Seminar on Pharmaceutical Care – Challenges & Opportunities held at GULF PHARMACY COLLEGE

Gulf Pharmacy College, a constituent college of Gulf Medical University in association with Pharmacy and Drug Control Department, Ministry of Health Ajman Medical Zone, hosted a conference on Pharmaceutical Care –Challenges & Opportunities on the 25th of April 2009 at GMU Campus in Ajman from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.

The purpose of the conference was to offer a common platform for professionals and pharmacists to exchange knowledge about Challenges and Opportunities for the pharmacists. Explaining the details, Prof. Arun Shirwaikar, Dean Gulf Pharmacy College said – “Pharmaceutical care basically means improving the medication use process in order to improve outcomes, including the patients’ quality of life, and that involves a focus change for pharmacy from product to patient. This change in focus also implies that the pharmacy curriculum should be adapted, in order for the pharmacist to be able to acquire new knowledge and skills”.

In most countries this change currently is taking place but not in very deliberate or structured manner. Some basic decisions have to be made, in order to guarantee that every patient receives pharmaceutical care when needed. It will be necessary to set new practice standards, establish cooperative relationships with other health-care professions, and determine strategies for marketing pharmaceutical care. Pharmacy’s re-professionalization will be completed only when all pharmacists accept their social mandate to ensure the safe and effective drug therapy of the individual patient.

As we seek the optimal societal strategy for innovative drug therapy, resource allocation decisions have to be made. Widening the debate and informing the debaters will enhance the chances of making choices that achieve the best health for the most people at the best cost.

Over 150 healthcare and medical professionals from all over the UAE participated in the seminar. Experts like Dr. Mohamed Abu Elkhair from Health Authority-Abu Dhabi, Dr. Awad Omer, Director Pharmacy Mafraq Hospital Abu Dhabi and Dr. Mohamed Kamil from Zayed Herbal Research Institute and Prof. Arun Shirwaikar, dean Gulf Pharmacy College delivered talks during the conference.

The following topics were discussed during the conference.
Pharmaceutical ethics and legislation
Patient Counseling
Complementary medicine/nutraceuticals
Novel Drug Delivery Systems
Panel Discussion

The conference was accredited by the Ministry of Health for 5.5 CME Hrs and is being organized by the Gulf Pharmacy College, as part of its professional development programs.