Innovative Pharmacy Caters Solely to Women

A women's pharmacy that opened last week in Vancouver is the first of its kind in North America. More than a pharmacy, Lu's: A Pharmacy for Women offers everything from private counseling areas and a resource library to support groups and other women-centric programs.

Women in the Vancouver area now have a pharmacy tailor-made to fit their needs. More than a pharmacy, Lu's: A Pharmacy for Women offers everything from private counseling areas and a resource library to support groups and other women-centric programs.

Named for Lucette Hansen, who has volunteered many years of her time for the Vancouver Women's Health Collective, Lu's is the brainchild of Caryn Duncan, executive director of the women's organization. Living near Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, an area plagued by poverty and crime but also imbued with social activism, Duncan said she saw a need for a pharmacy where area women could feel safe.

Unique features of Lu's include a reception area designed to welcome patients, and a narrower counter design to facilitate more privacy during consultations. A resource center will be located behind the pharmacy, staffed with volunteers, literature, and Internet access to provide additional health information.

Following suit with many pharmacies that are equipped with in-store clinics, Lu's is planning to open an examination room that will be staffed by a nurse practitioner in mid-September. Other offerings are slated to include addiction support groups, as well as programs provided by women's organizations, such as Women Against Violence Against Women.

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