Pure Integrative Pharmacy strives to redefine what it means to be a community pharmacy. To better understand what makes Pure Integrative Pharmacy different, we sat down for a Q&A with Ying Wang, pharmacy manager of our West 4th Avenue location.
Q: What does it mean to be an integrative pharmacy?
A: The goal of an integrative pharmacy is to integrate the best of all evidence-based modalities of medicine in a way that optimizes the health and wellness of our clients. This means that in addition to pharmaceutical medications, we also look at supplements, nutrition, lifestyle measures, and more, in developing a unique care plan for our clients. We believe that this multi-faceted approach lays the foundation for not just treating illness, but preventing future illness as well.
Q: What makes Pure Integrative Pharmacy different from other pharmacies?
A: Pure Integrative Pharmacy is locally owned and operated, and we strive to offer a boutique pharmacy experience to all of our clients. We know that the key to providing the highest level of care is spending one-on-one time with all of our clients to get to the root of his/her health concerns. We do so much more than just dispense medications. Our integrative approach means we are able to offer a much greater breadth of knowledge and services to our clients. We are trained to bridge the gap between conventional and complementary medicine. In this way, we are able to provide science-based education when it comes to medications, supplements, nutrition, and more. Did I mention all of our pharmacies also offer specialty compounding?
Q: What services do you provide?
A: We are a full-service pharmacy that offers all the services of a traditional pharmacy, including dispensing prescriptions, medication counselling, and blister packaging. Beyond this, all of our stores are equipped with a compounding lab where we make customized medicine, tailored to the individual patient’s needs. We also offer one-on-one consultations with our pharmacists and natural health advisors. Many of our stores have specialty
services including: Skin Check (high-resolution imaging for early detection of skin concerns), Blend and Boost (a one-on-one skin consultation followed by a customized, compounded skincare product), TreatGx (gene testing to see how your unique genes affect how your body responds to medications), hormone testing, and more. We also offer a complimentary delivery service for prescriptions.
Q: Who makes up a Pure Pharmacy team?
A: In addition to our pharmacy staff, which is comprised of pharmacists as well as compounding pharmacy technicians, our team also consists of natural health advisors with backgrounds in holistic nutrition. This means that our team is highly qualified to not only offer pharmaceutical services, but also in counselling on supplements, nutrition, and lifestyle measures for all facets of health and wellness.
Q: How can clients get the most out of a consultation with a Pure Pharmacist?
A: To get the most out of your consultation with a pharmacist, it is important to give the pharmacist a detailed list of your current medications, which includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and supplements. It would also be helpful to have a record of recent medical documents such as lab work, which are oftentimes important in tracking the safety and effectiveness of your medications.
