The disgraceful end of the beloved MIT Pharmacy
A flawed decision process?
In our everyday world at MIT, there are interdisciplinary task forces, collaborations, and requests for feedback (such as the Quality of Life Survey) announced almost every week. These undertakings produce brilliant and innovative solutions to difficult problems because the participants bring diverse opinions and expertise to the table.
Thus, it was mystifying, even shocking, to receive a nameless and vague email March 9 from MIT Medical announcing the abrupt end to the MIT Pharmacy, a much loved and precious resource on the campus. What?! How could this be?
Believe me, there is no more comforting feeling than sprinting from MIT Medical’s Urgent Care to the warm environment of the Pharmacy and having an antibiotic or antiviral resting on your tongue in less than 15 minutes.
No more.
But who made this decision?
What data was used?
What is the larger plan?
And most importantly, why does it seem that no one on campus nor any patient at MIT Medical was asked for their input?
My sense is that many on campus may feel that the opaque decision-making process behind the fate of the MIT Pharmacy was improper and flawed and does not correspond to MIT’s oft-stated values of transparency and strong concern for each other.
“It’s just a shame, that’s all…”
Betty Lou McClanahan is a staff member in the Department of Chemistry.