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April 28, 2026
“Stigma, Supply, and Systems: Reframing Pharmacy Barriers to Buprenorphine Treatment”
Tuesday, April 28
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Dr. Freeman will present empirical evidence examining pharmacy-level barriers to buprenorphine dispensing through a structured framework of stigma, supply, and systems. Drawing on health services and policy analytic methods, the session identifies where and why access breaks down—even after major prescribing reforms—and highlights opportunities to intervene directly with pharmacists through targeted education and policy alignment to mitigate these barriers. The findings inform actionable practice and regulatory strategies to reposition community pharmacies as critical public health infrastructure in expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder.
About the Speaker:
Patricia (Trish) Freeman, PhD, RPh, FAPhA, FNAP is the Schutte Endowed Chair in Pharmaceutical Policy, Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Science and University Research Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. Her research interests include substance use policy, the intersection of substance use policy and pharmacy practice, and the investigation of effective strategies to engage pharmacists as partners in reducing opioid-related harm to improve patient and public health.
Host: Dr. Cody Wenthur, PharmD, PhD