Newsletter 108

CONTENT Internal Portfolio.........................................................................................................01-07 Antimicrobial resistance Campaign by BUPS, Bangladesh....................................................................................................................... 01 FECOEF FarmaFest and National Assembly............................................................................................................................................... 04 OMOMI x PANS IUO Medical Outreach...................................................................................................................................................... 05

Media and Publications Portfolio...........................................................................09-10 Thanks to Social Media, we are closer than ever and yet so far................................................................................................................ 09 Do’s and Don’ts when writing an article................................................................................................................................................... 10

Pharmacy Education Newsletter.............................................................................12-41

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IPSF as a Key Player in Advancing Pharmacy Education Globally.............................................................................................................. 12 Change is the Only Constant.................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Insights on Pharmacy Education in Lebanon............................................................................................................................................ 19 A guide to research in low and middle-income countries for first-timers................................................................................................. 22 Can your education be the reason of your ignorance?.............................................................................................................................. 25 Pharmacy Education in the United States................................................................................................................................................ 27 Professional Pharmacy Students Leading Change of Pharmacy Practice in Lebanon............................................................................... 29 What Falls Beyond................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Working With Older People – A Rich Learning Opportunity for Pharmacists............................................................................................ 36 Internship Reports – Live the outstanding experience with our Past Interns' Words................................................................................ 38

Professional Development Portfolio ....................................................................40-57 Meet the IPSF Professional Development Team....................................................................................................................................... 43 THE INDISPENSABLE PHARMACIST........................................................................................................................................................... 44 Experimenting with the administration of flu vaccine by pharmacists in France ..................................................................................... 46 Highlight of Past PD Events...................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Crazy Clinical Corner................................................................................................................................................................................ 50 Making home natural remedies for the winter........................................................................................................................................ 55 Do’s and Don’ts of Patient Counselling..................................................................................................................................................... 56 Introducing PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America)......................................................................................................... 57

Public Health Portfolio...............................................................................................59-60 Pharmacists and PrEP: Improving Global Health through Pharmacy Services.......................................................................................... 59 Asia-Pacific’s Biggest Enemy.................................................................................................................................................................... 60

Student Exchange Programme................................................................................62-85 Meet IPSF Student Exchange Team.......................................................................................................................................................... 62 12 reasons why to participate in SEP....................................................................................................................................................... 68 BEST SEO TESTIMONIALS.......................................................................................................................................................................... 70 Did you know that….............................................................................................................................................................................. 74 SEP Essay................................................................................................................................................................................................. 78 IPSF STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME (TAIWAN)................................................................................................................................... 80 Gateway to Exploring and Adventure....................................................................................................................................................... 82

IPSF Team List 2016-2017..........................................................................................86-91

Amrita Talukder

IPSF Contact Person of BUPS, Bangladesh

n Antimicrobial Resistance Campaign was arranged by BUPS, Bangladesh in November 2016 during the Antimicrobial Resistance Week from the 14th to 20th November. The campaign was observed throughout the week with the aim of creating awareness among the general population about the adverse effects of antibiotic abuse.

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every day. On the final day of the week, we decided to spread awareness in a broader way. As planned before, we set up an awareness booth at the university cafeteria. We displayed the posters, and talked to everyone who came to the booth about our campaign on AMR. We handed out stickers, brochures, badges and leaflets to them.

We started the campaign by putting up posters on various notice boards around our university campus. Students who are not studying health sciences were interviewed.

We asked them questions mentioned on the questionnaire that was provided by IPSF. The posters were described to them and some basic ideas and tips were given about AMR. On the other hand, we kept spreading awareness through our Facebook page by vigorously sharing awareness tips, pictures and videos

We also went to the medical centre of BRAC University and talked to the doctors about AMR, and asked their opinion on how the problems could be solved. After a very informative discussion with them, we gave them a set of brochures and stickers and asked them to give those to the patients who came to the medical centre.

Inside IPSF

Antimicrobial Resistance Campaign

by BUPS, Bangladesh.

Later, we spoke to any passersby we saw on the streets and asked them if they knew anyIPSF Newsletter 108

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campaign to be more vigorous and massive.

Not only that, the posts on the BUPS Facebook page also got hundreds of views, likes and shares. This reflected the number of people being affected by the campaign. Looking at the repercussion of this campaign we can say that it was one of the most successful events arranged by BUPS, Bangladesh.

Inside IPSF

thing about antimicrobial resistance. The concept was explained to them briefly and stickers were given to them as well. We stopped at two drug stores where we talked to the vendors and put up posters and left some leaflets for patients who came to buy medicines. We asked the vendors to inform their patients about the causes that lead to antimicrobial resistance. Finally, on our way we put up the stickers on public transports and called it a day.

We were ecstatic to have the IPSF APRO Regional Relations Officer 2016-2017, Mr. Abir Ashrafur with us on the last day of the AMR Campaign Week. He participated by distributing the leaflets and spoke with the students regarding antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, on behalf of the APRO Regional Working Group, he appreciated our awareness campaign program and encouraged us to keep up the team spirit in the future events of IPSF. The people who we came across during the campaign were extremely enthusiastic. The response we got from them rendered the 02

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Alfredo La Red Soto

IPSF Contact Person of FECOEF, Costa Rica 2016-2017 IPSF PARO Secretary 2017-2018

FECOEF FarmaFest and National Assembly

We had the participation of nearly 80 students from the five member faculties, and football teams from two universities.

