Large cities and suburban areas typically offer a robust array of healthcare services, but less populated, remote communities, such as island populations, often lack access to today’s modern healthcare options. So, how exactly does a compounding pharmacy work in a rural area? Read what Neda Debassige Toeg, BSP, RPh, founder and owner of Sweetgrass Pharmacy & Compounding in Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada, had to say about her experience.
How My Compounding Pharmacy Changes Lives in a Rural Community
My background in pain and addiction management, as well as in autoimmune diseases and cancer, allows us to help patients — especially in a rural setting — who might not get the healthcare that they need. It is important to recognize that pain is subjective and a one-size-fits-all solution will not work. To get results, each medication needs to be matched and personalized to the individual who uses it.
As the first Indigenous-owned and operated pharmacy on a reserve in Canada, this is much more than a business. The services and products are for members of my family, my community, my people. It is very important, on a personal basis, that we provide effective care. Patients come in and tell me, “I’m just popping in to tell you that you’ve changed my life. Thank you for all you do.” That’s a gift — the most important gift.
“Patients come in and tell me, ‘I’m just popping in to tell you that you’ve changed my life. Thank you for all you do.’”
Finding the Best Training and Pharmaceutical Ingredients
To achieve my vision of an integrated healthcare environment that provides high-quality solutions for medical issues within my community and beyond, I need access to quality pharmaceutical ingredients, training opportunities for staff, and a receptive and active community of like-minded professionals. I have found that PCCA delivers all three.
Their products consistently deliver high-quality results and work better than other products I have tried. Their training courses are highly effective and a key aspect of our business model. For example, within their first year of employment, each pharmacy assistant at Sweetgrass attends PCCA Canada’s Comprehensive Compounding Course (C3) and brings that knowledge back to the pharmacy and to the rest of the team. The training also creates, at the ground level, a network that goes beyond the pharmacy.
One Patient’s Psoriasis Success Story
A young Indigenous woman had severe psoriasis for more than eight years. Her mother had taken her to countless specialists and tried several creams, but without success. The young woman had low self-esteem, missed a lot of school and experienced considerable pain. Working with her practitioner, we provided a topical low-dose naltrexone (LDN) cream; after just one week, we saw incredible results as her skin cleared up and the pain subsided. She is now on oral LDN and is stable. Far beyond the physical benefits are the emotional and social ones. The patient’s self-esteem has increased, and she’s developed a desire to help others. She now works at Sweetgrass, regularly interacting with the public, and is training to be a pharmaceutical assistant.
Why I Chose Compounding Instead of Becoming an MD
I wanted to make a difference in my community. I was studying to be an MD and took a side trip into pharmacy and ended up loving it. The foremost reason that I decided to specialize in compounding is that it allows me to individualize care and patient dosing. Compounding for pain treatments allows me to assist people more effectively and safely in managing their pain. We have worked with prescribers to compound troches that help patients wean off opioids and start on LDN without loss of pain management.
My Advice to Those Interested in Compounding
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is a hard thing to do; it’s a scary thing to do. But in the end, it’s absolutely worth it.”
Be open to sharing your knowledge with other compounders. PCCA provides an excellent community and resources for information sharing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is a hard thing to do; it’s a scary thing to do. But in the end, it’s absolutely worth it. Someone else may have dealt with the same issue. Share what you have developed with others. By building on what we learn, we can create an even stronger community.
About the Pharmacist
Neda Debassige Toeg, BSP, RPh, is the owner of Sweetgrass Pharmacy & Compounding. She is a Treaty Status Ojibwe from M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, and was a founding board member of the Aboriginal Pharmacists Association of Canada (APAC).
With degrees in both pharmacy and sociology, she believes the most effective approach to health and wellness today is to first understand the problem in order to heal it, including addressing cultural sensitivity within the healthcare field. This motivated her to help design and develop a pharmacy course for the University of Saskatchewan called Health Care Practitioners and the Aboriginal Community – Building Partnerships Towards Holistic Care. Before competing her pharmacy degree, she received the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre (IPHRC) Summer Undergraduate Research Award at the University of Saskatchewan. The majority of her research was focused on compiling a complete report on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) preventative treatments with a strong emphasis on antioxidant micronutrients and endogenous peptides. As a medical sociologist she was able to expand the scope of this project to include training of medical professionals, teachers and social workers who would mobilize community action and enhance the quality of life for affected individuals and their families.