Pharmacy Journal of New England • Fall 2013
During our visit to Krakow we took a tour of this beautiful city that is considered the jewel of Eastern Europe. I must admit it is a breath taking city with a rich history and I would recommend everyone if they have a chance to visit this city. Since we were in this historical city we took a number of tours just to get a sense of the history and beauty of this magical place. During one of the tours we came across a pharmacy “Pod Orlem” Pharmacy @ No. 18 Zgoda Square. This pharmacy was located during WWII in the Jewish Ghetto of Krakow and was the only pharmacy allowed in this area. The owner was Tadeusz Pankiewicz a Polish Roman Catholic pharmacist who refused to leave this Jewish Ghetto. Under the German Nazi occupation of Poland during WWII, within the Krakow Ghetto there were four prewar pharmacies owned by non-Jews. Tadeusz Pankiewicz was the only owner to decline the German offer to relocate to the Aryan side of the city. He was given permission to continue operating his pharmacy as the only pharmacy in the Ghetto, and he resided on the premises. The often-scarce medications and pharmaceutical products supplied to the Ghetto’s residents, often free of charge, substantially improved their quality of life. In effect, apart from health care considerations, they contributed to survival itself. In his published testimonies, Pankiewicz makes reference to hair dyes being used by those disguising their identities and tranquilizers given to frightened children required to keep silent during Gestapo raids. The pharmacy became a meeting place for the Ghetto’s intelligentsia and a hub of underground activity. Pankiewicz and his staff risked their lives to undertake numerous clandestine operations: smuggling food and information, and offering shelter on the premises for Jews facing deportation to the camps. On February 10, 1983, Tadeusz Pankiewicz was awarded recognition as a “Righteous Among the Nations” for his wartime activities in rescuing Jews. In April of that same year he was present at the inauguration of the national heritage museum housed in the Pod Orlem Building. The pharmacy was featured in the Academy Award-winning film, Schindler’s List. The film’s director Steven Spielberg donated $40,000 for the building’s preservation, for which he was honored by the city of Krakow with its prestigious “Patron of Culture” award for the year 2004.
Phase Change As I transition from the history of the profession of pharmacy and CPA I would now like to next focus on the future of both our profession and this Association. I must admit that while we have many challenges ahead I am extremely optimistic about our future. I have read in this year’s Argus report from AACP that we are in the mists of a “phase change” as a profession. According to Robertson and others, “a phase change occurs when there is a sudden and significant change in something that is not predictable or linear in nature.” Perhaps things have been moving slowly toward the change for quite some time, but then suddenly the change occurs. Are we positioned for a phase change in medication use in our reforming healthcare system (Accountability Care Act)? I truly hope so BUT are we really ready for a phase change? Do we at this point have pharmacists in sufficient numbers to fully engage in direct patient care?...and if these pharmacists are challenged to redirect their talents from a primary focus on drug distribution to spend the majority of their time examining and intervening on patients’ drug related problems, are the majority of pharmacists in our state ready? This begs the question that we need to redouble CPA’s commitment to the partnerships that we already have with our two schools of pharmacy and the state board of pharmacy to help move the profession of pharmacy forward through this anticipated “phase change.” These relationships must be based upon a premise of trust and openness with the collective vision to advance pharmacy practice and ensure the pharmacist’s role in efforts to improve patient care. Our individual organization success will not occur without supporting and valuing those of the other two groups and playing a role in advancing their successes. In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” There is a perception by some is that the profession of pharmacy is too small and has no power to affect change. The reality is that everyone can do something and that collectively it can make a difference as embodied by a quote attributed to Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Deans, faculty, pharmacists (community, hospital, etc.), staff and students need to have this same can-do attitude with respect to health care reform initiatives. So, when
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