversation about the future of women's health. I had the privilege of recording a live interview with neuropharmacologist and GALILEA creator Stephanie Karzon right there in the room, surrounded by people who are genuinely building something new A core focus of our conversation was mapping out why hormones and life stages are important to factor into female care and why they're especially needed for the psychedelic experience, from a biochemical perspective and for the lived experience. A psychedelic-informed lens in women's care has now become non-negotiable; since clients will likely explore these medicines with or without capable practitioners willing to guide them. And let’s face it, current pharmacotherapy isn't enough. Identity and spirituality matter in clinical practice. We need to bring hormone and cycle awareness into practice, as well as the relationship between estrogen, serotonin, glutamate, and psychedelic medicine. Stephanie Karzon Abrams is a clinical neuropharmacologist, founder of Beyond Consulting—powering the integrative and psychedelic medicine spaces by bridging emerging research with clinical practice, and designing clinics and healing centers from the ground up. She serves as Clinical Director at Mystic Health, is an associated prescriber of MDMA and psilocybin therapy under Canada’s SAP, and is the Research Director at the Microdosing Collective non profit. Stephanie believes in the undercurrent of joy and authenticity woven into the fabric of our existence, and thus creates talks and workshops where the human experience is explored through the lenses of science, culture, and celebration. With experience in neurology, intensive care, and medical devices at Johnson & Johnson, she is a recognized leader in innovative healthcare. Her work bridges neuroscience, women’s health, plant medicine, and the healing power of music. A musician, writer, and speaker, Stephanie also builds community through gatherings rooted in music and meaning through her label Public Secret. Connect with Stephanie via: Email: stephaniekarzon@gmail.com Website: Beyond Consulting, Stephanie Karzon Abrams, Galilea Health IG: @steph__k, @galileahealth Linked In: Beyond Consulting WhatsApp: galileahealth.community YouTube: Stephanie Karzon Abrams Gift: Womens Health Toolkit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eiNj8zAaHlPK3CZPLdqh2QInmDrGbCQ2?usp=drive_link Visit https://marinabuksov.com for more holistic content. Music from https://www.purple-planet.com. Disclaimer: Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, R.Ph., President & CEO of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP), sits down with Dr. Caroline Girardeau, PharmD, MBA, PMP, BCPS, Pharmacy Program Director at the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), to explore the evolving specialty pharmacy accreditation landscape.

Together, they discuss the scope and value of comprehensive specialty pharmacy accreditation, examining how rigorous accreditation standards help improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, operational excellence, and the overall quality of care. They also highlight how specialty pharmacies can leverage accreditation as more than a requirement for participation in payer or limited distribution networks, using it as a strategic framework to drive continuous quality improvement, strengthen operations, and elevate the patient experience.

Welcome to SuiteCast, a new podcast sponsored by SuiteRx Pharmacy Technology Platforms, exploring the strategies, technologies, and leadership practices helping pharmacies improve performance, expand patient care, and build sustainable revenue.

 

In this episode, we speak with Betsy P. Reynolds, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Consulting and Partner at Method Healthcare, and Rodney Whittington, CEO and Partner at Method Healthcare.

 

Betsy and Rodney discuss how pharmacy leaders can identify operational inefficiencies, strengthen internal workflows, and develop clinical care programs that support both better patient outcomes and business growth. The conversation also examines new revenue opportunities within long-term care, geriatric pharmacy services, and pharmacy consulting.

 

Listeners will hear practical insights on evaluating current pharmacy operations, implementing scalable clinical programs, improving staff productivity, and aligning technology with the pharmacy’s strategic goals.

 

Key Discussion Topics

• Identifying and correcting operational inefficiencies
• Building sustainable clinical care programs
• Creating new revenue through pharmacy consulting services
• Expanding into long-term care and geriatric pharmacy
• Improving workflow, staffing, and organizational performance
• Using pharmacy technology to support growth and patient care
• Preparing pharmacies for changing reimbursement and service models

Featured Guests

 

Betsy P. Reynolds, PharmD Director of Pharmacy Consulting and Partner Method Healthcare breynolds@methodhc.com

 

Betsy Reynolds is an experienced pharmacy consultant who helps organizations improve pharmacy operations, develop clinical services, and implement strategies that strengthen financial and patient-care performance.

