ST. PAUL, Minn -Minnesota’s independent pharmacists are seeking urgent assistance from the State Capitol, advocating for legislative changes to sustain their operations. Over the past six years, nearly 200 pharmacies in the state have shut down, leading to pharmacy deserts in both rural and urban areas. Independent pharmacies and their patrons have been disproportionately affected by these closures.
Patients are now facing longer journeys to obtain their medications, or they’re forced to ration their doses. Many have resorted to using mail-order pharmacies, sacrificing the personalized care and attention they once received. David Little, a customer of St. Paul Corner Drug for four decades, was dismayed to learn that the pharmacy was losing money on his prescriptions. He switched to a mail-order service but found the communication lacking, leading to concerns about receiving the wrong medication.
Similarly, Cindy Harley had to switch to a mail-order pharmacy, which once sent her temperature-sensitive migraine medication at the wrong temperature, rendering it ineffective. She valued the personalized care and education she received from the pharmacists at St. Paul Corner Drug, which was lacking in the mail-order service. St. Paul Corner Drug is one of the last remaining 156 independent pharmacies in Minnesota, with 34% of such pharmacies having closed since 2018.
Several bills are currently under consideration by the legislature to assist these pharmacies. One of them aims to ensure that pharmacists are reimbursed at the same rate as other healthcare providers for the same services. Without such support, many pharmacies, including St. Paul Corner Drug, may be forced to close their doors permanently. Another proposed bill would allow pharmacists, technicians, and interns to administer FDA-approved vaccinations to individuals over the age of 3, expanding the age range from the previous limit of 6 or 13, depending on the vaccination, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.