The community is invited to meet the Rx next door at the grand opening of the Bond Head Pharmacy on Oct. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m.
The pharmacy at 2914 County Road 27 had a soft opening on July 18, and since then Atef (Marcos) Morcos, owner and licensed pharmacist, has been sharing his more than 20 years of experience with the community.
While things have been slow so far, Morcos is hoping business will pick up after the grand opening.
“We have a big belief that we are able to serve the community and they need us, because they travel to Bradford or sometimes somewhere else just to fill their prescriptions or even to get something over the counter,” he said.
The team includes three pharmacists who can fill and manage prescriptions, offering the MedsCheck program to ensure patients are taking the correct medication in the right way and that it’s suitable for them, plus check to see if there are any side effects or interactions and how to manage them.
They also offer free medication delivery and blister packs, in addition to waiving the co-payments of $6.11, $4.11 or $2 for seniors and those using the Ontario Drug Benefit program.
Locals will also have the option of saving some trips to the doctor as the team of pharmacists can treat minor ailments including:
- oral thrush
- pink eye
- yeast infections
- dermatitis
- cold sores
- heart burn
- muscle pain
- hemorrhoids
- menstrual pain
- allergic rhinitis
- skin infections
- acne
- urinary tract infection
- insect bites
On top of that, the team can administer injections including the seasonal flu shot and, starting next week, the newest COVID-19 vaccine. But is can also deal with:
- Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Meningococcal disease
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rabies
- Typhoid
- Varicella
- Yellow Fever
Morcos acknowledged that there aren’t a lot of options for shopping in Bond Head, but he hopes that’s something the pharmacy can help address by offering:
- convenience items
- household items
- snacks and beverages
- orthopaedic items
- pain medication
- cold and flu medication
- contraceptives
- vitamins and supplements
- skin-care items
- feminine hygiene items
- cleaning supplies
- dental-care items
- deodorants
- COVID-19 test kits
- and more
“Our goal is to keep the prices down. We just want to serve the people and make them feel comfortable,” Morcos said, adding that if anyone has an issue with the prices, the team will make every effort to address the problem.
The pharmacy is part of PharmaChoice, a Canadian chain that claims to include more than 2,000 pharmacists at more than 800 pharmacies across the country.
Most services at the pharmacy do not require an appointment and it is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
“I hope that people will try our services and get to know us,” Morcos said.
For more information call the pharmacy at 519-513-2727.
