Sam Boyajian Recognized by KPhA with 2009 'Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award'                                                         Posted by Avis Solie GardnerEDGE on September 15, 2009

Feel a little queasy just knowing that flu season is approaching once again? Then you should live in Gardner! We don’t have any special ‘healing waters’. USD 231 doesn’t distribute an immune-system-boosting mist through the ductwork. We do have informed, involved families who care for each other and see that proper precautions are followed by/for their loved ones. We have Gardner Family Care at 18320 S Center Street, Gardner, and Care Express located in PriceChopper.  (Did you know that both clinics are part of Olathe Health Systems?)

Our secret weapon may well be Sam Boyajian, owner of Gardner Pharmacy. Sam will be receiving the Kansas ‘2009 Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award’ because of his immunization program. Sam can give immunize adults against flu, pneumonia, hepatitis, meningococcal, tetanus, travel vaccines and more. You don’t even need an appointment for flu or pneumonia shots.

Please call in advance for other vaccines. FYI: Gardner Pharmacy does currently have seasonal flu vaccines on-hand, and is on the list to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when its distributed in October.                                                                                                                           

As Sam and I spoke, I mentioned that last year’s flu season hadn’t seemed that bad. Sam pointed out that the last flu season wasn’t bad because more people were immunized than in prior years. To look at last season and decide that an immunization isn’t necessary could be a recipe for disaster. I hadn’t thought about it from that perspective but it makes sense.

Your kids aged 17 and under will need to go to a medical facility for their shots. Kansas allows pharmacists to immunize adults only. Sam is actively lobbying to get that age lowered. Why? Because making immunizations as convenient and affordable as possible for everyone better protests the entire community. Sam in no alarmist, but he is concerned about a possible pandemic. He pointed out that, “There’s still a lot we don’t know about the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak.” Twenty to forty million people died then. And the H1N1 virus appears to be similar to the 1918 virus.

As a flu virus spreads, it mutates. These mutations can render immunizations ineffective – viruses are more effective at protecting themselves from us than we are from protecting ourselves from them. If enough individuals receive the appropriate immunization upfront, however, we can limit both the spread of the virus and its opportunities for mutation. So get your immunizations - if not for yourself, then for the rest of us.

This isn’t Sam’s first KPhA Award. He won the 2006 Kansas Bowl of Hygeia for Outstanding Community Service. Obviously he’s continuing to live up the standard that he previously set.