Press Releases

New York – March 4, 2014 — As the current cohort of independent retail pharmacy owners — mostly men who entered the profession in the 1970s — retire over the next few years, and as pharmacy schools graduate an increasing number of women, female pharmacists have an unprecedented opportunity to assume community pharmacy ownership roles. However, to close the gender gap in community pharmacy ownership, more needs to be done to educate practicing and student pharmacists about the benefits of owning a pharmacy – and to connect them with the resources needed to become successful pharmacy owners.

That’s the key message Eden Sulzer, director of Cardinal Health’s Women in Pharmacy initiative, will discuss during a panel discussion at the 2014 International Women's Day Forum, taking place March 4 at the United Nations in New York.

The theme of year’s International Women’s Day Forum is Turning Inspiration into Action: Next Steps for the Private Sector to Empower Women Globally. During a panel discussion entitled The Sheconomy: The Power of the Female Consumer in a Growing Middle Class, Sulzer will discuss how she created Cardinal Health’s Women in Pharmacy initiative in 2011, with the goal of connecting the growing number of women pharmacists with resources, tools, education and support they need to seize the opportunity of independent pharmacy ownership.

Sulzer will also discuss how female community pharmacists are particularly well positioned to serve as trusted, convenient, local healthcare resources for fellow women – who make 80 percent of healthcare purchasing decisions for their family and often serve as caregiver for their children, as well as aging parents[1].

Sulzer will shed light on key demographic and economic factors that are positioning women pharmacists as a powerful force in the reshaping of how healthcare is delivered at the community level. For example:

• As more Americans seek health services due to the Affordable Care Act and increased demand for prescription medications, community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide convenient, high quality care[2].
• At the same time – the proportion of pharmacists who are women is growing. Women comprised less than 13 percent of all pharmacists in 1970 and comprise almost half of all pharmacists today.[3]
• Because two thirds of new pharmacy graduates are women and because most pharmacists nearing retirement are men, the proportion of pharmacists who are women will continue rising. By 2025, two out of three pharmacists are likely to be women.⁴
• Overall, there are approximately 1,000 pharmacy startups or ownership transfers per year across the country.[4]  As current retail pharmacy owners — mostly men who entered the profession in the 1970s — retire over the next few years, women pharmacists have more ample opportunity to assume these pharmacy ownership roles.

Sulzer will also share insight into current barriers to female pharmacy ownership, and what steps need to be taken to empower women pharmacists to buy and own their own pharmacies. For example, she will discuss the need for:

• Education to help raise awareness of pharmacy ownership opportunities among student and practicing pharmacists;
• Mentoring, resources and support – connecting current pharmacy owners to women interested in pharmacy ownership;
• Expertise, insights, coaching and other support services to help pharmacists build the business acumen – including business analysis and planning expertise, and an increased understanding of how to access capital – needed to buy, own and operate successful, sustainable businesses that help both female pharmacy owners and their communities thrive. 

About the Cardinal Health Women in Pharmacy Initiative

The goal of the Cardinal Health Women in Pharmacy initiative is to ensure women pharmacists have the tools and resources they need to succeed as pharmacy owners, including financial/business acumen, leadership skills and a network of colleagues for best practice sharing and idea exchange. An Advisory Board of male and female pharmacy owners and pharmacy school faculty from across the country helps steer the initiative and provide input on key areas of focus, such as women’s health. Learn more at http://cardinalhealth.com/us/en/womeninpharmacy

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $101 billion healthcare services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while  reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 100,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 33,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.