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ARLINGTON, Va. – Pharmacists rank third in Gallup’s 2018 survey of honesty and ethical standards, maintaining their consistently strong showing in the annual measure of diverse professions.
Health-related professions swept the top three, with nurses ranking first and medical doctors ranking second – just one percentage point ahead of pharmacists.
“We want to thank pharmacists for their trusted work as the face of neighborhood healthcare, which is reflected consistently in Gallup’s survey,” said NACDS president and chief executive officer Steven Anderson. “Just as Americans walk into their pharmacies for access to quality care, policymakers turn to these professionals for advice on pressing issues. These issues include addressing the opioid abuse epidemic, reducing patients’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs, and improving access to care through newer pharmacist-provided services.”
Gallup’s results are consistent with findings of a 2018 survey conducted by Morning Consult and commissioned by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). In the Morning Consult survey, 82% of respondents indicated a favorable opinion of their pharmacist and 90% said pharmacies are easy to access.
The Morning Consult survey also found that 83% say pharmacists provide credible information for saving money on prescriptions; that three-in-four agree with NACDS-backed public policy solutions for the opioid-abuse epidemic; and that between eight-in-ten and nine-in-ten agree that Medicare patients should be able to obtain various healthcare services from their pharmacists – including health tests, vaccinations and help with managing illnesses like diabetes.
Anderson noted, “In 2018, Congress passed, and the President signed, legislation that will help pharmacists provide even more assistance to patients in saving money on prescription drugs. The year also saw the enactment of opioid-abuse-prevention legislation, which includes aspects of NACDS’ public policy recommendations that are based on pharmacists’ insights from the front lines of care. NACDS looks forward to working with policymakers at the federal and state levels in 2019 to achieve further progress on complex issues affecting the health and wellness of all Americans.
