Pharma Pulse: Young Adults Skip Cholesterol Care, as Pharmacy Access Gaps Widen and Crypto Enters the Prescription Market

Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I’m your host, and let’s get into today’s headlines.

• New findings show that individuals under 40 with high cholesterol are frequently missing out on appropriate treatment and routine monitoring. Despite well-established evidence that early intervention can significantly reduce long-term cardiovascular risk, many young adults either delay therapy or forego follow-up entirely. Researchers point to factors such as limited awareness, perceived invincibility, and inconsistent primary care engagement. The results underscore a growing clinical gap—and a major opportunity for providers, payers, and public health teams to strengthen early detection and long-term management strategies.
• In access news, a new tool aims to address an increasingly urgent access problem: pharmacy deserts. The National Community Pharmacists Association and the University of Southern California have launched a nationwide mapping and identification platform that pinpoints communities with limited or no access to local pharmacies. The tool incorporates demographic data, geographic barriers, and pharmacy closure trends to give policymakers and health organizations a clearer picture of where care gaps are widening. With pharmacy closures accelerating—especially in low-income and rural areas—the tool is expected to guide targeted interventions, support funding decisions, and improve equitable access to medications and pharmacist-led care.
• And finally, a first-of-its-kind development in the retail pharmacy sector. Invictus Pharmacy has become the first US pharmacy to accept cryptocurrency as payment for prescription medications. The move is designed to increase payment flexibility for patients, streamline transactions, and potentially reduce administrative overhead tied to traditional payment systems. While crypto adoption across healthcare remains limited, the pharmacy’s decision signals a willingness among some innovators to explore alternative digital payment infrastructures. Industry observers will be watching to see whether other pharmacies—and eventually health systems—begin to follow suit.

That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit pharmaceuticalcommerce.com.

Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.

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