Meet Our Team!
Click to view members of our Board and Steering Committees
Julie Morin (Co-President) and Linda Carrol (Co-President) talk about PSF Canada, specifically our Mission, Vision and Values.
Our Mission:
PSF Canada is a humanitarian organization of volunteer Canadian pharmacy professionals that provides assistance in setting up and/or improving pharmaceutical services of community and hospital pharmacies in low to middle income countries. PSF Canada helps train local health care professionals in safe and effective medication management with the goal of optimizing autonomous sustainable practices.
Our collaborative approach relies on teamwork between PSF mission volunteers and local communities in the development of autonomous pharmaceutical services. It is through this approach that we succeed together in making a sustainable impact year after year.
Our Vision:
Pharmacy professionals collaboratively working together, creating optimal global access to essential medicines and to pharmaceutical services.
Our Values:
Humanism and Pluralism: Our missions are intended for populations in need, regardless of their skin color, sexual orientation or gender identity, religion or political affiliation. We celebrate diversity as we respect and value human differences in all our actions.
Collaboration: The objectives and strategies for each mission are developed between the host organization and the PSF team before each mission. Our initiatives are pursued within a collaborative team therefore allowing for a sustainable impact.
Commitment to Quality: Each PSF mission reflects best practices, professionalism and undergoes a continuous sustained quality improvement cycle.
Independence and Integrity: Our work depends entirely on private donations and donations through our membership. We do not receive any government funding and our actions are free from conflict of interest.
About Us
Founded in 1994 and officially recognized as a nonprofit organization, PSF Canada is the Canadian branch of the international relief agency recognized by the United Nations, WHO and recipient of the Distinguished Practice Award of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
This is a humanitarian movement of pharmacists that helps people in need to organize the distribution networks and the management of essential drugs. In addition to its projects, PSF Canada is also a pharmaceutical reference to other NGOs and works with them in joint projects.
The essential role of PSF Canada as part of a development mission is to educate and train in order to help. In developing countries, the supply of essential medicines remains one of the main points that will determine the success of primary health care. However, the problems related to the selection of essential medicines, their proper use and transmission of relevant information, as well as management mechanisms fail to make drugs available to all patients. One of our contributions is the establishment of drug formularies.
Our History
In trying to find an organization focused on pharmaceutical care, Hubert Brault, pharmacist, discovered and made a first meeting with Jean-Louis Machuron, founding president of Pharmaciens Sans Frontières known as PSF at their office in Clermont-Ferrand in France. This meeting took place at the time the movement was growing and wanted to become international. Hubert agreed to support the Canadian branch, as the third branch of PSF outside France and the first in North America.
Upon his return to Canada, he met two of his fellow pharmacists, Yves Chicoine and Georges Roy. Hubert worked as a community pharmacist, Yves had a career in the pharmaceutical industry and Georges worked in hospital pharmacy. The team represented well the various facets of the profession. In 1994, the first board of directors was formed. The Quebec Association of Pharmacy Owners (AQPP) provided office space and administrative support to help startup this new organization. They then worked on the charter and, in 1995, PSF-Canada was accepted as a non-profit organization.
Thanks to the generosity of the company Novopharm, the organization got a donation for the creation of its working capital.
Lectures in universities and participation in various pharmaceutical meetings, all supported by numerous articles in specialized journals, allowed about eighty Canadian pharmacists to live a unique experience while participating in a humanitarian cause.
From the beginning, their competence and availability were recognized; PSF Canada built a good reputation in Europe as well as in the different missions. Furthermore, PSF Canada continues to promote appropriate drug donations in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization.
