Counseling Patients All Summer Long

Summer is a season of activity, travel, and outdoor living, and for pharmacists, it is also one of the most important times of year to engage patients in meaningful health conversations. As temperatures rise and routines shift, a range of preventable health concerns emerge, and pharmacists are uniquely positioned on the front lines of community care to help patients navigate them.

A feature article in this issue of Pharmacy Times turns a focused lens on sun and skin health, a topic that deserves far more attention than the average patient gives it. The authors from the Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences explore the science behind UV light exposure, the proper selection and application of sunscreen, and the role pharmacists can play in helping patients understand that skin protection is not a cosmetic concern—it is a medical one. Skin cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US, and yet the behaviors that reduce risk are well within reach for most people with the right guidance.

But summer extends well beyond sunscreen. Pharmacists should also be counseling patients on heat-related illness, which can escalate rapidly in vulnerable populations, including older adults, young children, and those taking medications that impair heat regulation or increase photosensitivity. A brief conversation about hydration, warning signs of heat exhaustion, and how certain prescriptions interact with high temperatures can make a genuine difference.

Travelers, too, rely on their pharmacists before heading abroad. Whether it is selecting appropriate antimalarial medications, stocking a travel health kit, or understanding food and water safety, pharmacists serve as accessible, trusted advisers at a critical moment in a patient’s planning.

The common thread across all these summer health topics is accessibility. Patients may not always make a physician’s appointment before heading to the beach, hiking a trail, or boarding a plane, but many will stop by their pharmacy. That moment of contact is an opportunity to counsel, educate, and protect.

Have a wonderful, safe summer. And as always, thank you for reading.