Posted At PR Newswire
BY : Daniel DeNoon
Jeremy Cockerill exemplifies a traditional American icon -- the pharmacist at the corner pharmacy who takes a personal interest in each of his patients.
But Cockerill and his pharmacy are not located in the United States. Cockerill, a licensed pharmacist, is the co-founder of http://www.universaldrugstore.com/ , one of Canada's leading mail-order pharmacies both located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. But that hasn't stopped him from reaching out to pharmacists in the U.S. in an attempt to find medicines for a Wisconsin woman who can't find the medication necessary to relieve symptoms of her drug-induced lupus.
Cockerill's involvement started when he received a letter from 67-year-old Virginia Krohn of Northfield, WI describing her plight. His professionalism compelled him to respond to her plight by writing a letter to pharmacists in Wisconsin, hoping to help her find a discontinued product no longer on the shelves. He hopes some pharmacy will have some in-stock supplies to come to Ms. Krohn's aid.
Significantly, neither Cockerill nor http://www.universaldrugstore.com/ , will profit even if a supply is found.
"I was moved by Ms. Krohn's plight," Cockerill explains, "I had to do something."
Daniel Hines, publisher of http://www.todaysseniorsnetwork.com/ says that the effort by Cockerill illustrates that registered Canadian pharmacies such as http://www.universaldrugstore.com/ , can play an important role in aiding America's elderly not just with safe, low-cost prescription drugs, but in providing personal involvement the equal of any pharmacist and pharmacy.
Ms. Krohn's drug-induced lupus started when she suffered a severe drug reaction in 1985 from medication prescribed by a U.S. doctor and dispensed from a U.S. pharmacy that first led to severe arthritis and psoriasis.
The lupus was diagnosed three years later. She wrote to Cockerill that she tried every topical treatment available for psoriasis to treat her condition. Only one provided any relief, an ointment called Cormax.
She also tried a 'similar' product from drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline that had the same active ingredient at Cormax, but it led to such a severe reaction that it took 18 months just to get the symptoms under control again. The problems with the GlaxoSmithKline product started when she was preparing for a trip to Norway, but before going she tried Glaxo's Temovate because her pharmacy was temporarily out of Cormax.
The results were disastrous, including bleeding and itching ... and a ruined vacation. It was nearly two years before she approached anything resembling normalcy.
Now, however, the manufacturer of Cormax, Oclassen Pharmaceuticals of San Rafael, CA, has stopped production of Cormax, and no pharmacies in her region seem to have any of the product in stock. Ms. Krohn has tried generic versions of this product, but suffered similar reactions to the misfortune with the Glaxo product.
She is fearful of trying other products, but when she contacted the manufacturer of Cormax, they were no help.
Ironically, Ms. Krohn comes from a family of physicians that dedicated themselves to the health of individuals in Black River Falls, WI and the surrounding region.
Her family founded the hospital and clinic in Black River Falls. The clinic still bears her family's name, The Krohn Clinic. Her grandfather, Dr. Eugene Krohn, brought his medical care to Black River Falls in the early 1890's. Her father, Dr. Irwin Krohn, carried on until his death in 1951.
"It is disappointing to see the daughter and granddaughter of caring health care professionals being forgotten by pharmaceutical manufacturers when she herself is in need," Cockerill says. "How many other people in the U.S. are in dire need of this product or other products that are discontinued by the drug companies."
As is the case with many elderly in the U.S., has faced such a problem before. She also requires Voltaren 50mg made by Novartis, but the manufacturer ceased production leaving Ms. Krohn and other elderly patients scrambling to find an alternative medication. She has tried Vioxx, Celebrex, Daypro and many other anti-inflammatory medications but none provide her the relief that Voltaren does.
"Ms. Krohn would like to obtain a supply of Cormax that will last her a while, so she can find a product that she can trust to provide her with relief of her psoriatic symptoms without causing a severe reaction like she experienced in the past with Temovate," Cockerill noted in his letter to pharmacists in Wisconsin.
