According to a report from the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC), the number of community pharmacies operating in Virginia has steadily declined over the last decade, leaving 14% of the state's population with limited or no access to pharmacy services.

Sarah Abernathy, who lives in rural Brunswick County, is a part of that statistic after her county's only pharmacy closed earlier this year. The closure more than doubled the distance to the closest drug store, where she and her husband have 11 prescriptions that need to be regularly filled.

I was angry because we were left with, its a 30-minute drive to South Hill or a 30-minute drive to Emporia," Abernathy said. "It's dire. What do the elderly in this county or in any county that doesn't have a pharmacy what do they do?"

While mail

See Full Page