Dr. Chrystian Pereira

Two years ago, there was a lot there or a year ago, I think, in 2023, there were walkouts of pharmacies. There were pharmacists that were frustrated by their working conditions. And this is all related. Number one, pharmacy deserts are having a consolidation number of pharmacies. Number two, that volume is shifting to someone else. They're stressed out.

Two years ago, there was a lot there or a year ago, I think, in 2023, there were walkouts of pharmacies. There were pharmacists that were frustrated by their working conditions. And this is all related. Number one, pharmacy deserts are having a consolidation number of pharmacies. Number two, that volume is shifting to someone else. They're stressed out.

Number three, those pharmacies are trying to get by because they're not getting reimbursed enough for their product. I want to go back to that point. But when that happens, what is the most expensive cost for a business? It's personnel. So they streamline personnel. If you streamline the personnel, then that means everyone's stretched and just stretched to a limit.

Number three, those pharmacies are trying to get by because they're not getting reimbursed enough for their product. I want to go back to that point. But when that happens, what is the most expensive cost for a business? It's personnel. So they streamline personnel. If you streamline the personnel, then that means everyone's stretched and just stretched to a limit.

And that is a strain on our profession. And then pharmacies are just not... When a business is stretched, it's not going to provide the perfect service to the consumer. And so I... I have a lot of sympathy for pharmacies that are trying to, trying to get by right now, uh, and kind of service their community the best that they can. Uh, a lot of them are kind of like holding on as much as they can.

And that is a strain on our profession. And then pharmacies are just not... When a business is stretched, it's not going to provide the perfect service to the consumer. And so I... I have a lot of sympathy for pharmacies that are trying to, trying to get by right now, uh, and kind of service their community the best that they can. Uh, a lot of them are kind of like holding on as much as they can.

And a lot of them are kind of like figuring out how they can stretch that dollar the most. And that's sometimes can be a very uncomfortable encounter with the pharmacy too. So I think that's all a part of this problem.

And a lot of them are kind of like figuring out how they can stretch that dollar the most. And that's sometimes can be a very uncomfortable encounter with the pharmacy too. So I think that's all a part of this problem.

Yeah, there is one point that we haven't addressed enough. And I just want to be very clear, especially my community pharmacists are going to want me to say and describe this. Right now, as PBMs are creating contracts, there are unfair contracts being made with independent pharmacies because they don't have the negotiating power. They don't have a negotiating power that another pharmacy may.

Yeah, there is one point that we haven't addressed enough. And I just want to be very clear, especially my community pharmacists are going to want me to say and describe this. Right now, as PBMs are creating contracts, there are unfair contracts being made with independent pharmacies because they don't have the negotiating power. They don't have a negotiating power that another pharmacy may.

Another pharmacy may have negotiating power because they might be in line with the same company that owns a PBM. That is one part of it. There's another thing where you have a number of stores and you can negotiate different things. So there are negotiations for prices of medications that are happening.

Another pharmacy may have negotiating power because they might be in line with the same company that owns a PBM. That is one part of it. There's another thing where you have a number of stores and you can negotiate different things. So there are negotiations for prices of medications that are happening.

And there are so many stories in all the articles that you've all read about PVMs where the pharmacist is being sold, is being forced because of their contract to sell a product for less than what their acquisition cost is.

And there are so many stories in all the articles that you've all read about PVMs where the pharmacist is being sold, is being forced because of their contract to sell a product for less than what their acquisition cost is.

We're no longer like as pharmacy even fighting for dispensing costs because we used to have a dispensing fee that would be like on top of the cost that that would keep the pharmacy float. That doesn't even cover. And we're like so many of the sales for drugs for an independent pharmacy, particularly, and I think true for other places, too.

We're no longer like as pharmacy even fighting for dispensing costs because we used to have a dispensing fee that would be like on top of the cost that that would keep the pharmacy float. That doesn't even cover. And we're like so many of the sales for drugs for an independent pharmacy, particularly, and I think true for other places, too.

But they're selling the drug for under the cost of the acquisition costs. And that's just not a sustainable viable. It's not viable. And so and so the more stories you hear about this, this is the central reason why pharmacies are going to go out of business is because they're not getting reimbursed for the cost of the medication. Yeah. Yeah.

But they're selling the drug for under the cost of the acquisition costs. And that's just not a sustainable viable. It's not viable. And so and so the more stories you hear about this, this is the central reason why pharmacies are going to go out of business is because they're not getting reimbursed for the cost of the medication. Yeah. Yeah.

And I think that's kind of like my my take home to say, like, that is root for problem for keeping pharmacies open right now. And I think if we don't address that, then I think we're we're in real trouble.

And I think that's kind of like my my take home to say, like, that is root for problem for keeping pharmacies open right now. And I think if we don't address that, then I think we're we're in real trouble.