This was the second year we held a FarmaFest and we are aiming to make it a tradition among pharmacy students. We could make this event even better - maybe with more promotion we can encourage the participation of more students.

All the FECOEF’s Executive Committee helped to make the event happen. From the outgoing President (Mr. Esteban Olivares) and the outgoing Vice-President (Ms. Jannis Henriquez, the current President of FECOEF), they coordinated with the Costa Rican Pharmacists Association for the use of their facilities and the food. The rest of the FECOEF’s ExCo helped the day of the event by receiving the members of our organization and coordinating the football matches.

The participants of the activity liked it, and they would like more participants, so they encouraged students to be a part of these kinds of events.

Part of the adversities we had while planning 04

IPSF Newsletter 108

the event was to choose a date where a great part of the students could come and participate in the event. Also, the night before and the morning of the event it was raining, and, for that reason some students didn’t come.

The National Assembly was held the same day when the FarmaFest ended; during the Assembly, the students chose the Executive Committee for the upcoming year.

For the next few months after the FarmaFest, we had students from different universities asking about FECOEF, and the benefits of being a part of IPSF. Some of them want to actively participate with FECOEF through their students’ associations, and they like the idea of being a part of an international organization of students. With this event, we had more exposure as an organization inside the country and got closer to the students.

This event also helped to strengthen relations between FECOEF and the Costa Rican Pharmacists Association, reaffirming the commitment of both towards the benefit of the pharmaceutical task in the country.

The best part of this kind of event is that although all the pharmacy faculties in Costa Rica are within 10 km radius, we don’t meet students from different universities until we graduate. In this event, we had the opportunity to spend such a good time with our equals, and in the future, we hope to become an even bigger organization. Vive La Pharmacie!

Abdulhafeez Mustapha

IPSF Contact Person of PANS, Nigeria 2016-2017

Inside IPSF

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he aim of the event was to bring students from all the pharmacy faculties of the country to interact and have a good time in the middle of their duties and we used football as the excuse to be together. We had the support of the Costa Rican Pharmacists Association; they gave us the food and the facilities to hold the FarmaFest and the National Assembly.

OMOMI x PANS IUO Medical Outreach

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n the 20th of January 2017, the Igbinedion University chapter of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) collaborated with OMOMI, a mobile health platform aimed at helping mothers monitor the growth of their children, to host a medical outreach.

OMOMI has a mobile application, web version and short code service variants by which mothers, through a plethora of features (which include a mother’s community, a hospital locator powered by GPS, an immunization tracker, growth monitor, doctor’s corner amongst other features) can keep a tab on the growth of their precious, little bundles of joy. Amongst the ton of recognition they’ve received, it’s worthy to note that the United States Department of State is one of their biggest partners. They are also one of the free

products on Facebook’s Free Basic and have co-founders boasting of a Mandela Washington Fellowship, a YALI fellowship and tons more between them.

The medical outreach initially targeted the nursing and expectant mothers with their children and ended up with the doctors on call attending to everyone who showed up: men, women and children.

Preparations began earnestly with representatives of the PANS EXCO meeting with the community head and market leaders to present them with the big plan. We also rallied up students interested in volunteering - foot soldiers responsible for the success of our door-to-door sensitization campaign. The role of PANS in the big scheme of things was clear cut and distinct: Take care of logistics IPSF Newsletter 108

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Our budget therefore only covered renting of the town hall which served as the venue, tables, chairs, a public-address system and cost for transporting items to the venue.

OMOMI, in turn showed up with a team of four doctors, volunteers and a good supply of drugs that were to be prescribed upon consultation/diagnosis. They came with their medical equipment too: scales, test kits, etc.

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Speaking with the doctors, they were surprised at the level of hypertensive patients particularly among young people -- a situation that can be traced to the consumption of hard drugs prevalent in these parts. There was also malaria sitting atop the list and a lot of reported cases of body pain, a by-product of the fact that a good number of the population here are farmers. All in all, over 200 persons attended on a first come, first serve basis.

Inside IPSF

on ground and ensure people show up! The financial strain was taken care of by OMOMI.

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Ramy Chaiblaine

IPSF Media Committee member 2016-2017 IPSF EMRO Regional Media and Publications 2017-2018

Social media is a part of our daily life, we got used to it and it seems so natural lately. But if we look closer, it has accomplished a lot of amazing things.

To begin with, do you use Facebook, Twitter or any other social media platform? In fact, if you are reading this, you have probably clicked a link from one of our IPSF’s social medias.

Whether it’s from their very beginning with Myspace, Skyrock, MSN and others, those social medias impacted our society and our generation like no other ever before.

Some may pretend that it rises a certain tendency to a dangerous dependency. While it may be true to a certain limit and can become a serious issue (I advise you to use social media blockers while surfing), we tend to forget its benefits.

