OAKVILLE, Ontario — In Canada, pharmacy chains are a key partner of a national distributor that has launched an online resource to help diabetics make more informed decisions about insulin pump therapy and buying diabetes products.
Insulinpumps.ca, a wholesaler of insulin pump supplies and diabetes management products, is working with Loblaw pharmacy, DRUGStore Pharmacy, Rexall and Rexall Pharma Plus, Walmart, Safeway, Remedy’sRx, Peoples Drug Mart, Lovell Drugs and others to provide guidance on products and therapy through the new website, announced this week.
The site offers information on the benefits of insulin pump therapy, how to buy a pump and public funding for pumps and pump supplies. It also gives answers to frequently asked questions about insulin pump therapy, has definitions of common terminology, and provides links to websites and news articles with information about diabetes and pump therapy.
Insulinpumps.ca said its home page will regularly feature innovative products and promotions and conduct public surveys. It also has a live Twitter feed that directs visitors to information about pump therapy and diabetes.
And along with a catalog of popular products, the site has a pharmacy locator to help people find a nearby pharmacy that sells items such as infusion sets, inserters, reservoirs, pen needles, injection ports and glucose sensors.
"Our goal is provide insulin pumpers and people considering a pump with product knowledge and choices so they can effectively manage their health and lead better lives," Melany Hellstern, founder and president of Insulinpumps.ca, said in a statement.
Retail pharmacies are the key to Insulinpumps.ca’s service approach because everyone with diabetes goes to their pharmacy regularly for essentials such as insulin, syringes and diabetes medications, Hellstern explained, adding that many people have strong relationships with their pharmacists, who typically rank among the most trusted professionals.
"Our company tagline, ‘Powering Pumpers Through Pharmacies,’ says it all," she said. "We work through our pharmacy partners to empower pumpers, give them unbiased information and product selection, and often save them money."
