Now Open - UHC Pharmacy!

December 3, 2014

The University Health Center opened the doors to its pharmacy this morning, as Registered Pharmacist Ron French and Certified Pharmacy Technician Shawn Wongsirikul begin filling prescriptions for JMU students written by medical providers on campus.

"Adding a pharmacy to the University Health Center helps our team care for the student body even more," said French, who joined the UHC staff this past summer. "I think our students who have prescriptions from the Health Center, the psychiatrists in the Counseling Center, or the doctors in athletics, will appreciate not having to leave campus to get those prescriptions filled."

The first pharmacy to ever open on campus, it is located within the University Health Center inside the Student Success Center, with its own entrance off the first floor of the Student Success Center atrium. The hours are 9am-noon and 12:30-4:30pm, Monday-Friday, and it does not carry any narcotics.

"We're opening the pharmacy in stages," explained French. "This first phase we're filling prescriptions for JMU students written by providers on campus, but soon we'll add over-the-counter medicines and supplies, which should go over well with students, faculty, and staff. Hopefully we'll get to a point eventually where we're able to fill prescriptions written off-campus too."

The UHC Pharmacy accepts cash, checks, VISA, MasterCard, and FLEX as forms of payment, but does not take health insurance.

"We are only stocking medicines that are so inexpensive that we can sell them at what's equal to, or sometimes lower than, an insurance co-pay would be elsewhere," said French, who has decades of experience as a pharmacist.

French is also available for consultation to JMU students.

"We can sit down and discuss side effects that may come from a medication, things to look for, and what to expect when you start taking it," said French, who is looking forward to interacting with JMU students. "Remember to not mix medications, never take prescription medications not prescribed to you or share your prescription medications with anyone else, and make sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist everything you're taking, even if it seems harmless to you."