Let’s go back in time, shall we? We’re in Rome, 1823, Italy. If we asked somebody if in the near future, they can imagine people from different nationalities communicating flawlessly, with08

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Inside IPSF

Thanks to Social Media, We Are Closer Than Ever and Yet So Far out any efforts and work together on various projects. Well, he would probably freak out (because let’s face it, you just got back in time!) But I believe, he would also say that it’s nearly impossible to work with foreigners, with all the obstacles (distance, language and political issues).

In the past, outside interactions were restricted. The people considered strangers as a threat. Their world was limited mostly to family, friends, and neighbours.

Let me ask you a question. How can students from all the globe, from Asia to Americas passing by Australia, Europe, and Africa, work together, laugh together and share together that one goal: “a better student for a better pharmacy.”

Because we are in a new era, a generation who learned, thanks to social media, to know each other, to trust each other, be more tolerant, kind, passionate, and to share with others.

Today the world is ours, so let’s work together as whole to improve it together.

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Marina Mansour

IPSF Editorial Committee member 2016-2017

Do’s and Don’ts when writing an article else, but you never know how your thread of thoughts will shine. So, don’t make the title a frame that limits your drawing; make it a bow that encircles your gift.

If you enjoy writing or you would like to try, IPSF offers so many platforms through which you can share your work and practice your writing skills. There is a vast variety of options: different newsletters, scientific and nonscientific, and the IPSF blog. But first things first, how do you write an article?

5. Last tip, forget all the previous tips. There is no right or wrong way to write an article; every article can be a masterpiece. It is just like magic, you start with a paragraph and then it feels like you can write a whole book.

1. Decide what to write about? Don’t spend hours and hours searching for a topic, rather find something you are passionate about. All you need is a quiet room and some time to yourself.

2. Don't talk and talk without an aim. At every point and every paragraph be specific. What would you want the reader to feel from this paragraph? Hint: the fewer the sentences in one paragraph the clearer the idea.

3. Find the spark. There is a certain feeling of satisfaction one feels when writing an article.

It is when you know both you and the reader are enjoying this piece of art. So, make sure your writing is relatable to the audience, but also add a personal aspect to it. Interact with the reader; as you share with him your most personal thoughts, ask him a question. 4.

As crazy as it sounds, but the title is the last thing you should worry about. It seems like you know your article better than everyone

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I started writing for EPSF, Egypt Editorial Working Group. From the time I started, I never wanted to stop. Once I read this sentence, “If I had not existed, someone else would have written me”; I believe that when I write, I can create things, different realities or relive past events. As I focus on my thoughts, I feel that my passion is stronger. It is like putting a pencil against my brain and extracting the ideas out of it like a thread of light. Then, the only direction these thoughts will go is to turn into words and vivid pictures.

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IPSF is full of opportunities. As a pharmacy student, I know this very well, but I never thought IPSF would offer me the opportunity to reveal a talent that I never knew I had!

As the compounding industry leader, we supply everything you need to deliver personalized medicine that makes a difference for your patients and your business.

Learn more at: pccarx.com/about

800.331.2498

This is how I write articles.

IPSF Newsletter 108

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Whitley Yi

IPSF Research Coordinator 2016-2017

IPSF as a Key Player in Advancing Pharmacy Education Globally The Global Conference on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education was a historic event held in Nanjing, China this past November. It was the first time leaders from all over the world have gathered in one place to vote on a set of statements that will guide pharmacy education going forward, and consequently, shape pharmacy practice and global health. Three documents were introduced during the Conference: -Global Vision for Education and Workforce: This document lays out a global vision for what pharmacy means - a vision to strive and prepare for through advancing education -Pharmaceutical Workforce Development Goals (WDGs): This document details 13 goals, along with their rationale/drivers/ key indicators, that will form the foundation for sustainable action to advance the pharmaceutical workforce -Nanjing Statements on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education: This set of statements represents the agreed upon standards and expectations for what pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education should be The conference opened up with presentations

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by Prof. Philip Schneider, Global Conference Co-Chair, and Prof. Guowei Sang, Conference Co-Chair and President of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, who spoke about the historic opportunity of the conference to create a lasting impact on improving pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education.

Other presentations included those by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and FIPEd leaders, as well as Jim Campbell, Director of the WHO Health Workforce Department, who discussed the issues facing the global health workforce. He spoke of the importance of pharmacy’s role in creating a workforce able to meet growing global health needs.

Inside IPSF

Conference Overview

Day 1 - Official Voting on the Nanjing Statements: During the first day of the conference, the Nanjing Statements were voted on. Out of the 60 original statements, 55 were approved by reaching the minimum 80% agreement needed from the country delegates. There was a large representation, with 46 countries present at the conference. The list of statements submitted by IPSF that were approved can be found at the end of this article, along with links to the entire document and a list of the rejected statements.

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During the first day, there was also a Q&A session with a panel of world pharmacy leaders, during which IPSF put forth a question led by Israel Bimpe, IPSF President 2016-2017. He started with an example of pharmacy students in Sierra Leone needing to work in hospitals in response to the Ebola outbreak and pointed out the need to change the narrative and transform pharmacy. He asked, “How can the WDGs be implemented in a goal-directed effort to increase capacity in a healthcare landscape that changes quickly, so that the students we prepare today do not find gaps at the time of their graduation?”

