MONTREAL, June 21,
2023 /CNW/ - The Faculty of Pharmacy at
the Université de Montréal and Pharmaprix recently announced a
donation that aimed at advancing pharmacy practices in Quebec, enhancing healthcare accessibility and
facilitate the recruitment in the region. The goal is to provide
better support to the health system as a whole and improve access
to care for patients by further leveraging the expertise of
pharmacists.
This donation of $3,000,000 from
Pharmaprix, which will be given to the Faculty of Pharmacy at the
Université de Montréal over a period of three years, will serve as
a catalyst for knowledge transfer, research related to
community-based pharmaceutical practices, advancing health
policies, and improving patient care.
"Quebec's healthcare system is
called upon to evolve to better meet the population's new needs,
and thanks to this donation from Pharmaprix, our Faculty of
Pharmacy will be able to keep pace with this evolution," emphasizes
Université de Montréal Rector Daniel
Jutras.
One of the major investments resulting from this collaboration
will be the construction of the new Pharmacy simulation and virtual
reality center, a state-of-the-art laboratory designed to help
train the pharmacists of tomorrow. Slated for completion in 2024,
this cutting-edge laboratory will provide an immersive training
environment, enabling students to cultivate their skills and apply
innovative practices in real-world scenarios. Additionally, a
second part of the donation will contribute to the creation of a
Scholarship Fund to support local students, as well as those from
diversity groups, while the remaining component will finance
transformative research projects focused on community pharmacy's
clinical practice. The overarching goal of these initiatives
is to expand the role of pharmacists in primary care, adhering to
established standards, with a specific focus on the assessment and
treatment of minor health issues, management of chronic diseases,
provision of public health services, and facilitation of care
coordination among healthcare professionals. The donation will also
support the provision of master's and postdoctoral scholarships for
research related to community pharmacy practices.
"This donation will have a transformative impact on our faculty.
Above all, this gift opens the way for collaboration that
will help evolve the role of the pharmacist, because by providing
opportunities for research and graduate training to enhance
community pharmacy practice, the entire field of pharmacy will
emerge transformed". - Simon de
Denus, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de
Montréal.
"The health care system is facing complex problems that require
innovative and collaborative solutions. We strongly believe that
pharmacists can play a critical role in this collective approach,
and we are proud to act as a catalyst for achieving this goal.
Therefore, we are delighted to collaborate with the Université de
Montréal, which is committed to training the next generation of
pharmacists so that they are perfectly equipped to meet the
evolving health care needs of the people of Quebec," said Jeff
Leger, President of Shoppers Drug Mart.
This collaboration between the private sector and academia
clearly demonstrates the potential of research and innovation to
address pressing public health issues while improving community-
and patient-focused care.
About the Faculty of Pharmacy at
the Université de Montréal
Montréal by its roots, international by vocation, the Université
de Montréal ranks among the world's top universities. Along with
its affiliated schools, Polytechnique Montréal and HEC Montréal,
UdeM raises over half a billion dollars in research funding each
year, making it one of Canada's
leading university research centres. It has a student body of
70,000, a faculty of 2,300 and a network of 450,000 active
graduates around the world. Its Faculty of Pharmacy is a Faculty of
Pharmacy is recognized for its innovative training and research
programs, with links to the world of pharmacy and drug
development.
About Pharmaprix
Shoppers Drug Mart (Pharmaprix) is one of the most recognized
and trusted names in Canadian retailing. The company is the
licensor of full-service retail drug stores operating under the
name Shoppers Drug Mart® (Pharmaprix® in Québec). With
almost 1350 Shoppers Drug Mart® and Pharmaprix® stores
operating in prime locations in each province and two territories,
the company is one of the most convenient retailers in Canada.
The company also licenses or owns 47 medical clinic pharmacies
operating under the name Shoppers Simply Pharmacy® (Pharmaprix
Simplement Santé® in Québec). Furthermore, the company owns and
operates 43 corporate Wellwise by Shoppers Drug Mart® stores and an
ecommerce site, Wellwise.ca, making it the largest Canadian
retailer of home health care products and services. In addition to
its retail store network, the company owns Shoppers Drug Mart
Specialty Health Network Inc., a provider of specialty drug
distribution and comprehensive pharmaceutical and patient support
services; MediSystem Inc., a provider of pharmaceutical products
and services to long-term care facilities; and Lifemark Health
Group, Canada's leading provider of outpatient
physiotherapy, massage therapy and occupational therapy, as well as
chiropractic, mental health and other ancillary rehabilitation
services. Shoppers Drug Mart is an independent operating division
of Loblaw Companies Limited.
For more information, please contact:
Geneviève Poirier
Manager, Corporate
Affairs and Communication
Loblaw
pr@loblaw.ca
SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited