Bridging Research and Practice in Health-System Pharmacy

As the landscape of health-system pharmacy evolves, pharmacists are
increasingly at the forefront of efforts to improve patient care through
evidence-based decision-making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the
thoughtful integration of emerging therapies. In a clinical environment shaped by growing therapeutic complexity and shifting population needs, the ability to critically evaluate research, implement innovative care models, and adapt to new treatment standards is more essential than ever. This issue explores key developments that underscore pharmacists’ expanding impact across a range of practice settings.

Pharmacist writing script | Image Credit: © Jacob Lund - stock.adobe.com

In the cover feature on page 8, Alana Hippensteele examines the historical roots and modern consequences of publication bias in biomedical research. The article highlights how selective disclosure has long influenced the scientific record by drawing from Gerald L. Geison’s study of Louis Pasteur’s private notebooks in The Private Science of Louis Pasteur. In modern contexts, underreporting studies with null or negative findings can distort perceptions of drug efficacy, affecting clinical guidelines and pharmacy decision-making. For pharmacists, awareness of publication bias is critical to ensure balanced interpretation of clinical evidence and equitable care delivery. In the peer-reviewed literature review on page 13, Andy Dang, PharmD candidate; Natalie Rosario, PharmD, MPH, BCACP; Elisabeth M. Wang, PharmD, BCCP; Shantera Davis, PharmD, BCPS; K’bria Whaley, PharmD candidate; and Joshua Wollen, PharmD, provide a structured review of finerenone’s (Kerendia; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc) clinical role in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes. The review synthesizes data from the FIDELIO-DKD trial (NCT02540993), FIGARO-DKD trial (NCT02545049), and FIDELITY study analysis, showing that finerenone significantly reduces the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events compared with placebo. As CKD continues to affect a growing population of patients with diabetes, finerenone
represents a significant therapeutic advancement with implications for health
system formulary decisions and pharmacist-led care optimization.

In the peer-reviewed original research on page 19, Sydney K. Davis, PharmD;
Michael A. Maccia, PharmD, BCCCP; Kinsey M. Johannemann, PharmD, BCPS;
Eden E. Brewington, PharmD, BCCCP; and Daniel C. Smith, MD, evaluate a
collaborative insulin protocol involving medical intensive care unit (ICU) phar-
macists and diabetes coordinators. In a pre-/postintervention study at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, critically ill patients receiving pharmacist-led insulin adjustments achieved sustained blood glucose (BG) control more often (93.8% vs 74.7%) and faster (median 30.8 vs 39.9 hours) than those managed with conventional physician-directed methods. The protocol included daily BG monitoring and insulin titration by pharmacists in consultation with diabetes-specialist nurses. These findings reinforce the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in optimizing glycemic management, especially in complex, high-risk patients in the ICU.

Together, these articles underscore the expanding role of health-system pharmacists in critically appraising literature, leading care interventions, and integrating emerging therapies to improve outcomes in complex patient populations. As therapeutic landscapes shift, the profession is well positioned to lead.