This World Pharmacists Day, EPIC Rx takes a deep dive into the amazing minds in the past that paved the way for modern-day medicine and pharmacy.
EPIC Rx recognizes all the incredible independent pharmacists who work hard to ensure patient access to healthcare, provide patient care, support public health initiatives, promote disease prevention, and so much more!
Pharmacists play an essential role in the healthcare system, and our lives would be very different without them, especially those who made modern pharmacy what it is today.
Let’s review some ‘firsts’ in pharmacy:
- Alexander Flemming discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic, in 1928.
- The first US woman pharmacist is believed to be Elizabeth Gooking Greenleaf. She was the only female pharmacist across thirty-two apothecaries in New England.
Louis Dufilho Jr. was the first licensed pharmacist in the US after Louisiana became the first state to require licensure in 1804. - Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi was the first US woman to graduate from the New York College of Pharmacy in 1863 with a pharmacy degree.
- Nellie Wakeman was the first woman in the US to earn a Ph.D. in pharmacy.
- Anna Louise James was the first Black woman to graduate from Brooklyn College of Pharmacy and one of the first Black women to be licensed in the US.
- James McCune Smith was the first African American to earn a medical degree, which he obtained from Scotland as he was barred from attending in the US. He then became the first African American to own and operate his own pharmacy in New York.
Have you read “Murder on the Orient Express” or “And Then There Were None”?
The best-selling crime novel author Agatha Christie worked many years as a pharmacist in a hospital. She knew what she was talking about when referencing poisonings in her books!
Do you enjoy a crisp Coca-Cola? The creator was a pharmacist!
John Pemberton created what was originally called “French Wine Cola” to combat his morphine addiction. Still, after concerns about the alcohol and drug content, the drink was made with base syrup and carbonated water. Many of the refreshing sodas we know and love today were created by pharmacists.
Independent pharmacy buying groups started in New York around 1910, but most started in the 1970s and 80s.
In the 1980s, some of the first PSAOs for independent pharmacies were established to increase their negotiation power for contracts with PBMs and healthcare programs.
EPIC Rx was established in 1982.
Our buying group provides flexible solutions and hands-on resources so members can preserve their independence while providing top-quality patient care for their communities. We also work hard to ensure our members remain competitive in the marketplace.
Joining a PSAO is a strategic move for any independent pharmacy looking to thrive and remain competitive in today’s pharmacy landscape. EPIC Pharmacy Network (EPN), founded in 1992, can provide your independent pharmacy with the tools to better manage managed care.
PharmCAP is our secure, web-based program that allows your independent pharmacy to stay up-to-date with regulatory obligations and ensure you meet mandatory compliance and credentialing requirements for federal and state regulatory authorities.
Contact us to learn more about how EPIC Rx can be your independent pharmacy’s support system today!