National pharmacy-led blood pressure screening initiative launches May 1

A national initiative is aiming to tackle one of Canada’s most underdiagnosed health risks by leveraging the accessibility of community pharmacies.Launching May 1 as part of May Measurement Month, Measure More, Miss Less (MMML) is a community pharmacy–based blood pressure screening initiative designed to improve early detection of cardiovascular risk.“Hypertension remains one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated risk factors for cardiovascular disease. And yet, it’s one of the easiest to detect,” said Stephanie Gysel, a clinical pharmacist specializing in cardiometabolic care and founder of Apothecare Pharmacy in Calgary, who is leading MMML with her team.The initiative builds on the global May Measurement Month campaign, which since 2017 has screened more than seven million people across approximately 120 countries and identified more than one million individuals with previously untreated elevated blood pressure. In Canada, the program has evolved from earlier May-focused efforts and has now been rebranded and expanded to support more continuous, year-round screening in community pharmacies. Through MMML, participating pharmacists across Canada will measure blood pressure using standardized best practices, identify individuals with previously unrecognized elevated readings, and help close gaps in early cardiovascular risk detection.The approach is intentionally simple and scalable. According to Gysel, the full process—including patient rest time, screening and documentation—can be completed in about 10 minutes. “The reality is simple: if we don’t measure, we miss the opportunity to intervene early,” she says. The initiative also reflects a broader push to better integrate pharmacists into preventive care. Community pharmacies remain among the most accessible healthcare settings in Canada, positioning pharmacists to play a larger role in identifying and managing chronic conditions such as hypertension.Early participation is already underway, with approximately 40 pharmacies across Canada currently signed on, and organizers hoping to expand that number significantly. For Gysel, the message to pharmacists is straightforward. “Honestly, just participate,” she says, noting that once sites complete their first screening, the process becomes routine and easy to integrate into practice. She and her team will also analyze data collected through this year’s initiative—including patient outcomes and pharmacist experiences—and contribute Canadian findings to the global effort to improve blood pressure screening.To participate or for more information email: measuremoremissless@gmail.com

National pharmacy-led blood pressure screening initiative launches May 1

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