 

Rodney Whittington CEO and Partner Method Healthcare

 

Rodney Whittington provides strategic leadership and operational expertise to healthcare organizations seeking to improve performance, expand services, and develop sustainable models for growth.

 

Learn more about Method Healthcare at methodhc.com.

 

About SuiteCast

 

SuiteCast, sponsored by SuiteRx Pharmacy Technology Platforms, features pharmacy leaders, technology innovators, and industry experts discussing the tools and strategies shaping the future of pharmacy operations and clinical care.

Vaccines are a key part of an independent pharmacy and clinic's business, but many owners may not be aware of purchasing options, savings opportunities, and ways to maximize their impact. In this episode, Amanda from Vaccine Connect joins us to share insights on all things vaccines, including tips for optimizing your vaccine program and marketing immunizations year-round—not just during flu season.

In this episode of Insights Beyond the Counter, hosts Shane Hallengren and Amit Patel unpack the rapidly evolving world of health risk assessments (HRAs) and social determinants of health (SDOH) across Medicaid and Medicare. Fresh off the Medicaid Innovations Forum, Amit shares insights from health plan leaders navigating a post–Public Health Emergency landscape defined by redeterminations, workforce shortages, and persistent challenges with member contactability. Shane reflects on his years supporting Medicare performance programs and draws parallels between the two sectors—especially around how HRAs have shifted from simple “check‑the‑box” tasks to powerful tools that uncover transportation barriers, food insecurity, medication access challenges, utility instability, and more. Together, they explore:

• Why SDOH data is only valuable when it leads to meaningful action
• How community pharmacies—as trusted, accessible care touchpoints—are uniquely positioned to conduct sensitive assessments
• The growing importance of rural health transformation and how pharmacies can close engagement and adherence gaps
• How Outcomes is supporting pharmacies with technology, workflows, and scalable programs that enable efficient, person-to-person care
• What the future may hold as Medicaid and Medicare strategies continue to evolve

If you’re passionate about healthcare innovation, population health, or the expanding role of pharmacy, this conversation is packed with real-world insights you won’t want to miss.

This is part 2 of my interview with George Wiseman, where we discuss Brown’s Gas in applications such as Fuel Saving, Torch-Fuel Gas and Radioactive Neutralization (Part 1 all about the health benefits here). We explore how Brown’s Gas: 1. neutralizes radioactive waste right at the reactor, 
 2. can literally make precious stones and metals from rocks, 
 3. reduces carbon-fuel consumption by 25% or better, 
4. helps make your OWN torch-fuel, 
 5. helps plants grow up to 10x FASTER, 6. can make Deuterium Depleted Water
, 7. helps bodies heal from virtually every ailment known to man, 
 8. helps wounds heal 3x faster, 9. optimizes health and performance, 
AND best of all… this technology can be made using WATER in your OWN HOME! 

 George Wiseman is an inventor, engineer, and founder of Eagle-Research, best known for his decades of work developing Brown’s Gas technology for both energy and emerging wellness applications. Raised as a rancher’s son in a remote, off-grid environment, George learned early how to build, repair, and survive with limited resources, which influenced his lifelong commitment to practical and reliable innovation. After leaving the ranch in the late 1970s, he pursued a path in alternative energy and automotive systems, eventually specializing in fuel efficiency and combustion technologies. In the 1980s, he began developing Brown’s Gas systems that could significantly improve fuel economy and even replace traditional torch gases at a fraction of the cost. Over time, George’s work took an unexpected turn as customers began reporting potential health-related effects from the technology—something he initially dismissed. Years later, after personally experimenting with the applications and witnessing growing anecdotal results, he shifted his focus toward exploring its broader potential and developed his at-home device, AquaCure. This mission became deeply personal following the loss of his wife after a long battle with Lupus, which intensified his commitment to sharing what he had learned. Today, George is driven by a singular goal: to make his technology accessible to as many people as possible. Connect with George via: Email: wiseman@eagle-research.com Website: https://eagle-research.com/, https://www.aquacure.life/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054308450085 IG: https://www.instagram.com/georgewiseman1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-wiseman-53969814/ X: https://x.com/Eagle_Research YT: https://www.youtube.com/@ecopegasus

PBM Reform Podcast Sponsored by American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) Host: Greg Reybold Special Guest: Ben Mudd, PharmD, Executive Director, Kentucky Pharmacists Association

 

Momentum for meaningful pharmacy benefit manager reform is building in Washington.