He went on to ask the panel how they plan to accommodate for the fact that changes in education and curricula take a very long time while changes in technology and healthcare are occurring very fast.

These are questions that need to be asked.

Is the current system equipped for creating the change needed to achieve the WDGs? Overall, the response to IPSF’s question was very positive. Even if no clear answer exists yet, many thanked IPSF for speaking up and asking the tough questions.

Day 2 - Workshops During the second day of the Global Conference, there were workshops dedicated to discussing each WDG. The workshops

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focused on the achievability of the WDG, appropriate targets for its implementation, ways of monitoring/measuring its progress, and how to disseminate its implementation at the local level. IPSF spoke at both the “Initial and Early Education” workshop and the “Clinical Practice” workshop. During the “Initial and Early Education” Workshop, many targets were proposed, such as increasing interprofessional education, utilizing e-learning and technology, developing better assessment techniques, and creating appropriate learning environments. During the beginning of the workshop, IPSF discussed the importance of including students as decisions makers when discussing the future of pharmacy education, similar to how the patient should be included as a key member of the healthcare team. IPSF encouraged the participants to think beyond the limits of the current educational system, a system in which implementation of curricular changes is a long process, often unable to keep up with the constant development of new skills and knowledge pharmacists need to know. How can we change the system to better prepare pharmacists for a constantly changing and unknown future? During the second workshop on “Clinical Practice,” IPSF shared student experiences with the participants and asked educators and policy leaders to engage with students and see them as their partners in advancing pharmacy clinical practice.

in shaping the future of pharmacy.

IPSF as your Advocate

The Global Conference was just the first step.

Now the real work starts. We need everyone’s help define what these statements mean for education at a local level. For example, consider one of the Nanjing statements: “Students should have the ability and opportunity to learn to apply the scientific knowledge that is taught in the classroom in any field within the profession.” Think about your own school and curriculum. What does this mean to you? For your school to succeed

The goal of IPSF is to serve as an effective advocate for student issues globally. This means participating in any discussions on pharmacy education or workforce development and being a platform for the voice of our members. By speaking up and engaging other stakeholders at events such as the Global Conference, IPSF is creating a path for every member to be an active stakeholder

Through feedback from our members, IPSF has influenced all three key documents, including adding important drivers and indicators to the WDGs and writing and submitting statements that were included in the Nanjing Statements.

All four of our statements were approved by the delegates.

Preparation, though, began before the conference. During the 62nd World Congress in Zimbabwe, the Pharmacy Education Portfolio led a workshop to discuss the future of pharmacy education and gain student input. It provided a platform for students to discuss shared barriers and potential solutions for issues they face in their educational journeys. These insights were added to the input provided by CPs when drafting the IPSF statements and feedback that were sent to FIP in preparation for the Global Conference.

Although 4 of our statements were included in the final document voted upon, there were still several statements that were not. It is important to consider where there might be a disconnect between the issues students see as vital and the issues recognized by educators and regulators. IPSF will continue to advocate for the issues brought to our attention by our members as we strive to decrease this potential disconnect.

How you can get involved

in successfully providing opportunities to apply your scientific knowledge, what must it do?

Will it need to provide a minimum amount of lab access time, incorporate more experiential education opportunities into the curriculum, or facilitate more direct patient interaction?

It is now time for us to be very intentional in defining the key indicators for each of the Nanjing Statements, as well as for the WDGs. We need to have a say in how these statements are interpreted and carried out. What you can do now is look through the Nanjing Documents and think about what achieving each of those statements or WDGs would look like in your own school. Create a dialogue: bring the topic up in your schools and discuss it with your colleagues.

Then post your thoughts on Facebook, twitter or Instagram with the hashtag: #WDGStudentVoice Remember, the Nanjing Statements and WDGs are a starting point to engage your schools and community in order to advocate for change and advancement in education.

Resources: A Global Vision: http://fip.org/files/fip/PharmacyEducation/ Global_Conference_docs/FIP_global_vision_ online_version.pdf Workforce Development Goals: http://fip. org/files/fip/PharmacyEducation/Global_ Conference_docs/WDGs_online_version.pdf Nanjing Statements on Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences Education:

and

http://www.fip.org/files/fip/ PharmacyEducation/Global_Conference_docs/ Nanjing_Statements.pdf IPSF submitted statements that were voted on and approved as a part of the official Nanjing Statements on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education at the Global Conference: IPSF Newsletter 108

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Inside IPSF

It is important to take a close look at the statements. The Nanjing Statements represent a consensus of the world’s values and ideal standards for education, ranging from recruitment to evaluation to regulation.

It creates a vocabulary and reference point from which to engage in global discussions on education advancement and collaboration.

The global variance in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education has previously made this endeavour very challenging.

-The school should support and promote the academic staff, preceptors, students, and administrators to engage in professional activities with other health sectors.

-Quality improvement should always include a clear process for handling student concerns/ issues/complaints that is transparent so that students are informed of the progress and outcome of any concern that is raised -Promotion of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) should begin with students at the start of their education.

