Buzz Newsletter 11/20/25

Lack of Primary Care Physicians Puts Residents at Risk 

Nonprofit Commonwealth Fund just released an analysis of rural healthcare, and found that most rural areas only have two-thirds of the primary care doctors they need to support a healthy population. 

That breaks down to 43 million people in areas without enough doctors, with an average of one physician per 2,881 residents. And a lack of broadband access means patients in some communities cannot use telehealth options. 

The numbers are startling but probably come as no surprise to our members in those areas who see increased pressure from patients without proper healthcare, and reiterates the importance of keeping pharmacies open.

The full report is available here. 

Judge Approves Latest Settlement with Purdue

A bankruptcy judge in New York approved a $7 billion settlement between the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, and many lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of the opioid crisis. It is to date one of the largest opioid settlements. 

A previous deal was thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court because it included a clause that kept other entities not included in this settlement from suing the Sackler family. 

U.S. Could Lose Measles Elimination Status 

The CDC has definitively linked measles cases in Utah and Arizona with the original outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, which means the U.S. could lose the coveted "elimination status" with the World Health Organization.  

The first outbreak was reported in January of this year, and if the sustained transmission does not stop before the one-year anniversary, the WHO will remove the status for the first time in 25 years. It could lead to travel restrictions for U.S. citizens, although unlikely at this point. Canada lost its status last week. 

First Trimester Care Lacking in U.S. 

The March of Dimes released a report this week that says one-quarter of all pregnant women in the U.S. do not receive prenatal care until close to delivery dates. Proper prenatal care is critical in tracking the health of the mother and baby and providing any needed interventions. 

Systemic barriers to early prenatal care cited in the study include areas with no access maternity care, which is currently about one-third of counties in the U.S. 

Georgia, in case you were wondering, got a solid F on the March of Dimes report card, ranking 36th out of 48 states for maternal deaths from pregnancy. The current infant mortality rate in the state sits at 7 per 1,000 live births. 

CMS Eliminating Paper CLIA Waivers 

From our friends at NCPA: 

CMS recently announced that all laboratories, including pharmacy-based laboratories with a CLIA certificate of waiver, must switch to email notifications by March 1, 2026. After that deadline, CMS will no longer mail paper fee coupons or issue paper certificates.

For more information about the three options for making the switch to electronic notifications, see this document.

A New Strain Has Entered the Chat 

Washington state health officials announced late last week that a resident has contracted bird flu, and that it's a new strain not seen in human cases. This one is H5N5 and is the first reported case of bird flu since February of this year. 

CDC states that the risk to the general public remains low as most cases are reported in poultry workers or those with close contact to birds on a regular basis. 
 

Buzz Roundup 

A lot of pharmacy-related news caught our attention this week, so here's a quick roundup of some of our favorites: 

• Scientists and doctors are looking to CAR-T therapy to help patients with autoimmune diseases who have run out of other medication options. Read the article here.
• A new treatment for malaria could make a huge difference in patients who have a drug-resistance to traditional medications. Read the article here.
• The FDA plans to roll out a new pathway for bespoke drug therapies for rare conditions. Read the article here.
• A new tariff agreement with Switzerland caps import tariffs at 15%, which is good news for those taking drugs made by Novartis and Roche. Read the article here.  

Parents Having Difficulty Deciding on Right Amount of Screen Time 

This Washington Post article on screen-time for kids is fascinating for a number of reasons, the first being that there's a real job called "professional screen-time coach." 

The second is this: there's no universal perfect amount of screen-time for children. Parents struggle to keep their kids safe and have access to phones for communication, but that same device can also lead to danger. In addition, most parents are overly attached to their phones, so it becomes a "do as I say not as I do" situation. 

Like all parenting in the 21st Century, it's complicated. 
 

Chronic Diseases Like Diabetes Showing Up in the Animal Kingdom 

Once upon a time, diseases like diabetes, cancer, and obesity were only tracked in the human animal kingdom. But a study done by the Society for Risk Analysis shows that those chronic illnesses are showing up more and more in domesticated animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and cows. 

There's a lot of work to be done on why these diseases are showing up, but early hypotheses lean toward genetics predisposition and environmental influences like poor diets and sedentary lives. 

You know, the same things that can lead to these conditions in people. 

Renew Your GPhA Membership Today! 

Our migration to our new membership system, GlueUp, is well underway and our 2026 membership renewals have gone out. If you haven't gotten yours yet, let us know by either replying to this email or reaching out at 404-231-5074. In the meantime, check out our step-by-step renewal guide here.