From left, Leanne Jasset BSP '78 and her employees Carolyn Arnish PharmD '14, Katie Moroney, Marissa Schneider, and Eric Nguyen PharmD '18.

Leanne Galante Jasset BSP ’78 recently celebrated a significant milestone: the one-year anniversary of her business, Dedham Pharmacy & Medical Supply. We sat down to talk about her lifelong engagement with the pharmaceutical profession, her passion for her community, and what it takes to launch a business into a crowded landscape. 

First off, can you tell us a little about your journey to MCPHS, and what drove you to select pharmacy as a career? 

When I was 13, my grandmother, who lived next door, spoke to me after school. She said in her sweet Italian accent, “Go la pharmacia”—I went down to the closest local pharmacy, of which there were many in that day, and said, “My grandmother sent me here.” They said, “We’re looking for a person to work the soda fountain, and your grandmother said you would do it.” I’ve been working in pharmacies ever since! That first place, a local shop owned by two brothers, was beloved in the community; it was a wonderful introduction to the profession.

What was your experience at MCPHS like, and how did it shape you as a pharmacist? 

I’ve always loved school, and I enjoyed my time at MCPHS. I was a member of student government all five years—and I held almost all of the offices it was possible to hold! MCPHS was such a majestic and beautiful school in the center of such a hustle-bustle city. Like many students at that time, I was a commuter student—the school was hard to get to in the mornings, but I loved my time there.

Were there professional experiences that led you to independent pharmacy?

For many years, operating an independent pharmacy had been my goal. My original plan was to buy an existing pharmacy. But that’s become very difficult with the large chains and pricing wars, so the next best thing was to start a new pharmacy. I’m blessed to have the support of the community here in Dedham. The support of small businesses is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I think it’s because of our history; Dedham is a very old town, and there are so many small local businesses here that have continued for decades. For example, Wardle's Pharmacy, where I worked for many years, was established in 1852. It was Dedham’s oldest business when it closed a couple of years ago. You hear a common refrain from people in this community who are transferring their business: “I want to support small business.”

Starting your own business is a huge step: what led you to take that step?

I never wanted to say, many years down the line, I should have done that; I could have done that. I’ve worked for many years for someone else, felt a void in the community, and decided to take that leap of faith. I saw the need in the community around me, the desire to have a choice of pharmacy. I firmly believe people should have a choice—if they want access to the chain that’s open 24 hours and has a drive-through, then they should have that. But they should also have access to the small business where everybody knows your name. People should have that choice, too.

What’s been challenging about the first year?

The biggest challenge comes from insurance companies, and that’s true for all of us in this business. The reimbursement process makes it nearly impossible, in some cases, to profit, or even to break even. The push back we’ve received from chain stores has also been astonishing: they try to talk people out of transferring, refuse to transfer prescriptions, make people wait days after their medication has run out. Those issues have been challenging. But overall, we’ve had a really positive first year.

What has been most rewarding about the experience?