List of Rejected Statements (statements that did not receive 80% agreement during the Global Conference): 1.7 (original number): All pharmacists should be encouraged to participate in research studies to facilitate the development of new products, optimize their practice model to meet the needs of patients and populations, and evaluate the outcomes of their professional activities.

2.11. Pharmacists should learn to work collaboratively with other health care professionals and scientists in medical, scientific, and social fields.

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preferably confirmed at an interview or other appropriate means as a required part of the admissions process.

Alisar Serhan

Professional Year III, School of Pharmacy Lebanese American University

6.7 (original number): All members of the academic staff should participate in research activities, including collaborative research.

7.4 (original number): An assessment of achievement of learning outcomes by all graduates should occur at the end of the degree programme and should include knowledge, skills, and performance assessments in preclinical, clinical, and postapproval phases, as applicable.

Change is the Only Constant P

harmacy education has been developing and changing for the past 150 years. In the beginnings, a pharmacist would only learn during the period of apprenticeship.

A few decades later, it was an apothecary school, and has advanced to the pharmacy schools that we know now. Just this decade, the educational program has advanced from just a B.S. degree, into the PharmD that is now seen as equivalent to a medical or dentistry degree. This past decade has not only introduced the PharmD program, but has also metamorphosed the entire profession from a medication dispensing-centred profession, to a more patient-care centred practice.

Pharmacists are now the elementary source of medication therapy management. For the sake of this article, the pharmacy education that will be discussed is that provided by Lebanese American University’s (LAU) School of Pharmacy.

3.2. Students entering a school should have a strong scientific background and evidence of good academic performance in science and general education courses as a prerequisite for entry.

LAU’s pharmacy school is the only school to be accredited outside of Lebanon by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), which is what makes LAU unique compared to all the other pharmacy education programs in Lebanon. There are many qualities that LAU’s School of Pharmacy has that has enabled it to receive the accreditation.

3.3. Students entering a school should demonstrate good social and emotional skills,

Let’s talk about the two factors that most influence the excellency of the school: the

IPSF Newsletter 108

staff and the student body. The staff is a phenomenal group of dedicated, hardworking, and innovative individuals, diversely joined from different schools. This includes the United States, or Lebanon, such as LAU, Université Saint-Joseph USJ, that have transformed the core of pharmacy education in Lebanon. They have been able to contend with the ever rapidly changing outlook on pharmacy education, and are the only ones outside of the US to do so successfully enough to earn an accreditation.

Inside IPSF

-Schools should prepare students to be future mentors, supervisors, preceptors, and leaders.

This includes promoting a culture of peer support and knowledge sharing amongst students and encouraging students to mentor younger students.

A student enrolled in this program will acquire the information needed to pursue successful careers in various fields of pharmacy, be it industrial, clinical, or community, as well as academia. The way the program is set up allows a student to apply the knowledge they have learned, through active learning, case studies, and hands-on experience through internships at various sites, which is integral in the advancement of the student to becoming a fruitful pharmacist.

The fact that LAU’s location: Lebanon, and the Americanised program of study broadens a pharmacy student’s awareness on pharmacy practice. Through the experience of the professors and the internships, as well as courses such as Pharmacy Law and Regulation in both the U.S. and Lebanon, the way pharmacy is practiced in both Lebanon

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The broad base of knowledge of both practices in the U.S. and Lebanon that the students graduate with, allows for vast opportunities for the advancement of the Lebanese pharmacy practice. Graduates have a far-reaching understanding of the rapid advancement of the field, especially in clinical pharmacy, and will now be able to apply it to Lebanon. The practice in Lebanon will be able to flourish and transform from a strictly dispensing medications field, to a more patient-centred, drug expert consultant field.

This amelioration will majorly revolutionize healthcare in Lebanon, which is much needed, and benefits the patient, the government and the society.

Unlike the U.S., the program also permits the student to graduate with a B.S. in pharmacy. However, in the U.S. it is a four-year professional program. This is another example where the program considers Lebanese pharmacy practice and the requirements of the Pharmacists of Lebanon (OPL) and the Ministry of Education in order for a pharmacist to practice in Lebanon. Students who would like to open a community pharmacy in Lebanon needn’t pursue the PharmD program and will be able to open their pharmacy with their B.S. degree after completing the National

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Competency Assessment Examination. This saves a year of education for people who would like to work in the community field, and are not interested in the clinical aspect of pharmacy practice.

Despite the progression of the educational program at LAU, there is a fundamental gap between what is taught and what is practiced. Pharmacy practice in Lebanon is decades behind countries such as the United States thus the knowledge being taught at LAU is unfortunately going to waste. We as pharmacists are still regarded as people who dispense medications and not treated as healthcare professionals who can contribute tremendously to patient care. LAU’s program is a light in a dark tunnel that will hopefully, over the coming years, change the way pharmacists are seen and treated and allow for us to show our full potential in the healthcare team.

Lamis R. Karaoui, PharmD, BCPS

Clinical Associate Professor, Director of Experiential Education, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University

Insights on Pharmacy Education in Lebanon L

ebanon is a small, middle-income country in the Middle East experiencing the third stage of its demographic transition where fertility and mortality rates have both declined and with an estimated population of 6 million people.1 The education system in Lebanon is very much influenced by the diversity of coexisting cultures, religions, languages.

