Report warns of accelerating Minnesota pharmacy closures

A new 2026 report from Minnesota Independent Pharmacists says pharmacy closures are accelerating statewide, with six independent pharmacies shutting down in 2025—including West Seventh Pharmacy in St. Paul—and three more already gone in 2026, fueling a rise in 'pharmacy deserts' where residents lack ready access to medications and basic health care. The group says about 44% of Minnesota pharmacies have closed in the last decade and nearly 60% of those were independents, leaving just 123 verified independent pharmacies statewide and nine towns since 2023 with no pharmacy at all. Leaders blame pharmacy benefit managers and large insurers for reimbursement rates that force small pharmacies to operate 'underwater' while corporate middlemen post record profits, arguing that the system is 'rigged' against community health providers. They warn that when local pharmacies disappear, seniors and low‑income patients are more likely to skip medications, driving up ER visits, hospitalizations and overall health‑system costs that taxpayers ultimately absorb. For the Twin Cities, the closure of West Seventh Pharmacy and the statewide trend raise red flags about access, especially in older and lower‑income neighborhoods where a corner pharmacy often doubles as a vaccination, counseling and chronic‑disease‑management site.