Founded by a U of T prof, Indigenous-led pharmacy association aims ‘to make an impact in the profession’ – U of T News
March 23, 2023
Jaris Swidrovich felt a sense of joy and optimism when the board of the newly formed Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (IPPC) held their first official meeting in early March.
An assistant professor, teaching stream, in the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Swidrovich says he has wanted to create a network for Indigenous pharmacy professionals since he was a student at the University of Saskatchewan in 2006.
“For years, I and other Indigenous pharmacists have worked as individuals with organizations who needed an Indigenous partner for education or training,” says Swidrovich, who is founder and co-chair of IPPC and a member of Yellow Quill First Nation in Saskatchewan. “Now we have an entity that can lead these requests, and we’ll be able to do much more than any of us could alone.”
The IPPC has a full slate of upcoming activities, partnerships – within and outside the pharmacy profession – and federal funding to help address anti-Indigenous racism in Canada’s health-care system.
