Pharmacists Rally in Harrisburg to Address 'Pharmacy Deserts'

Pharmacists claim PBMs are responsible for hundreds of pharmacy closures in recent years due to greed.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 9:28pm

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A glowing neon outline of a mortar and pestle, the universal symbol of pharmacy, against a dark background, conveying a sense of urgency about the pharmacists' call to action.Pharmacists rally to address the growing crisis of 'pharmacy deserts' and the role of PBMs in exacerbating the problem.Harrisburg Today

About 300 pharmacists, including professionals and students, gathered at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to raise awareness about 'pharmacy deserts' - areas where people face limited access to medication due to pharmacy closures. The pharmacists claimed that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which act as intermediaries in the pharmacy supply chain, are responsible for the closure of hundreds of pharmacies in recent years due to greed.

Why it matters

Access to pharmacies and medication is a critical public health issue, especially in underserved communities. The rally aimed to draw attention to the growing problem of 'pharmacy deserts' and the role that PBMs may be playing in exacerbating the situation through their business practices.

The details

The pharmacists gathered as part of a coalition called Pennsylvanians for Pharmacy Access to support a new House bill that would regulate PBMs. They claimed that the current 'patchwork system' of multiple PBMs contracted with the state is wasting hundreds of millions of dollars that could be better used to support local pharmacies.

  • The pharmacists rallied at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg on April 14, 2026.

The players

Darryle Tillman

The president of the Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association.

Pennsylvanians for Pharmacy Access

A coalition of pharmacists and advocates working to address the issue of 'pharmacy deserts' in Pennsylvania.

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What they’re saying

“In Pennsylvania, we currently have a network system of PBMs, a patchwork system, of basically private PBMs that are contracted with the state. What we would like to do is get that to a single PBM. Because right now, the money that is being wasted in the system, as far as we know, is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”

— Darryle Tillman, Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association President

What’s next

The Pennsylvania state legislature is expected to consider the new House bill regulating PBMs in the coming months.

The takeaway

This rally highlights the growing concern over 'pharmacy deserts' and the role that PBMs may be playing in exacerbating the problem through their business practices. Addressing this issue could help improve access to essential medications for underserved communities across the state.