Universities in Lebanon, both public and private, largely operate in either French or English. As such, pharmacy education in Lebanon mirrors three educational systems – French, Lebanese, and American – which are pioneered by Saint-Joseph University (USJ), the Lebanese University (LU), and the Lebanese American University (LAU), respectively. Lebanon is currently home to one public pharmacy school (LU) and 4 other private pharmacy schools.

Brief History The advent of pharmacy education started in Lebanon back in 1871, when the American Missionaries in Lebanon and Syria established the first Anglophone pharmacy school at the American University of Beirut; however the program was discontinued in the late 70s during the Lebanese civil war.2 In 1883, the Universite Saint Joseph de Beyrouth launched its francophone pharmacy school followed by the Lebanese University pharmacy school and the Anglophone pharmacy schools of

the Beirut Arab University (BAU) in 1986, Lebanese American University (LAU) in 1993 and Lebanese International University (LIU) in the early 2000.

Programs of Study Despite curricular similarities of the American, French and Lebanese educational systems, major differences lie in the weight each allocates to the major areas of focus (i.e., general requirements, basic/biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical sciences, and pharmacy practice experiences).

BAU, LAU and LIU offer a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) or Bachelor in Science (BS) in Pharmacy degrees, that typically span over five years (174 – 180 credits depending on institution), and constitute the minimum degree required for pharmacy licensure, as mandated by the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon. The Anglophone programs usually entail two pre-pharmacy years of study prior to admission to professional pharmacy years, a process based on clearly delineated selection criteria. The pharmacy graduate has the option of completing an additional sixth year and earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD, 27 – 30 credits depending on institution) which emphasizes clinical practice and direct patient care. BAU offers both a master’s of science (MS) in pharmacy and a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in pharmacy degrees. The

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Inside IPSF

and the U.S. is taught to the student, hence an advantage to the graduating students who would like to pursue a career in either Lebanon or the U.S. Therefore, the student is not limited to learning how pharmacy is practiced in just the U.S. as this is an American school, and if they would like to pursue a career in Lebanon, they would have at least the basis of the knowledge needed to be successful.

The incorporation of both U.S. and Lebanese pharmacy practice into the curriculum is a difficult task, however, it was done in a very skilful manner, consequently creating a wellrounded education for the student.

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Teaching and Assessment Methods Pharmacy curricula across Lebanon, comprise both a didactic and an experiential component. Didactic course delivery includes a wide array of conventional teaching methods and advanced interactive learning, and deploys information technology (such as BlackBoard), in most programs. Experiential education ensures hands-on exposure of pharmacy students to community pharmacy practice, hospital pharmacy practice and clinical pharmacy practice among other settings. In an effort to capitalize on the role of experiential education, the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon sets forth solid rules and regulations for pharmacist licensure, and mandates 12 months of pharmacy practice experiences that most pharmacy programs across the country, incorporate in their respective curricula. With a twist of novelty, the LAU pharmacy school has recently pioneered both interprofessional education, and the use of simulation-based pharmacy education in select courses, taking advantage of the LAU Clinical Simulation Centre, and plans to

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carry out the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as both a simulation and assessment activity.7 Similarly, BAU utilizes the OSCE for their Bachelor of Pharmacy final cumulative assessment.5 Pharmacy Residency and Fellowship Status At present, neither pharmacy practice residency nor pharmacy fellowship programs are yet established in Lebanon. Residency program will further promote the clinical competencies of the postdoctoral (PharmD) practitioner, elevate the pharmacist-patient care process, and further support the OPL implementation of clinical pharmacy across the country. Fellowship programs are designed to prepare postdoctoral scholars for the pharmaceutical industry and offer expertise in clinical research. Residency and fellowship programs constitute golden opportunities in Lebanon at a time when graduating pharmacists are faced with challenge of limited career choices. The vast majority of registered pharmacists practice in a community or hospital pharmacy and only few work for the pharmaceutical industry.8 Accreditation The advancement of pharmacy education in Lebanon is attributed to the diverse pharmacy curricula, the OPL licensure regulations, the National Competency Assessment Examination (Colloquium), the sociocultural plethora, but also to the international recognition that a few pharmacy programs have gained over the past decades, which keeps a progressive momentum in the andragogy and experiential education pertaining to pharmacy. The BAU’s Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy program is granted conditional international accreditation status for the period of 2015-2017 by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs. The LAU School of Pharmacy’s

Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.5 The Doctor of Pharmacy program at the LAU School of Pharmacy received its first accreditation in 2002 by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) which continued in January 2015 and extends until June 30, 2023 – representing the customary eight-year cycle between self-studies. It currently remains the only PharmD program outside the United States that is accredited by ACPE.7 Board Certification Currently, a total of 15 pharmacists are certified by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties: 2 in ambulatory care, 2 in critical care pharmacy, 1 in nutrition support pharmacy, 1 in psychiatric pharmacy, 12 in pharmacotherapy, and 3 with added qualifications. This is another indicator that clinical pharmacy has strong advocates in Lebanon, and the potential manpower to successfully embark such a practice.9 Conclusion In conclusion, with the rising demands of quality healthcare in Lebanon, and the expansion of pharmacy practice worldwide, a “one size fits all”educational model or system is neither desired nor sustainable. Alternatively, a needs-based assessment of the pharmacy education system is warranted to revamp the existing curricula, introduce innovative teaching methods, reinforce and apply core pharmacy competencies and develop novel programs of study. Such strategy will yield a contemporary pharmacy education that proactively paves the way to the evolution of pharmacy practice in all settings and further raises the bar of the pharmacy profession in Lebanon.

