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Vince Zuccaro

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Pharmacist/Owner, Macdonald’s Prescriptions

Recognizing an outstanding career serving people living with kidney disease

After 45 years working as a pharmacist in Vancouver, Vince Zuccaro, owner of Macdonald's Prescriptions, officially retired at the beginning of 2020. However, because of his passion for his work and his strong connection with staff and customers, he is always around to lend a hand if needed. 

Vince's outstanding career has had a special focus on serving people living with kidney disease. This has included working with BC Renal for the past 25 years on several initiatives to introduce new services, drug therapies and processes to improve the lives of kidney patients.

"Vince not only has been a long-time pharmacy partner to BC Renal but actually helped us two decades ago in switching from a single pharmacy model to a multi-community pharmacy success story," said Dan Martinusen, BC Renal Provincial Director, Pharmacy. "He has always stepped up to meet our needs as growth and new programs have come along."

While Vince and his team at Macdonald's Prescriptions have served the pharmacy needs of the general community over the years, their specialization in serving people living with kidney disease has been instrumental to BC's delivery of treatment. Several milestones include:

  • Began with 342 patients and now have more than 6000 on erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) therapy
  • In 1990, began distributing the drug erythropoeitin for kidney patients on behalf of the provincial pharmacy
  • In the late 1990s, worked in collaboration with BC Renal to create a more effective way to distribute kidney medications to patients throughout the province
  • In 2000, along with at least 10 other community pharmacies throughout the province, began distributing oral kidney medications
  • In 2001, opened a second Macdonald's Prescriptions location to accommodate the growing number of kidney patients
  • In 2006, started nutritional distribution as a service
  • In 2014, began the distribution of glomerulonephritis (GN) medications throughout the province
  • In 2016, began the distribution of the drug tolvaptan throughout the province

"He is the hardest working man I know," said Michelle Zuccaro, Operations Manager - Renal Pharmacy and Clinics, Macdonald's Prescriptions, who is also his daughter. "Growing up, watching him be as dedicated to Macdonald's as he is, is something I will never forget. I have been working alongside him for a third of his career and the values he has taught me: hard work, dedication, persistence will definitely stay with me."

Macdonald's Prescriptions has been in operation since 1926. A UBC graduate, Vince started with the pharmacy in 1974, developed a passion for compounding, and in 1985, purchased the business. He has sat on multiple pharmacy boards over the years, and in 2019, received the Corporate Leadership Award from The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch. 

"We will carry on the tradition he and the Macdonald family before him created for hopefully another 100 years!" said Michelle.


 
 

 

 

SOURCE: Vince Zuccaro ( )
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