Pharmacists, the professionals who quietly keep the country’s medication system running, are dying by suicide at higher rates than the general public, according to a new UC San Diego-led analysis. The study found pharmacists are about 21% more likely to die by suicide than people overall, with the excess risk concentrated among male pharmacists. Female pharmacy technicians also faced elevated risk. Researchers drew on more than a decade of state violent-death reports to reach their conclusions.
Study and publication
The peer-reviewed analysis, released Thursday in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, relied on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Violent Death Reporting System to examine suicides from 2011 through 2022. The team calculated sex-standardized incidence rate ratios and reported an incidence rate ratio of 1.21 for pharmacists compared with the general population, which translates to roughly a 21% higher suicide risk. The accepted manuscript includes additional details on methods and analysis.
UC San Diego’s response
Researchers at UC San Diego framed the results as a clear call to action, arguing that workplace policies and stigma reduction efforts need to improve to safeguard pharmacy staff. The research team said it plans to study targeted interventions aimed at workers who appear to be at higher risk.
Findings by sex and role
The excess risk did not fall evenly across the profession. The paper reports that male pharmacists faced about a 25% higher suicide risk than other men, while female pharmacists had a risk level similar to women in the general population. Pharmacy technicians overall showed a lower risk than pharmacists, but female technicians had about a 22% higher risk than women in the general population. The authors also found that pharmacists were more likely than others to have documented workplace problems noted before their deaths.
How big a problem is this?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are roughly 337,400 pharmacists across the United States, meaning that even a modest increase in risk touches many workers and workplaces. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2022, placing the pharmacy findings inside a broader national mental health and suicide crisis.
Work stress, access and prevention
The research team linked the elevated risk in part to job-related stress and obstacles to getting mental-health care. The study also reported that poisoning occurred relatively more often among pharmacist suicides than among suicides in the general population. UC San Diego pointed to on-campus supports such as the HEAR initiative and said the researchers plan to prioritize implementing and testing workplace interventions designed for pharmacy professionals.
Industry reaction and next steps
National pharmacy organizations have already been working on workforce well-being. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American Pharmacists Association support a Pharmacy Workforce Suicide Awareness Day and publish guidance and resources for employers and staff. Local coverage of the UC San Diego study highlighted researchers’ comments that the findings underscore the urgent need for improved workplace policies, mental health resources and stigma reduction in pharmacy settings.
If you need help
If you or someone you know is struggling, trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 or by visiting 988lifeline.org. The study’s authors and professional organizations urge employers to broaden access to mental-health care, normalize time off for mental-health needs, and continue to examine workplace changes that can reduce burnout and related risks.