References: 1. Lebanon Demographics Profile 2016.

Available: http://www.indexmundi.com/ lebanon/demographics_profile.html. Accessed December 26, 2016.

2.

American University of Beirut. History.

Available: http://www.aub.edu.lb/main/about/ pages/history.aspx . Access December 26, 2016.

3. Universite Saint Joseph de Beyrouth.

Faculte de Pharmacie. La Pharmacie a l’USJ Depuis 1883. Available: https://fp.usj.edu.lb/ files/hist.htm. Accessed December 26, 2016.

4. Lebanese University.

Faculty of Pharmacy. Available: http://www.ul.edu.lb/ faculte/branches.aspx?facultyId=16 . Accessed December 26, 2016.

5. Beirut Arab University. Faculty of Pharmacy. Available: http://www.bau.edu.lb/ Home-Page . Accessed December 26, 2016.

6.

Lebanese International University. School of Pharmacy. Available: http://www.liu.edu.lb/ lb/Academics/schoolsAndDegrees-academics. php . Accessed December 26, 2016.

7. Lebanese American University. School of Pharmacy. About the School. Available: http://pharmacy.lau.edu.lb/about/ . Accessed December 26, 2016.

8.

Chahine EB. Clinical Pharmacy Education and Practice in Lebanon. 2011. Available: http://www.accp.com/international/index. aspx?iss=1111&art=4. Accessed December 26, 2016.

9. Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Find a Board-Certified Pharmacist. Available: www.bpsweb.org/find-a-board-certifiedpharmacist/. Accessed December 26, 2016.

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Francophone program has a slightly different structure.5 USJ pharmacy schools offer a Doctorat d’exercice en pharmacie that spans over five years, master degrees (research and professional), diplôme d’université (clinical pharmacy, toxicology, clinical pharmacology, homeopathic medicine, clinical and therapeutic diet and nutrition) and diplôme d’études spécialisées (medical biology).3 LU pharmacy school offers a five-year Doctorat d’exercice en pharmacie, a one-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree, professional master degree (Clinical Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical Industry - Industrial Cosmetics and Dermopharmacy – Pharmaceutical MBA) and research master degree (Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacoepidemiology – Pharmacology and Toxicology – Pharmaceutical Biotechnology).4

Ahmad El Ouweini

IPSF Pharmacy Education Newsletter Editor 2016-2017

A Guide To Research in Low and Middle-Income Countries for First-Timers An Article published in FIP Pharmacy Education Journal in 2016

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Authors: YARDLEE S. KAUFFMAN (1) *, LAUREN JONKMAN (2), SHARON E. CONNOR (2) 1 Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Pennsylvania 19104, USA 2 School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA

oming from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Pennsylvania, Dr. Kauffman and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburg have written an article to guide the pharmacy students and residents who become involved in research in low and middle-income countries for the first time to assure that they utilize the multi-step approach that the authors provide to achieve outstanding and properly designed research projects and lifelong encouraging learning experience.

This article, which was published in the Pharmacy Education Journal of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), focuses on demonstrating the logistical and ethical issues and challenges associated with conducting research in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Such issues and challenges include limited resources and poorly developed health systems, further obviating the potential to translate research findings into practice. In addition, it supplements pharmacy students and residents planning to develop and implement a research project in LMIC with a list of valuable guidelines for such decisive projects.

The article starts with focusing on the importance of having a well-planned research project in mind. This can be achieved by the researcher through asking few typical questions, such as: What motivated me to do this research? What am I trying to attain with this research? Will my research be of great

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benefit to the society? Will it add a substantial value and knowledge that was not addressed before? Will it lead to a sure-enough change in the target community? Will my research project utilize resources that could have been invested in for other more pressing and critical projects for the society?

A deeper next step would be contemplating about all the needed resources for each step of the research project, even for the airfare.

This is best accomplished by planning the project in mind and as hard copy on paper. It is highly recommended for the researcher to generate early on a list of the essential items that the project highly demands to avoid the possibility of facing logistical issues later when the project commences. The researcher needs to determine whether these resources will be obtained extramurally or internally.

Sometimes, the desired support comes from outside organizations, foundations, university scholarships, or mini-grants.

Dr. Kauffman and his colleagues move next to direct the discussion toward the extremely important need to start a powerful data collection method to speed the process of data extraction. It is very paramount, according to the authors, to develop to pilot the research tools before visiting the research local setting. The researcher possibly may need to perform carefully designed and wellplanned interviews to collect feedback from partners piloting the data collection tool form in the research setting.

After that, the article sheds the light on the importance of encouraging and leading the stakeholders in the national communities to fully participate in the success of the research project and its implementation.

The authors emphasize on the supreme value of considering the societal needs when developing the aims and hypotheses and the ensuing application of the research results.

