Canadian Pharmacist of the Year
Dr. Debbie Kelly
St. John's, NL
This award recognizes a pharmacist who demonstrates leadership and exemplifies the evolution of the pharmacy profession toward an expanded role in health care.
A leader in innovation, equity and patient-centered care
Dr. Debbie Kelly is a trailblazer in the pharmacy profession, combining innovation, collaboration and compassion to break down systemic barriers and improve access to health care. Her commitment to addressing inequities is evident in both her clinical practice and research, as she works tirelessly to improve health-care access for vulnerable populations, particularly those in rural and underserved communities. Through her leadership in HIV care, groundbreaking research and policy-shaping initiatives, Dr. Kelly has demonstrated the transformative role that pharmacists can play in improving health outcomes for Canadians.
Bridging gaps in health care for underserved populations
Dr. Kelly has spent her career ensuring that those who face the greatest barriers to care—rural residents, people living with HIV and individuals without access to physicians—receive the support they need. Her work has shown that pharmacists, when given the appropriate authority and resources, can act as a vital gateway into the health-care system by offering accessible testing, treatment and referrals for those who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Recognizing that stigma remains one of the most significant barriers to HIV testing and treatment, Dr. Kelly has made it her mission to amplify the voices of those affected. She has worked side by side with community organizations, researchers and individuals with lived experience to shape more inclusive and accessible health-care services. “Stigma—whether real or perceived—prevents people from asking their doctor for an HIV test or going to a lab where they might run into someone they know. In rural areas, where sexual health clinics often don’t exist, the lack of accessible testing and treatment can have devastating consequences,” she explains.
For over a decade, she has collaborated with the AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador (ACNL), co-led national initiatives such as HIV Testing Day and partnered with the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) to influence national HIV policies and education.
By championing pharmacist-led HIV testing and care, Dr. Kelly has helped reshape the conversation around the pharmacist’s role in public health, ensuring that more Canadians—regardless of their circumstances—have access to critical health-care services.
From research to real-world policy change
Dr. Kelly’s research is driven by a singular goal: to improve health-care access and outcomes through pharmacist-led care. Her early work in the mid-1990s, at the height of the HIV epidemic, helped shape medication management practices that improved treatment effectiveness while minimizing side effects and drug interactions. Over the years, her research has evolved to focus on expanding the scope of pharmacy practice to better serve patients, particularly those who face systemic barriers to health care.
Her groundbreaking work has had international impact, with researchers from New Zealand, Croatia, Kuwait, Iran and Poland using her findings to inform their own pharmacy practice models.
In Canada, her research on pharmacist-led HIV, hepatitis C and STI testing has influenced policy in Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond, demonstrating that pharmacists can play a key role in increasing access to essential health-care services. She was the Principal Investigator for the APPROACH 2.0 study, which implemented a pharmacist-led testing model for HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis across 3 Canadian provinces, and she is currently co-leading a research team focused on the implementation and sustainability of a pharmacy-based sexual health services model to improve equity and access to sexual health care across Canada.
“Canada’s health-care system has many inefficiencies, and underutilizing highly qualified, trusted, and accessible pharmacists is one my research program is directly addressing,” she says. “The more we integrate pharmacists into primary care, the more we can improve patient outcomes and optimize health resources.”
Dr. Kelly’s success in translating research into practice has been recognized through multiple national research grants, including major funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Her knowledge translation efforts prioritize not just academic publications but also engagement with decision-makers, media, and community partners to ensure that her findings lead to meaningful change.
A vision for the future of pharmacy
Dr. Kelly has been instrumental in expanding the role of pharmacists in direct patient care. She led the establishment of the MUN School of Pharmacy’s Medication Therapy Services (MTS) Clinic, and continues to serve as the clinic’s Director and Special Advisor on Practice Innovation. Through her teaching, mentorship and advocacy, she continues to inspire the next generation of health-care professionals to push the boundaries of pharmacy practice and champion equity in health care.
Whether through her clinical work, research or policy advocacy, Dr. Kelly’s impact is undeniable. Her leadership has paved the way for pharmacist-led care models that are not only improving health outcomes today but also shaping a more inclusive and accessible health-care system for the future.
For her dedication, innovation and unwavering commitment to health equity, Dr. Kelly is a deserving recipient of the 2025 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year award.
Dr. Debbie Kelly is a professor in the School of Pharmacy and holds a cross appointment to the Discipline of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from Memorial University, completed an accredited hospital pharmacy residency at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, NS, and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto.