By addressing the history of racism in America and the current-day practices that perpetuate it, pharmacists throughout the nation hope to create a healthcare system that is safe and equitable for all. Earlier this month, the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) welcomed Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Lakesha Butler as keynote speaker of its 17th annual conference to discuss this important topic.
Butler, PharmD, director of diversity, equity and inclusion and clinical professor in the School of Pharmacy’s (SOP) Department of Pharmacy Practice, presented the John G. Kuhn Keynote Lecture entitled, “Dismantling Structural Racism in Pharmacy: Our Individual and Organizational Responsibility.” More than 1,400 pharmacy professionals attended the conference virtually.
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Pharmacists vow to devote themselves to a lifetime of service to others by considering the welfare of humanity and the relief of suffering. However, some communities continue to disproportionately suffer. “The social determinants of health—a set of six environmental conditions—have a profound impact on death rates and life expectancy for everything from cancer to COVID-19,” explained Butler.
Butler described these six conditions as economic stability, access to a quality education, access to quality healthcare and neighborhoods, social and community context such as discrimination, and access to healthy food. During her lecture, she explained how structural racism is perpetuated by individual and institutional biases, behaviors and policies.
“It was an absolute honor to be invited to speak in this capacity on such a critical and continuously relevant topic,” shared Butler. “I commend HOPA for bringing this topic to the forefront and for their leadership being committed to disrupting structural racism individually and collectively.”
“There is much work to be done, and we need the masses to move from being bystanders to active allies and accomplices in order for this work to be executed and sustained,” added Butler. “An ally is a disrupter and an educator. We all must first look inward at our own beliefs, biases and socialization and disrupt oppressive behaviors and ideologies.”
The Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) supports hematology/oncology pharmacy professionals and promotes the role of the pharmacist in collaborative cancer care. Founded in 2004, HOPA provides crucial education, networking, and advancement opportunities frequently sought by pharmacists, pharmacy interns, residents, fellows, students, technicians, researchers, and administrators who specialize in hematology/oncology pharmacy. Its vision is to ensure that all individuals affected by cancer have a hematology/oncology pharmacist as an integral member of their care team.
