To help ring-in American Pharmacist Month, we remember Benjamin Franklin today — for all the reasons you’d expect, but also for his support of Philadelphia Hospital and, in it, the first hospital pharmacy in the U.S., which opened in 1751. Franklin reportedly raised $200 through private donations (the equivalent to about $10,000 today), which was matched by Pennsylvania’s Provincial Assembly. Today, Philadelphia Hospital is part of Penn Medicine, home of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, co-recipients of a 2023 Nobel Prize for their breakthrough mRNA technology that enabled COVID-19 vaccines. Since this is your month, consider sharing your pharmacy’s story on social media (as a way of reminding your patients and community about all the services you provide). You might also celebrate by offering special wellness checkups along with the booster shots you’re giving. Another hot tip? Make sure your social media, website, and store signage promotes NCPA’s Talk to Your Pharmacist First campaign.
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