It is now easier than ever for students to get everything they need from a pharmacy on their own campus.
The Campus Pharmacy opened up in the University of New Brunswick Bookstore on Aug. 26. Dr. Ayub Chishti, the pharmacist who runs the store, said it is equipped to offer everything a regular operation would.
“It’s a full-fledged pharmacy,” said Chishti. “Plus, very few pharmacies do a specialized compounding with specialized medication, and we can do that here too.”
The store will carry a range of products such as first-aid items, family planning products, vitamins and even crutches.
Chishti said the pharmacy accepts all drug plans and bills them directly. There is special pricing for the campus community, which includes vaccinations, and 10 per cent discounts for students on Wednesdays.
“The students will have that benefit here,” Chishti said. “The pharmacy can transfer prescriptions from any existing drugstore people are going to and we will do our best to meet the needs for the community.”
Chishti said the University of New Brunswick medical clinic team and administration came up with the idea for the pharmacy last year.
“There was a lot of students they found that really had to go far to go and get different prescriptions filled… they had to drive very far to pick up Tylenol,” said Chishti. “That’s when they realized, well, if we have the medical clinic, we should have a drugstore.”
First-year student Josie Robinson said she is very happy about having a pharmacy on campus.
“I’m a Type 1 diabetic, and if I was to ever need anything for an emergency it’s a great thing to have available to me,” Robinson said.
Robinson, whose family lives almost two-hours away in her hometown of Kingston Peninsula, said she plans to use the pharmacy for more than just the occasional crisis.
“I’m living in residence,” she said. “And I will definitely use it for things like Tylenol … whatever I need to get that [a] pharmacy offers.”
Chishti said students can speed up the service by registering right away. He will also offer consultation time for anyone who seeks it, understanding the need for accessible medical attention on campus.
“I can provide services for a lot of different things rather than just pharmacy-only,” he said. “They can come for consultation, if they need advice or if they need help.”
The pharmacy will be open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
