Antiracism is necessary to achieve health equity

Abstract

Pharmacists can help reduce or eliminate health disparities through antiracism and proactive work to uncover their patients’ social determinants of health, experts said during one of the 2021 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting’s sessions dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). “In today’s environment, it has been said that being well-meaning and not racist is not enough; it is time for us all to be antiracist,” said Paul Walker, clinical professor and assistant dean of experiential education and community engagement at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Walker served as chair of ASHP’s Task Force on Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and is the president-elect of ASHP. He opened the Midyear session, “The Pharmacist’s Role in Promoting Healthcare Equity and Antiracism Practices,” with a discussion of health equity, which is achieved when every person has the opportunity to reach their full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from attaining...