Cardinal Health announces Women in Pharmacy initiative
LAS VEGAS — At its annual national trade show, Cardinal Health on Thursday introduced a new initiative that celebrates and encourages female community pharmacy ownership.
The Women in Pharmacy initiative was launched at the wholesaler's Retail Business Conference in Las Vegas in conjunction with the National Community Pharmacists Association. The initiative will work through NCPA student chapters to encourage female pharmacy students to consider careers in community pharmacy by sharing the success stories of 20 of Cardinal Health’s most successful female pharmacy owners. These success stories also will be promoted through a series of print advertisements, promoting female pharmacy ownership in student-focused pharmacy trade publications.
“Today, the vast majority of community pharmacy owners are men, even though women comprise about half of all practicing pharmacists. To support the growth and long-term viability of community pharmacy, we need to do more as an industry to encourage women to consider owning their own pharmacy,” said Mike Kaufmann, CEO of Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical business. “Through our new Women in Pharmacy initiative, we’re honored to celebrate and share the success stories of the female pharmacy owners we serve. We believe these real-life, inspirational stories are the best way to capture the imaginations of future pharmacists — to help them understand both the tangible and intangible benefits of a career in community pharmacy.”
According to Cardinal Health, more than half of pharmacy students are female; however, only a fraction of them are community pharmacy owners.
"Entrepreneurial pharmacists come in all genders and nationalities. NCPA is pleased to work with Cardinal Health’s new Women in Pharmacy initiative to inspire a new generation of female pharmacist entrepreneurs," NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey said. "Pharmacy ownership is a perfect choice for pharmacy students to consider when seeking a career in which they have a say in how they practice and care for their patients."
Cardinal Health's Retail Business Conference is being held in Las Vegas from Thursday through Saturday.