A look back: Jewish owned pharmacies in the Queen City

Pharmacy services, like all the health professions, have witnessed substantial changes in their approach to providing patient care. These many changes are substantive, dynamic and continually evolving — unfortunately not always for the best. Up into the 1980s, it was very common to have your prescriptions filled and obtain your most up-to-date, family-directed drug information from your local, independent pharmacy located in your neighborhood. These “corner drug stores” were the place where your knowledgeable, friendly pharmacist knew you, knew your needs and watched over you for possible drug interactions and other potential medication concerns. Many of these pharmacists were available to their patients “24 hours a day, seven days a week” with “on-call” after hours available to assure those who needed medications were able to obtain those medications. Like many things today much of this is gone, long gone… Although gone, they are not forgotten.

The Queen City has a rich history in innovative pharmacy services and pharmaceutical education. The Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, chartered by the state of Ohio in 1850, located at Eighth street and Western Row, was the sixth Pharmacy School established in the United States — the first pharmacy school west of the Alleghenies. Although experiencing much change over the years, the school was integrated into the University of Cincinnati (UC) in 1954 following the long-term commitment, perseverance and vision of many, but particularly by the schools’ inaugural dean, Dean Joseph Kowalewski. Dean Joe, as he was affectionately known by all, was supportive of anyone with the qualifications, commitment to quality patient care, ethics and desire to be a pharmacist, regardless of religion or any other irrelevant characteristic. Many of the school’s graduates were Jewish. When Dean Joe learned you were Jewish he affectionately guided you toward the Jewish pharmacy organization, Alpha Zeta Omega (AZO).

Many independently owned Cincinnati “corner drug store” pharmacies were owned by Jews, pharmacist Jews. These Jewish owned pharmacies and pharmacists made substantial contributions to the betterment of their communities and were always there to help, regardless of their patient’s socioeconomic class or a family’s ability to pay. I have firsthand knowledge to these facts, these kind acts, to this approach to pharmacy practice. Jewish pharmacists were and remain integral to the provision and vision of pharmacy services in the greater Queen City area.

AZO, originally established as a scholarship focused “club” of Jewish pharmacy students and mentors, quickly grew nationally into a “fraternity” of Jewish pharmacists and trainees with many affiliated chapters. The organization today, like many, has evolved as a secular fraternity though focused on AZOs’ founding ideals and principles. The AZO Eta chapter of Cincinnati has its own rich history in Jewish pharmacy leadership, camaraderie, education, charity and community support. In an attempt to memorialize these Cincinnati pharmacy practitioners, Eta chapter members researched and developed the table accompanying this article, recalling (mostly from memory) the Jewish owned pharmacies in our city.

Michael D. Reed, PharmD, FCCP, FCP, FPPA, is an Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics. His research and practice focused on Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology. Reed has published over 200 scientific papers describing his research on the identification and design of optimal drug dose regimens for pediatric patients. He has served on numerous US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health and Committees.