A well-established reputation in compounding, holistic and integrative medicine
We began providing injectables for health care providers in 1996.
In 2016, York Downs Chemists opened a custom-designed facility on Lodestar Road in Toronto, Ontario. Since inception Boyana Djokic has been the lead pharmacist and operations manager, helping the team stay abreast of leading therapies.
The new facility utilizes leading edge equipment and top-of-the-line cleanrooms. The facility aims to staying ahead of mandated standards. Currently compliance is for USP 795, USP 797 and USP 800.
Following the traditions of European “systèmes galénique”, the company takes a sophisticated approach that reaches beyond mechanistic standard compounding.
York Downs Chemists collaborates with progressive health practitioners to ensure medicines and nutrients are prepared to promote absorption and minimize side-effects.
Our history
York Downs Chemists evolved from a neighbourhood pharmacy, which continues to operate as York Downs Pharmacy, located at 3910 Bathurst Street in Toronto. The pharmacy was established in 1955. From 1987 David Garshowitz, who was a well known figure in the Canadian pharmaceutical supply industry, developed the operation into the industry-leading innovator of today.
David was a pioneer through his recognition that good health could not be achieved through the dispensing of drugs alone. He was an early proponent of approaches to patient health that have become well-accepted, but at the time were seen as “unscientific.” For instance it is now widely acknowledged that exercise, diet and mental state effect the incidence and progression of various cancers, but a number of years back the links were not recognized and for the most part physicians were unable to provide patients with knowledgeable guidance. David was unusually open to medical approaches that were considered “alternative,” which have now been validated scientifically and in many jurisdictions are a normal part of medical practice.
Naturopathic doctors, and practitioners who take a “holistic” approach to health promotion, have benefited from David’s contributions. These alternative and holistic practitioners have in turn changed the perspectives of traditional physicians who no longer regard lifestyle, the environment, family and diet as fringe concerns.
The team at York Downs Chemists continues in the same spirit. We work with progressive health practitioners and are unrelenting in our quest for innovative therapies that are safe and scientifically validated. This is David Garshowitz’s legacy, for which we are eternally grateful.
David Garshowitz, who passed in 2017, was a pioneer in the industry, promoting innovative, holistic approaches to wellness that are becoming mainstream. He built a team of like-minded professionals who continue in the same spirit.
An article in the Spring 2019 edition of the CCMM Alumni magazine “Honouring a champion of complementary and naturopathic medicine… the late David Garshowitz.”
