October 8, 2020
Pharmacist Alvin Shares his Thoughts on the RUM Project
Alvin is the owner and pharmacist at the Priceline Pharmacy West Brunswick. We (virtually) sat down with Alvin recently to get an insider’s view of the RUM Project.
Tell us about yourself – how long you’ve been a pharmacist and what drives you?
As a Pharmacist and practitioner at the coal face of primary health care, my hymn is simple: Get people better sooner. I base that mantra on a blend of a life long familiarity with my Indian family’s traditional health remedies, and expert knowledge of the Western pharmacopoeia.
After 12 years studying and practising pharmacy skills, and 7 years owning and operating my own chain of pharmacies, I know what works.
I spent my intern year as a pharmacy student at Terry White Chemists, a national chain of pharmacy franchises named after its founder. He had a vision of patient care way beyond other pharmacists decades younger.
The year changed my outlook on my profession and my life.
It awakened me to the unique bond we as pharmacists have with our clients. We combine roles as health professionals, pharmacological experts and wellness, nutrition and skincare advisors.
How often do people come in to use the RUM service? What’s the feedback from your customers like?
We have clients who provide us with their unused and expired medicines on a daily basis! Our local community is well aware of the right way to dispose of these medicines due to the frequent updates we share on Facebook.
Many of our clients weren’t aware of this service and the feedback we receive is always positive.
What do you think are the biggest benefits of the RUM project?
That unwanted and expired medicines are returned so they are placed out of harm’s way and that they do not enter our water streams and landfill!
Now we just need to ensure we raise public awareness. The more people that know about this great service the better!