Pharmacy's Power to Transform

The pharmacy profession has never been more dynamic or consequential. Across the country, pharmacists are expanding their scope of practice, stepping out from behind the dispensing counter and into other roles that directly shape patient outcomes, public health, and even the sustainability of the communities they serve. Their influence now reaches into maternal care, chronic disease management, environmental stewardship, and policy advocacy. The 2 feature articles in this issue capture that expansive reach with clarity and conviction, offering compelling proof that pharmacists are not simply participants in the health care system: They are drivers of change within it.

The first feature article in this issue shines a well-deserved light on the Medications Optimizing Maternal Safety (MOMS) program in Mississippi. Maternal health outcomes in the US—particularly in the South—demand urgent attention, and innovative, pharmacist-driven initiatives such as MOMS demonstrate what is possible when the profession steps forward with purpose. The program's collaborative approach to reducing medication-related risks during pregnancy is a model worthy of national attention and one that merits close study by pharmacists considering how similar frameworks might take root in their own state and practice setting.

Also featured is an important conversation on sustainability and the meaningful role pharmacists can play in advancing it. From reducing pharmaceutical waste and rethinking packaging to advocating for greener supply chains, the profession has more influence over environmental outcomes than is often recognized. This feature offers both inspiration and practical guidance for pharmacists ready to make sustainability a part of their professional identity and daily practice. The health of patients and the health of the environment are not separate concerns; they are deeply interconnected.

At Pharmacy Times, our mission has always been to support the professionals who power health care with timely information, meaningful dialogue, and a platform that reflects the full scope of pharmacy's impact. This issue exemplifies that commitment. Thank you for reading, and thank you for the vital work you do each day.