How rural pharmacies are feeling the sting from pharmacy middlemen

Pharmacies in rural areas are more than a place to pick up prescriptions. They’re a trusted source of advice for their communities. But now, many are struggling to stay open due to financial hurdles in part from pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs.

Here & Now’s Deepa Fernandes talks about their challenges with Ijeoma Ukawke, a pharmacist who owns WilsonValue Drug Store in Wilson, North Carolina, and Delesha Carpenter, who leads a research alliance of more than 140 rural community pharmacies.