Pfizer Canada makes additional, substantial investments to support Canadian pharmacy practice change

OTTAWA, March 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The Blueprint for Pharmacy National Coordinating Office announced today that Pfizer Canada is making a $180,000 donation to support two pharmacy practice change projects under The Blueprint for Pharmacy. The Blueprint for Pharmacy is a long-term initiative designed to catalyze, coordinate and facilitate the changes required to align pharmacy practice with the health care needs of Canadians.

Pfizer Canada's donation will fund the development and rollout of the MirixaPro Canada™ web-based clinical services platform, which will enable community pharmacy to efficiently deliver enhanced health care services. It will also fund an economic assessment of the value of pharmacy services to the Canadian health care system and the impact of health care policies on pharmacy practices.

This latest contribution to the Blueprint for Pharmacy continues Pfizer Canada's longstanding support for pharmacy practice change in Canada. Pfizer Canada has been a key contributor to the Blueprint for Pharmacy since its inception in 2007. This latest contribution brings their total support for the Blueprint for Pharmacy to the Champion level of $500,000, which has gone to support pharmacy practice research, knowledge translation, and project management to facilitate pharmacy practice change across Canada.

"We are proud to be a founding supporter of the Blueprint for Pharmacy as we believe this initiative is critical to advance the pharmacy profession as well as to respond to the demands of healthcare reform to continue delivering patient-centered care," said Allen Van der Wee, General Manager, Primary Care Business Unit at Pfizer Canada. "Enhancing patient care and outcomes is a key objective for Pfizer and we are pleased to collaborate with our partners and stakeholders in helping to achieve this goal."

In 2008, the landmark Vision for Pharmacy was released: Optimal drug therapy outcomes for Canadians through patient-centered care. It represents a shared vision for the profession to collect and coordinate diverse pharmacy practice research and advocacy efforts. Building on that vision, the Implementation Plan for the Blueprint for Pharmacy was developed in 2009. Pfizer Canada has played a leadership role in the creation of these documents, and shaping the vision and model for pharmacy services in Canada.

"We are most grateful to Pfizer Canada for this very generous contribution to the Blueprint for Pharmacy fundraising campaign" said Dr. Dennis Gorecki, Chairman of the Blueprint for Pharmacy Steering Committee. "Pfizer Canada has been a loyal supporter of this initiative from the outset, and on behalf of the Blueprint Steering and Fundraising Committees I am pleased to express our sincerest appreciation for their continuing commitment.  We remain confident that this major contribution will motivate other pharmacy stakeholders to also contribute."

About Pfizer Canada

Pfizer Canada Inc. is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc, the world's leading biopharmaceutical company. Pfizer discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines for humans and animals. Pfizer Inc invests more than US$7 billion annually in R&D to discover and develop innovative life-saving and life-enhancing medicines in a wide range of therapeutic areas. Our diversified health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world's best-known consumer products. For more information, visit www.pfizer.ca.

About the Blueprint for Pharmacy

Led by the Canadian Pharmacists Association, the Blueprint for Pharmacy is an unprecedented collaboration of pharmacy stakeholders, including national and provincial pharmacy associations and regulators, educators and examiners, researchers, hospital pharmacist associations, pharmacy technician associations, pharmacy students, and chain drug stores. These groups are working to bring about significant and meaningful change to the profession and practice of pharmacy.

Lisa Ross
Pfizer Canada Inc.
1-866-9PFIZER (1-866-973-4937)

Conrad Amenta
Project Director, Blueprint for Pharmacy National Coordinating Office
Canadian Pharmacists Association
1-800-917-9489 ext. 279
[email protected]