CVS is the largest pharmacy chain in the country, bringing in a quarter of all prescription revenue nationwide. But behind the counter, its own pharmacists and technicians say the company doesn't have enough staff to keep patients safe.

At one CVS specialty pharmacy in Redlands, California, a backlog of patients from across the country routinely piles up before the doors even open, pushing some people's medication shipments back by a full day. These aren't routine refills — many patients have rare or life-threatening conditions who need their prescriptions fast. "Our patients have rare, fatal diseases," said Aisha Torres, a CVS Specialty pharmacy technician, in an interview with Capital & Main. "If they're having an attack or a bleed, they need their medications shipped immediately."

Pharmacists describe similar pressure nationwide, filling hundreds of prescriptions in a single shift while also handling vaccinations and patient consultations, with less help than ever. Medication errors already harm an estimated 1.5 million Americans every year. Overworked, understaffed pharmacy teams make that risk worse — for patients and for the workers who lose sleep wondering if they caught every mistake.

Rather than fixing the staffing shortage, CVS has let contract talks stall while workers in California, Arizona, and Rhode Island wait on raises the company has withheld for two years. Pharmacy workers in three states have already voted to authorize a strike over these conditions.

Patients shouldn't have to wonder whether their pharmacy has the staff it needs to get their prescription right. CVS can fix this by hiring enough pharmacists and technicians to safely meet patient demand and negotiating fair pay in good faith.

Sign the petition to demand CVS fully staff its pharmacies — before another patient pays the price for a preventable mistake.