Pharmacy's Voice at the Capitol: A New Era of Representation. Now it's Our Turn

The election is over. The work of advocating for pharmacy is just beginning.

Utah voters have made their voices heard, and the results of Tuesday's election will help shape the direction of public policy in our state and across the nation. With a new legislative session approaching, the Utah Pharmacy Association (UPhA) is preparing for another important year of advocacy on behalf of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and the patients they serve.

What Happens Next?

Elections bring change. New legislators take office, leadership assignments evolve, committees are reorganized, and priorities shift. Even returning lawmakers face new challenges and competing demands as they prepare for the upcoming legislative session.

For UPhA, these changes represent both challenges and opportunities.

Many elected officials may have limited familiarity with the pharmacy profession, the evolving responsibilities of pharmacists, or the regulatory challenges affecting pharmacy practice. They may not fully understand the critical role pharmacists play in improving access to healthcare, managing chronic conditions, administering immunizations, and helping patients navigate increasingly complex medication therapies.

That's where we come in.

Building Relationships and Educating Policymakers

UPhA is a nonpartisan organization. Our commitment is not to a political party but to the pharmacy profession and the patients who depend on it.

Regardless of who holds office, our responsibility remains the same: build relationships, educate policymakers, and advocate for policies that strengthen pharmacy practice and improve patient care.

As we approach the 2027 Utah Legislative Session, UPhA will continue engaging with both newly elected and returning legislators to address important issues facing the profession. These include expanding appropriate opportunities for pharmacists to practice at the top of their education and training, reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, protecting patient access to pharmacy services, and supporting a sustainable pharmacy workforce.

Effective advocacy doesn't begin when a bill is introduced. It begins with relationships, conversations, and helping elected officials understand the real-world impact of the decisions they make.

A Historic Moment for Pharmacy in the Utah Legislature

This year's election brings particularly exciting news for Utah's pharmacy community. With the election of Sheldon Birch, PharmD, to the Utah House of Representatives in District 29, and the expected re-election of Senator Evan Vickers, RPh, in Senate District 28, Utah is poised to reach an important milestone.

For the first time in Utah's history, two pharmacists are expected to serve simultaneously in the Utah Legislature, representing the profession's experience in both the House and Senate.

Sheldon Birch, an independent pharmacy owner and former member of the Utah Pharmacy Association Board of Directors, brings firsthand experience in community pharmacy, small business ownership, and patient care. As the owner of multiple community pharmacies across Utah, including Birch Family Pharmacy, he understands the opportunities and challenges facing pharmacists, pharmacy owners, and the patients they serve.

Senator Evan Vickers, a longtime pharmacist and pharmacy owner from Cedar City, has served in the Utah Legislature since 2009, first in the House of Representatives and later in the Utah Senate. His years of legislative service, including Senate leadership responsibilities, have provided him with extensive experience in healthcare policy, business issues, and the legislative process.

Both bring valuable perspectives shaped by their experience caring for patients, operating pharmacies, and navigating the complexities of healthcare delivery.

Having two pharmacists serving in the Legislature presents a unique opportunity for pharmacy-related issues to be better understood as lawmakers consider policies affecting healthcare access, professional practice, medication affordability, and pharmacy operations.

UPhA congratulates Senator Vickers and Sheldon Birch on their strong election-night results and looks forward to continuing our work with them, as well as legislators from across the state and political spectrum.

While having pharmacists serving in elected office is an important milestone, it does not replace the need for continued advocacy and engagement from the entire profession. Their experience can help inform legislative discussions, but the collective voice of Utah's pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remains essential.

Now It's Our Turn

While UPhA works throughout the year to represent the profession at the Utah Capitol, our strongest advocacy tool is the collective voice of our members.

Legislators need to hear directly from pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in their communities. They need to understand the challenges you face, the patients you serve, and the important contributions pharmacy professionals make to Utah's healthcare system.

Over the coming months, we encourage every UPhA member to become more engaged. Get to know your elected representatives. Share your experiences. Respond when UPhA requests your assistance on legislative issues. And most importantly, help us demonstrate the value of pharmacy to Utah's healthcare system.

The election may determine who occupies the seats at the Capitol, but the conversations and relationships we build will help determine the policies that emerge.

With two pharmacy professionals preparing to serve in the Utah Legislature, we have an important reminder of the role pharmacists can play in shaping public policy. But meaningful advocacy requires more than two voices. It requires all of us.

The votes are in. Now it's our turn to make sure pharmacy's voice is heard.

Utah Pharmacy Association — Advocating for Pharmacy. Advancing Patient Care.

Adam W. Jones

Executive Director

Utah Pharmacy Association

Ph: 801.438.2524

Mo: 801.891.4532