Eastside Pharmacy closure opposed by DTES medical professionals

Several medical professionals who support a Downtown Eastside pharmacy are asking the province to give it a second chance.

As of Saturday, Eastside Pharmacy will be removed from the PharmaCare program, as part of a provincial crackdown on problem pharmacies, likely forcing owner Alex Tam out of business.

Dr. David Henderson, a general practitioner at the Vancouver Native Health Clinic, is one of the medical professionals who wrote a letter in support of the Eastside Pharmacy. He says he sends many patients there.

"The Eastside Pharmacy and Alex Tam and all his great crew there have worked very intimately for many years now, at least these last 15 years, with all of the patients at the clinic where I work, but also with other patients on the Downtown Eastside with a particular emphasis on HIV/AIDS patients, and has done a stellar job over the years," he told The Early Edition's Rick Cluff.

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Henderson says Tam looks out for patients at risk of "falling through the cracks" of the medical system, and even makes home deliveries for some patients.

$1M in billing errors

But at a World AIDS Day event on Tuesday, Health Minister Terry Lake stood by the decision to cut Eastside Pharmacy from the PharmaCare program.

He said it was not a political decision, but one made following a two-year audit that found major billing issues.

"We do know there's over $1 million in discrepancies in PharmaCare billings. As stewards of the public dollars, that's very important to us," he told reporters.

Henderson agrees that the provincial government has a duty to make sure pharmacies follow the rules, including those for billing practices, but he feels that in this case, "they got the wrong man."

He thinks it will be a challenge for some patients to get the medicine they need without Tam's assistance, although the province has made assurances that all of the patients of Eastside Pharmacy will be cared for at other nearby pharmacies.

However,Lakesysthat Vancouver Coastal Health has been working on taking a more patient-centred approach, and he he believesthis new approach will be similar to the approach Tam took with his patients.

To hear the interview withDr. DavidHenderson, click the audio labelled:Group of DTES doctors oppose closing Eastside Pharmacy.

To hearHealth Minister Terry Lake take questions from reporters, click the audio labelled:Health Minister Terry Lake on DTES pharmacy