Advancing Pharmacy Innovation in a Post-COVID World

NIH

On March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, UCSF School of Pharmacy experts were already mobilizing to meet the crisis. What followed was next-level collaboration across pharmacy, patient care and research.

From securing emergency treatments to leading mass vaccination efforts, UCSF pharmacists reconfigured workflows and expanded their clinical scope to ensure fast, equitable access to care, an effort that redefined public perceptions of the pharmacy profession and continues to shape health care globally. Meanwhile, the school’s scientists led essential research that deepened our understanding of COVID and drove therapeutic innovations to combat the virus.

As we approach its five-year anniversary, the pandemic has made one thing clear: When the next crisis arises, pharmacists will once again be essential in innovating lifesaving solutions.

Decoding COVID-19: QBI Researchers Pave the Way for New Drug Discoveries to Combat Virus

Susan Merrell

The QBI Coronavirus Research Group (QCRG) fast-tracked antiviral drug discovery by partnering with scientists around the globe and around the clock, deepening understanding of how viruses attack cells and shaping the future of pandemic preparedness.

Frontline Pharmacy: Rising to the Moment

Susan Merrell

As COVID-19 cases began rising in San Francisco, UCSF Health mobilized to vaccinate thousands of frontline workers; secured and rapidly deployed new therapeutics; and worked with public health and pharmacy leaders nationwide to share protocols and best practices as new therapies emerged, while promoting equitable access.

Q&A with Marilyn Stebbins, PharmD: Pharmacy Advocate and COVID-19 Patient Zero

Elisabeth Fall

One of California’s first COVID-19 patients reflects on her hospitalization during the earliest days of the pandemic and the perspective she gained on patient care and the expanded scope of the pharmacy profession. “I really feel like knowledge is power, and at that time, nobody had any knowledge,” she said.

Lessons Learned: Five Years of COVID-19 Research and Response at UCSF

National Institutes of Health

UCSF School of Pharmacy experts share their perspectives on the lessons learned from the pandemic and the evolving role of pharmacy in strengthening public health, advancing scientific discovery and preparing for future global challenges.