October has always been a special month for pharmacy. American Pharmacists Month, now in its 21st year, honors more than 700,000 pharmacy professionals across the country. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) spent the past few weeks recognizing the pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and student pharmacists for the special role they play in helping keep our communities healthy.

These experts do far more than fill prescriptions. Every day, pharmacists answer questions, administer vaccines, help manage chronic health issues, and often identify health problems before anyone else. With 9 out of 10 Americans living within 5 miles of a pharmacy, these professionals are usually the most accessible healthcare providers — especially in rural and underserved areas.

“Pharmacies have always been about more than medicine — they’re about people and the communities we share,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson. “Pharmacists deliver trusted, timely care and serve as a pivotal bridge between patients and the broader healthcare system. We’re proud to tell their story and to keep working so every patient can get the care they need, close to home.”

Education and amplification — October was a month of momentum:

• Through its Nourish My Health public education campaign, NACDS and participating member pharmacies shone a light on the professionals who connect patients to care and improve health outcomes — every single day.
• Longtime pharmacy champion and pharmacist by profession, Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced a resolution to officially recognize October as American Pharmacists Month. Carter’s message rings clear: “The work that pharmacists do is vital to the health of not only our patients and communities, but also our entire system of care. It is crucial that we give them the support and recognition they deserve, and this resolution is a step toward fulfilling that duty. Thank you to the honorable men and women who choose to work in this profession and put others before themselves.”
• A new report from the Health Action Alliance, commissioned by NACDS, points to pharmacy-based care as the real-world answer to workforce health challenges. The report shows that pharmacy services can lower employer health costs and urges lawmakers to break down barriers — such as patchwork state laws governing the services pharmacists can provide and outdated reimbursement policies — to realize pharmacy’s full potential.

“Healthcare is no longer just evolving; it is changing fast. As we close out American Pharmacists Month, NACDS is calling for action and pushing for policies that let pharmacists do what they do best — care for people,” Anderson continued. “By acting on these recommendations, we can keep pharmacies open, improve healthcare access, and help Americans live longer, healthier lives. What’s at stake is nothing less than the future of accessible, community-based healthcare for every American.”