The Green of "GO"

One night in the first week of January I was walking in the pedestrian zone in Colmar, France. I saw this sign for a Pharmacie du Soleil bathed in green light. It is the exact green of “go” – of traffic lights illuminating your turn, of universal permission and “yes.” 

The words "pharmacy" and "pharmaceutical" often signal the opposite: “no” and “not that quantity” and “not that specific medication.” We experience the stop signs of formulary exclusions, insurance and PBM denials. The visual juxtaposition alone is wildly welcome. May we move through the rest of 2023 with momentum. The ongoing efforts of Advocacy groups, and some bipartisan bills in the works offer hope. 

Pharmacy at Night, Colmar, January 2023 (detail).