Discover Lafayette welcomes Joel Fruge, owner of Acadiana Prescription Shop and expert on all things relating to independent pharmacies.

Acadiana Prescription Shop has been in continuous operation since 1969 and under Fruge’s wing since 2002, where they have five pharmacists on staff. “I feel privileged to be able to work in the Oil Center, we have a great clientele,” Fruge said.

Fruge grew up with his five siblings in Eunice, three of whom now also live in Lafayette. While Fruge was attending college at LSU-Eunice, his first gig was a delivery job for a pharmaceutical company, which sparked his interest in the profession immediately. He later went to Northeastern Louisiana University’s Pharmaceutical School, and thereafter made several important connections at his first job working at the University Medical Center (now Ochsner University Hospitals & Clinics).

Fruge then went to work for K&B Drug Stores in Lake Charles, which was later acquired by Rite Aid. After moving to a small town in Texas to work for a management company, Fruge knew he wanted to come back to South Louisiana.

The first independent pharmacy that he worked for was Carmichael’s in Crowley. “Ted Carmichael was very successful, he taught me so much,” Fruge said. He quickly learned the value of customer relationships through Ted and by witnessing his work ethic firsthand.

After his time at Carmichael’s, Fruge was called to work for Acadiana Prescription Shop by its late owner, Philip Comeaux. Unfortunately, Comeaux died shortly after Fruge joined the shop in 2002. “We had so much in common, he really afforded me an opportunity to be here in the Oil Center as an independent pharmacist. We don’t plan on going anywhere,” Fruge said. He took over Acadiana Prescription Shop and kept many of its classic details, such as the “Toot & Scoot” drive-up service while also updating operations by replacing the DOS software and purchasing a fax machine. Over the years he has upgraded software and hardware to be able to consistently offer his clientele the ability to check out in two to three minutes, even when they have up to ten prescriptions filled.

Joel Fruge and his staff love working with their clientele. "It's always a great crowd. Compounding medications have been a godsend helping patients with menopausal symptoms as well as other health issues. The pharmacy even offers medical compounded prescriptions to animal patients.

Acadiana Prescription Shop is a stand-alone independent pharmacy, which means that it isn’t connected to any chain prescription store. “It took me five years to become the owner, but it went by quickly. I was so happy that the customers gave me a chance and stayed.” Fruge mentioned how neat and well-stocked his store is, which will always be of utmost importance to him as he follows in the revered footsteps of Philip Comeaux.

When discussing how outside factors impact his pharmacy business, Fruge said, “One of the biggest challenges is to be able to afford what the insurance companies decide to pay us back.” Fruge mentioned the impact in 2006 that the implementation of Medicare Part D (which covers the cost of seniors’ medicines), had on the pharmacy industry: “It brought people back to buying their medicine from the pharmacy but at a discounted rate.” Part D also ushered in the era of Pharmacy Benefit Managers who have undercut payment of drug manufacture rebates to customers and the government, and have been blamed for the shocking rise in drug prices over the past 15 years.

When discussing pharmacy benefit managers, Fruge said that their original goal was to save the government and insurance companies money. After much legislation, their practices still aren’t extremely transparent. “Last summer,