Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of Utah

Title of entry: Illustrations for University of Utah Magazine's "Behind the Drug Shortages"

About this entry: University of Utah Magazine commissioned bold, minimalist illustrations for a feature article about the University of Utah’s Drug Information Service. Titled Behind the Drug Shortages, the article explained how the service investigates and logs prescription drug shortages, providing a nationwide database that has become indispensable for health care providers and lawmakers. Using a striking palette of red, yellow, black, and white, illustrator Keith Negley designed the visuals to grab attention and plainly convey the idea of prescription drug scarcity.

The illustrations took a conceptual approach to the issue. One depicts a physician watching a single pellet fall from an otherwise empty capsule. In the second image, several providers stare at the lone pellet, conveying the concept of high demand and low supply. The simple, somber style matches the article’s intent to clarify a complex, serious topic.

Readers were drawn in by the bold visuals, which set the tone for an important discussion and encouraged further exploration of the story. The article received 1,574 webpage views and engaged 1,295 active users, with 5,268 views on social media. Readers left lengthy comments on the magazine website to dive deeper into the topic and praise the article. In the words of one reader, “We need more stories like this that lay out the issues for the public in an unbiased and easy-to-follow fashion.” By pairing effective storytelling with compelling illustrations, the project achieved its goal of informing and engaging our audience while showcasing the university’s leadership in addressing a critical health care issue.