ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation has launched a multi-state research pilot to explore how pharmacies can serve as access points for nutritious food and nutrition education for individuals with chronic diseases and nutritional insecurity.
The initiative, conducted in collaboration with the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, will involve approximately 60 pharmacies across more than 10 states, including locations operated by Hy-Vee, Kroger, and Walmart. Pharmacists will conduct patient assessments and initiate “produce prescriptions” — funds that enrolled patients with diabetes or hypertension can use to purchase healthy foods. Participants will also receive targeted nutrition education.
“Food and nutrition insecurity are major factors contributing to the prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases and conditions,” said NACDS Foundation President Sara E. Roszak, DrPH, MPH. “As one of the most frequented and accessible facilities of care, pharmacies are in a unique position to help promote healthier eating.”
The pilot will evaluate program feasibility, patient nutrition security, clinical outcomes such as A1c and blood pressure, and sustainability opportunities with health plan partners.
“As individuals often go to pharmacies more frequently than they might their physician or other healthcare provider, let’s bring nutrition and nutrition education to where people are,” said Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School at Tufts University. “This study will provide us with valuable data on the feasibility and impact of Food is Medicine programs in a pharmacy setting, as we look at all possible avenues for expanding access to nutrition and good health.”
