Category: Uncategorized

On this World Diabetes Day, Centrum Pharmacy is highlighting the essential role pharmacists play in helping patients manage diabetes every day.

Managing diabetes can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. Our pharmacists are here to support you with personalized guidance, education, and medication expertise, including:

World Diabetes Day is more than an awareness date—it is a reminder of one of the world’s fastest-growing chronic diseases. Over the past 50 years, diabetes has quadrupled globally and more than doubled in Canada. Today, it affects millions worldwide and over 3.7 million Canadians, with a far greater number experiencing prediabetes or going undiagnosed.

At Centrum Pharmacy, our pharmacists play a critical frontline role in supporting prevention, early detection, and long-term management—helping our community live healthier, longer lives.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have recently used artificial intelligence (AI) to design two entirely new antibiotics effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs.” While this is a significant scientific achievement, it’s important for patients and healthcare providers to understand that these drugs are still years away from being available for real-world use.

When you ask a search engine to define “pharmacist,” the answer is often archaic: someone who “prepares and dispenses” drugs. This outdated definition fails to capture the immense value, rigorous training, and daily clinical impact of the modern pharmacist, especially here at Centrum Pharmacy.

As we advocate for better system-wide collaboration (as detailed by pharmacist advocates), it is essential that our patients, policy makers, and fellow clinicians understand exactly what we do. Our mission, rooted in our commitment to Complete, Comprehensive, Caring, and Connected Care (the 4 C’s), is to be the accessible backbone of your community health.

Each year, on November 11, Canadians pause to honour the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served — and continue to serve — in Canada’s Armed Forces.

At Centrum Pharmacy, we stand united in gratitude, remembering those who gave everything for the freedoms we cherish today. Their courage and devotion remind us that the peace we enjoy was built on sacrifice, resilience, and compassion.

Centrum Pharmacy is encouraged by the Ontario government’s recent announcement to ban closed Preferred Pharmacy Networks (PPNs) — a long-overdue step toward restoring fairness, access, and choice in pharmacy care.

As part of its fall economic statement, the Minister of Finance announced that the government will introduce legislation to end exclusive deals between insurers and certain pharmacy chains that limit where patients can fill their prescriptions — especially for high-cost specialty medications.

Community pharmacy in Ontario is at a crossroads. For many pharmacy owners, the label “independent pharmacist” has become a misnomer: they carry the risks of the business—rent, staffing, regulatory compliance—but with little power over the professional-service fees or business model driving sustainability. Many pharmacists in Ontario effectively operate as “dependent contractors”, underscoring a systemic problem. (“They bear all the risks … but are denied the fundamental right to set or negotiate the prices for their own professional services and fees.”). The community pharmacy landscape in Ontario is facing a structural crisis. What many would consider “independent pharmacies” are increasingly operating under the economics of a dependent contractor model and are dominated by a few large payers and chains.

Halloween is a time of fun costumes, spooky decorations, and of course, lots of candy! But with all the excitement, it’s easy to overlook some health and safety tips that can help make this Halloween enjoyable and safe for the whole family. At Centrum Pharmacy, we’re here to share a few helpful tips to ensure a Halloween that’s memorable for all the right reasons. (more…)

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has confirmed two additional measles infections in Ottawa residents — bringing the total to 12 cases in 2025. These new cases are linked to previously reported infections.

While the risk to the general population remains low, OPH is releasing these details to reach individuals who may have been exposed but cannot be contacted directly.

As specialists in diabetes care and medication management, pharmacists at Centrum Pharmacy are often asked about the safety profile of glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) receptor agonists—particularly concerns about pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. A new population‑based cohort study brings reassuring news: long‑term use of GLP‑1 receptor agonists does not appear to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.