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Arshie Larga continues to highlight the role of pharmacists in health industry.

The popular pharmacist/content creator has been tapped to become the first celebrity endorser of Bactidol for its newest cough medicines.

Initially, the 27-year-old pharmacist from Marinduque could not believe the offer to become an endorser.

“Parang seryoso ba kayo? Kasi, most of the time ang nakikita natin sa advertisements, puro mga doctors ang kinukuha nila,” he said during the launch of Bactidol Itchy Cough Relief and Bactidol Heavy Phlegm Relief held recently.

Despite this hesitation, Arshie saw this as an opportunity to further promote his profession to the public.

“Sino pa ba naman ang pinakamagandang person o healthcare professional about sa isang gamot kundi ang pharmacists,” he said.

“Pharmacists po are considered as drug experts. Nakakasad lamang po dito sa Pilipinas, ang tingin lang sa aming mga pharmacist ay mga tagabenta ng gamot.

“At saka yun din po kaya ako nag-start maging content creator, para maiba yung perception sa aming mga pharmacist, na hindi lamang po ang trabaho namin ang tagatinda ng gamot, parte lamang po 'yon.

“Pagdating po sa drug information and patient counselling, pwede rin po kaming mag-offer ng ganung service nang sa gayon, yung mga customers or patients namin ay naga-guide namin sa tamang pag-inom ng gamot.”

Arshie added about this endorsement deal, “Maipapakita nila o i-recognize nila yung capacity or capabilities naming pharmacists na mag-provide ng accurate information.”

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A post shared by Arshie Larga (@arshiethromycin)

Responsible content creator

Arshie is one of the healthcare professionals who has established a strong fanbase online.

Even though he has become more popular, the young pharmacist continues providing informative and entertaining social media content, especially on TikTok where he was first recognized.

How does he balance his time as a pharmacist and content creator?

“Time management lamang po and, siguro, enjoy mo lang,” he told GMANetwork.com in a short chat after the event.

“Kasi po, bilang isang content creator and at the same time pharmacist, stressful siya, to be honest. Lalo na nasa probinsiya ako, pagkagising ko, tatao na ako sa botika and, at the same time, nag-iisip ako ng content na ipo-produce ko online.

“Siguro po kung ano na lang yung kaya kong i-provide as a content creator. Hindi ko naman pine-pressure yung sarili ko kasi once na naging work na natin ito, kapag itrineat natin ito as our job, nawawala na yung essence, nawawala na yung happiness in providing contents sa mga tao.

“Kaya po it's important to set limits--kalian ka content creator, kalian ka pharmacist--para hindi nagugulo yung utak mo and yung mental health mo hindi naaapektuhan?”

While content creation may be fun, Arshire reminded his fellow healthcare professionals who are also content creators to always be careful with the information they give to the public.

He said, “Sa mga kapwa ko po content creators sa TikTok, especially sa mga nagdi-deal with medical information, kapag nagpu-put out tayo ng information, let's be responsible content creators.

“Huwag po tayo magpakalat ng fake news. Kung anuman po kasi yung inilalabas natin online, malaki po ang impact lalo na kung malaki ang following natin.

“Malaki yung impact na magagawa natin sa mga tao kapag naglabas tayo ng mga maling information. Kaya naman po it's very important when we're doing our research kailangan from credible sources po ang pinanggagalingan ng information na nilalabas natin.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arshie Larga (@arshiethromycin)

Paying it forward

Aside from being a pharmacist/content creator, Arshie is also applauded by many for his big heart for those in need. In 2021, he started a donation drive to help people who cannot afford medicines.

Until now, he continues to receive monetary donations to fulfill this purpose. And whenever he's busy with work or traveling abroad, he makes sure that the donations are still given to less fortunate people.

“For sure maraming nagtatanong kasi lagi akong nakikitang nagta-travel,”he said.

“I'm so lucky po yun mom ko… Siyempre, sino pa ba ang pagkakatiwalaan natin kundi yung mga mahal natin sa buhay. Yung nanay ko po, pharmacist din siya. Siya po ang tumatao sa botika. Every time po may nakikita siyang kinakailangan ng libreng gamot or hindi kaya yung medication, binibigay naman po ng nanay ko.

“May tiwala naman po ako sa nanay ko and lagi naman pong documented yun. For example, nagbigay siya sa akin ng reseta, nandoon kung magkano, kini-keep ko na lang po yung mga receipts na yun just in case may mga taong magtatanong, 'O, ginagawa mo pa rin ba yung mga advocacies mo, baka naman for content lang 'yan?' So, yun po, kino-compile ko naman.

“The reason why I post yung mga ganung bagay online para maging transparent sa mga tao, para alam nila na yung pera nila is gumalaw pa rin at may natutulungan pa rin. The reason why nakaipon ako ng ganito karaming pera is because sa tiwala ng mga tao. Yun po ang way ko para maipakita sa mga tao na hindi ko ginagamit sa personal benefit yung mga perang binibigay nila.”

He also stressed in the end, “Takot ko na lang sa karma kasi, di ba, mas malaki ang pwedeng kunin ng karma.”

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