The pharmacy profession has a long history of supporting the public’s health, but the connection and involvement of pharmacists within the greater public health community has evolved more recently. APHA has supported the pharmacists’ role in public health through their development of policy statements (see APHA Policy 8024, 1981), with the most recent comprehensive addition in 2006 (Policy Number 200614) on “The Role of the Pharmacist in Public Health.” The 2006 policy statement presents a detailed analysis of the current roles of pharmacists in the public health practice and provides recommendations for future training and activities.
The Pharmacy Section focuses on areas that include advancing the pharmacists' role in public health, safe medication use, and improving patient outcomes. Current areas of interest include:
- Interprofessional public health practice
- Medication adherence
- Pharmaceutical economics: reimbursements, drug pricing, Medicare, Medicaid
- Pharmacy policy and services utilization: Evaluation of outcomes of pharmacy services
- Prescription drug misuse and abuse
- Safe medication use and reduction of medication errors
Mission: The Pharmacy Section advances public health through the application of pharmacy knowledge and practice to promote health equity, access to care, and optimal health.
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Current Leadership:
Chair: Meghana Ray, PhD, MBA, BPharm
Chair-Elect: Justin Gatwood, PhD
Immediate Past Chair: Alina Cernasev, PhD, PharmD, MSc
Secretary: Basma Gomaa, PhD
Treasurer: Lt. Bryan Wilson, PharmD
Governing Councilors: Larry Selkow; PharmD (2023), Wafa Samara; PharmD (2024)
Section Councilors: Oluwatoyin Fadeyibi, PharmD, MPH (2023), Candace Haugtvedt, PhD, BSPharm (2023); Audrey Kostrzewa, PharmD, MPH (2024); Katie Leslie, PhD, MS (2024); Nivedita Das, PharmD (2025); Tyler Melton, PharmD, MPH (2025)
Membership Chair: Olihe Okoro, PhD, MPH
Policy Chair: Kathryn Marwitz, PharmD
Program Chair/Planner: Shaun Rowe, PharmD, MS and Tyler Melton, PharmD, MPH
Student Liaison: Mary Spatafore, PharmD Student
Past Chairs:
2021-2022: Alina Cernasev, PhD, PharmD, MSc
2020-2021: Jing Wu, PharmD, MPH
2019-2020: Hoai-An Truong, PharmD, MPH, FAPhA, FNAP
2018-2019: Natalie DiPietro Mager, PharmD, MPH
2017-2018: Donna Hubbard McCree, PhD, MPH, RPh
2016-2017: Suzanne Clark, RPh, PhD
2014-2016: Stuart Feldman, PhD
For leadership contact information, log in to APHA LEAD using your member credentials.