Practice-based research networks: Keeping the highway running through the pharmacy community

This issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association focuses on a topic vital to the pharmacy profession-practice-based research networks (PBRNs) of pharmacy practitioners and researchers. Now, vital is a pretty value-based word and is in the eye of the beholder. Why do we think pharmacy practice-based research is vital? During our many years as practitioners, faculty members, and pharmacy leaders, the phrase "pharmacy is at a crossroad" has been overused regularly. One could say that we are now at another professional crossroad, but crossroads probably understates the seriousness of the times; potentially, we are at a "bypass." Let us use an analogy to illustrate our concerns and then tell you why we think the profession is at a bypass.