About

Brian Spoelhof was born and raised in Rochester, NY, where he spent his formative years caring for family members with a myriad of disabling conditions. A common saying in his family growing up was, “There are some things worse than death,” emphasizing that it was acceptable to accept one’s mortality and choose quality over quantity of life.

These life lessons motivated Brian to attend the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where he graduated with his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). After graduation, Brian continued his training by completing a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Indiana University Health and then a PGY2 in Critical Care at Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center.

After his training, Brian took a position as a Neurocritical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. There, he cared for patients with some of the same conditions his family members had experienced, including massive strokes and complicated seizure disorders.

Shortly after beginning his clinical practice, Brian was appointed to chair the Drug Shortage Taskforce, prompting his lifelong passion for managing drug shortages and the complex ethical challenges they present. Brian took his experience to Boston, where he led the Internal Medicine pharmacy team at Boston Medical Center. There, he was exposed to the disparities in health care that exist amongst marginalized patient populations. Most recently, Brian now resides in Charlottesville, VA, where he works at the University of Virginia managing the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Pharmacy Policy, and the Drug Shortage Task Force.

Brian experienced the most severe drug shortage of his career when Vincristine, a potent and necessary chemotherapy for children, was unavailable, creating the need to withhold some important regimens. While working with the Ethics team, Brian was inspired to continue his education. He received his Master of Science in Bioethics (MBE) from Harvard Medical School, specializing in the ethics of Drug Shortage allocation and supply chain practices.

Brian is dual-boarded in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) and Critical Care Pharmacy (BCCCP). He is licensed to practice pharmacy in four states (Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Indiana). He is an active member of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacy. He serves as a member of the ASHP House of Delegates, representing the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacy Region 1 President. He has appeared in national broadcasts, numerous podcasts, and frequently speaks on the ethics of drug shortage.

Brian created The PharmacoEthicist to engage with clinicians all over the world on the complex issues affecting pharmacy practice. He hopes to work with pharmacy professionals, learning about normative ethics and moral philosophy to improve ethical dialogue in pharmacy practice. Brian is available for consultation and speaking opportunities on these topics.