 

In this episode of the PBM Reform Podcast, host Greg Reybold welcomes Dr. Ben Mudd, Executive Director of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association, to examine the bipartisan Pharmacists Fight Back Act, H.R. 6610, and what its advancement could mean for patients, pharmacists, employers, and the future of independent pharmacy.

 

On July 22, 2026, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reported the legislation favorably following a committee markup. Introduced by Chairman James Comer of Kentucky and Representative Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, the bill would establish new requirements for pharmacy benefit managers participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

 

The proposed reforms would require participating PBMs to provide fair pharmacy reimbursement, apply manufacturer rebates toward reducing beneficiaries’ prescription drug costs, prohibit patient steering to PBM-affiliated pharmacies, increase transparency, and establish penalties for noncompliance.

 

Greg and Ben discuss why the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program could become an important proving ground for broader PBM accountability and how federal action may influence commercial plans, state legislation, and future healthcare policy.

 

Episode Discussion

 

The conversation explores:

 

• Why H.R. 6610 has attracted bipartisan support
• How PBM reimbursement practices threaten independent pharmacy sustainability
• The impact of patient steering and PBM-affiliated pharmacy networks
• Why manufacturer rebates should directly reduce patients’ prescription costs
• What “fair reimbursement” must include to protect pharmacy access
• How enforcement provisions and financial penalties could improve accountability
• Kentucky’s role in advancing pharmacy and PBM reform
• The connection between federal legislation and state-level advocacy
• What pharmacists should communicate to legislators and patients
• The remaining steps required before H.R. 6610 can become law

 

Dr. Mudd brings the perspective of a practicing community pharmacist and association executive who has worked extensively in pharmacy advocacy. A graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, he practiced in both chain and independent pharmacy settings before assuming leadership of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association.

 

Ben is running for Kentucky State Senate position this November. Lear more about his platform and issues most important: https://www.votemudd.com/meet-ben

 

Key Takeaway

 

PBM reform is no longer simply an industry debate. It is a patient-access, healthcare-affordability, pharmacy-choice, and community-infrastructure issue.

 

The Pharmacists Fight Back Act represents a significant federal effort to separate PBM compensation from practices that may increase drug costs, restrict patient choice, and financially disadvantage independent pharmacies. The legislation’s advancement is an important milestone—but pharmacists must remain informed, engaged, and vocal as the bill moves through the legislative process.

 

Subscribe to the PBM Reform Podcast for continuing coverage of legislation, regulation, litigation, and advocacy shaping the future of pharmacy benefit management and community pharmacy.

 

The PBM Reform Podcast is sponsored by American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc., supporting independent pharmacies and advocating for a more transparent, competitive, and patient-centered prescription drug marketplace.

Psychedelics, hallucinogens, natural medicines, you name it, we’re covering it on this episode of the Pain Pod folks! We’ll chat through all types of psychedelics including LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, DMT, and Ketamine and beyond. No trippin’ just learnin’! You’re not going to want to miss this one! Come one, come all, to the Pain Pod!!! Pain Guy www.painguy.us

The Independent Pharmacy Cooperative is partnering with Fullscript to help independent pharmacies expand their wellness offerings without adding inventory, storage costs, or fulfillment responsibilities.

 

Through the partnership, IPC members receive free access to Fullscript’s digital platform, featuring more than 375 trusted supplement brands. Pharmacies can recommend personalized wellness protocols, earn approximately 35% margins on online sales, and benefit from direct-to-patient shipping, automated refill reminders, and optional auto-ship services.

 

Fullscript manages product inventory, payment processing, and delivery, giving independent pharmacies a practical way to generate recurring revenue while supporting patient adherence and long-term wellness goals.

 

Guests:

 

Kelli - IPC

Christopher - FullScript

Shannon - IPC

Andrea - Pharmacy Owner

Emlah Tubuo - Pharmacy Owner