Moderna Bivalent (Spikevax O/O) is here!
Throughout the last two years, the COVID19 virus has mutated many times and have infected many people, sometimes more than once. The original Moderna & Pfizer mRNA vaccines have been created, researched, and tested to thoroughly reduce the severity of COVID symptoms, and in turn, indirectly reduce the spread. However, a virus that infects this many people is bound to mutate and it has grown from the alpha/delta/beta strain to delta strain and now the Omicron strain for the last 9 months. Unlike its predecessors, the Omicron version has so far mutated subvariants.
This new bivalent vaccine targets both the original strain AND the Omicron BA.1 strain.
Resources
New England Journal of Medicine: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208343
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2022-09-01/06-covid-miller-508.pdf
**Pfizer Bivalent to arrive in the coming weeks (Stay tuned!)**
COVID-19 Q&A
Our very own, Dr. Alan Low, and rheumatologist, Dr. Vandana Ahluwali, hosted a special Arthritis Talks webinar in collaboration with the Arthritis Society of Canada. This was a follow up to the previous COVID-19 and You webinar.
TO THE FUTURE OF PHARMACY
BioPro was established with one goal in mind: to provide patient-centred care. We are a full service and innovative pharmacy located within the same building as multiple specialist physician’s offices allowing for seamless and collaborative healthcare. Come in today for a medication assessment in one of our renowned consultation pods, complete a light-therapy session within the first SOLIUS machine in the world, or receive customized pharmacy compounding.
Pharmacogenomic Testing and Consultations
Pharmacogenomic Testing and Consultations
BioPro Pharmacists can help you select a pharmacogenomic test that is best suited for you and provide consultation on the test results. See the promotional discount offer, partnered with Inagene Dignostics (https://inagene.com) use promo code BioproConsult to receive a $10 discount off the cost of the test and complimentary consultation on the results ($100 value).
Blend & Boost
The Blend & Boost brand began with a pharmaceutical company that utilized advanced research and development to establish an effective method of creating customized and personalized skin care for all skin types.
SOLIUS is a highly innovative technology which isolates and emits only the wavelengths of light that contribute to vitamin D synthesis, without the harmful UVA rays present in the sun’s energy.
Flu (Influenza) Shots Plus Publicly Funded and Privately Paid Vaccines
Make an appointment for your Flu Vaccination to help protect you and those around you from influenza infection. We offer many other vaccinations including Prevnar 13, Shingrix (shingles vaccine), plus others and the less common yellow fever vaccine. Speak with a BioPro Primary Care Pharmacist about your vaccination history and how you can be best protected.
Award Winning Care
The Founder
Dr. Alan Low BSC (Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh Pharmacist Award Winning Pharmacy Services
Dr. Alan Low recipient of the Ben Gant Innovative Practice Award 2019:
Following a career that has seen pharmacist Dr. Alan Low wear many hats — hospital practitioner, researcher, advisor, instructor, author, speaker, corporate officer — in February 2017 the pharmacy practitioner applied his decades of practical experience and clinical knowledge when opening an innovative pharmacy, BioPro Biologics Pharmacy.
“After a wide variety of roles, I was thrilled to be back in frontline pharmacy practice,” says Low. “I wanted to create a different kind of pharmacy with a service model centred on exceptional patient care.”
Learn More About Biosimilars
Dr. John Wade MD, FRCPC Rheumatologist: Biosimilars for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Biosimilars are medications that we use to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. These are proteins that we inject under the skin or we have to infuse them through an IV.
The reason we have to do that is they are proteins – you can’t swallow them because they would be digested. So very different from traditional medications that we use for rheumatoid arthritis.
Biosimilars are very similar types of medications, they have the same protein structure as original biologics. The difference is because they are a large molecule, in the manufacturing process there may be some minor changes in the structure of the protein.
More Educational Videos
Dr. Alan Low BSC (Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh Pharmacist : Osteoporosis Guidelines and Treatment Options
Osteoporosis actually occurs when your bones are weak and you have a higher risk of fracture.
This is a higher risk of fracture usually due to some cause such as thinning bones, which might be genetic, or it could be due to certain medications.
The risk of fracture can be broken down into low, moderate, or high risk. Low risk is considered that risk that’s less than 10 percent; moderate risk is between 10 and 20 percent. And those who have a high risk of above 20 are considered high risk of fracture, and should consider treatment.
Dr. Alan Low BSC (Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh Pharmacist : Shingles Vaccine and Treatment Options
Shingles, sometimes called herpes zoster, is actually caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus.
That’s the same virus that causes the chicken pox, so if you’ve had the chicken pox, that means the shingles virus is already inside of you. And when it reactivates, that’s what really causes the shingles.
In fact, 95 percent of the population has been exposed to chicken pox and already has the virus inside of them. It’s not just after having chicken pox that it occurs, it’s usually many years later.
Dr. Alan Low BSC (Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh Pharmacist : Asthma and The Importance of Good Device Technique
If you’ve been told you have asthma, there’s lots of things that you can do to fully control it. You can live a normal lifestyle. You don't have to take days off work. You shouldn't be waking up at night, and you should be able to control that asthma and the symptoms actually quite well.
Studies have shown that people with asthma think that they're actually better controlled than they really are. There's many things you can do to improve your asthma symptoms so that you are well controlled; live a completely normal life.
What Our Patients Say About Us
“All of my past visits to the Pharmacists of BioPro Biologics Pharmacy have been handled with the utmost care concern and genuine affection with a sincerity one seldom sees or experiences. The staff at BioPro in Vancouver are well deserving of recognition.”
“I came in after a routine infusion and everything went great. Dr. Low was amazing. Would recommend coming to see Dr. Low and any member of their team at BioPro Biologics Pharmacy.”