'Pharmageddon' and the future of retail pharmacies

This week, pharmacists planned a “Pharmageddon” – three days of nationwide walkouts at CVS and Walgreens. They say they are overworked and understaffed and have been for years. This week’s walkouts come after protests from pharmacy workers at Walgreens last month, and multiple walkouts at CVS stores in Kansas City.

Although complaints have been ongoing, the scale of this week’s walkouts was difficult to confirm. And change has been hard to come by.

Pharmacy worker complaints come as big box retailers face other struggles. Last month, Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy. CVS, RiteAid, and Walgreens locations have been closing stores across the country.

Between overworked pharmacists and large-scale closures, what’s the state of retail pharmacies today? And what do these shakeups mean for communities who rely on them?