RESOURCES FOR PHARMACISTS & PHARMACY CHAINS
Stigma may be experienced in all areas of life, but stigmatizing language or actions from pharmacists is particularly harmful because it negatively affects people seeking medication at a time when they are their most vulnerable. Stigma in pharmaceutical practices undermines proper medication administration, treatment, and successful health outcomes. And as a result, is a barrier to care for people seeking services for disease prevention or treatment of acute or chronic conditions like Opioid Use Disorder, Substance Use Disorder, HIV and Hepatitis C, and Mental Illness. Using appropriate terminology, language, and actions—free from bias and discrimination—positively affects the way patients may view themselves and their willingness to continue treatment.