According to the authors, it is mandatory for the Western researchers to collaborate with local partners and researchers to start continuous training programs that empower their capabilities and skills to be able to independently explore novel pressing research questions and conduct a local research with high standards. The authors state that the types of local stakeholders, whose commitment and perspectives are essential parts of the project implementation process, include "policy-makers, technical experts, representatives from the ministry of health and schools of health sciences, health care providers, and community laypersons of other key groups, such as nongovernmental organizations." Their presence in the study design and plan will ensure full representativeness, sustainability, and worth of the project for the target population because those stakeholders express the concerns of the local community.

The following step to consider in conducting the research project as stated in the article deals with the ethical approval process. It is good to know that unfortunately, LMICs have a rapid turnover of staff in the ethical research committees, because those adequately trained people with the required expertise are truly scarce and difficult to employ in the local research settings. Even when they exist, they are usually hired by other global agencies.

Consequently, rigorous training programs are required to fulfil the real gap in those countries. Interestingly, the article highlights

the substantial usefulness of considering the exploitation of the research participants when the provided treatment throughout the experiment is stopped after the experiment is over. Their restricted range of resources places them at this vulnerable position, which should therefore be carefully and deeply addressed, especially because most of the times in LMICs they are deprived of declaring and asking for their rights.

The authors go on to affirm that when the research deals with human subjects and will be published widely, it is imperative to determine early in the project planning the type and number of ethical committees that are needed to proceed with the research project and ensure synergistic work and output. Examples of such committees include the Institutional Review Board (IRB), ministries of health, some relevant NGOs, and others. When talking about recruiting and preparing the human subjects for the research project, according to the authors: "Consent forms should be concise and provide clear information on the risks and rights to decline participation." This should, certainly, take into consideration the differences in cultural norms that dictate the prior permission of the household for other persons in the house to participate in a study. Doubtlessly, the procedure of taking consent should accommodate all the special conditions and/or restrictions that may be present in the target participants, such as illiteracy, male-dominant cultures, language barriers and the list continues, for which proper and practical solutions should be implemented.

The authors present a priceless advice for the researchers in LMICs, be flexible and patient with all the problems and obstacles that they might face on the ground during the study period. They need to be persistent and smart at embarking on lifelong relationships with regional partners, which will ease many barriers that might hinder the proper implementation of

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As a conclusion, here are few clear steps that the authors endorse to guarantee an outstanding research project: - Contact your local IRB prior to planning your research.

- Be sensitive to cultural differences between U.S. and low and middle-income countries.

- Engage local stakeholders during the project planning.

- Develop a network of local people in the community to become your advocates and train them to assist you.

- Be patient and flexible in your planning.

Marina Faltas

EPSF Contact Person 2016-2017 IPSF EMRO Regional Relations Officer 2017-2018

Can Your Education Be the Reason of Your Ignorance?

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oisons and medicine are often the same substance given with different intents.– Peter Mere Latham, 19th-century English physician and educator Since the dawn of ages, our ancestors have made use of the practice of pharmacy.

Medication was and will always be a human need. It may have been magic to the pharaohs, but they sure have mastered it. How do we know? Ancient Egyptian pharmacological knowledge was recorded in various papyri. At first, this knowledge was passed from father to son at home. Then, as the need for pharmacy education grew, temples began to establish medical and pharmaceutical schools. We all know the rest of this story, as the pyramids and museums stand as witnesses. What they did not witness is the rest of my story; and this is what I will share with you today.

What was once called magic has evolved into science. It was during the middle ages that pharmacy took a higher curve and thus pharmacy education has also evolved.

Pharmacists started compounding and writing pharmacopeia. Since then, all our education focused on dosage forms and compounding, every pharmacy had a little laboratory. For a long period of my life, I could really imagine myself in that era. When all the educators focused on the pharmacist’s skills, and every prescription was one of a kind.

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But a revolution happened, and the world was moving too fast, faster than the human capacity.

Later came the era of machines. The industrial revolution made these old pharmacies get dusty and so did our education, in my opinion, and with it, my small dreams. With factories doing all the job it seemed like there is no need for skilled pharmacists and for a very long time the pharmacy education was centred on industrial pharmacy. But not for long; every curve has its ups and downs.

Inside IPSF

a research project. Additionally, it is strongly recommended in the article to contact the local leaders in the community in which the research is being implemented, and discuss the results with them. This will surely enhance the researchers’ credibility and role in making a real change in the community, and thus the leaders' support is highly expected, especially after demonstrating the consequent benefits to the community. They will surely open new horizons for further research opportunities and cooperation. It should be noted, however, that the results should be smartly presented to the local leaders in a non-blaming approach.

The last great piece of research guidance presented in this article is that organizing a public meeting is necessary to ensure future meaningful participation of individuals in clinical trials.

There was a reason why our education faced a bump in the road. The world did not need pharmacists, it needed workers. But this is not the case anymore, my dreams are sparkling again. The Egyptian educators are now accommodating to today's needs. Today the need for pharmacists that are centred on the patient is rising, a newly introduced field in Egypt's pharmacy schools. The field I am telling you about is the field I am studying now; clinical pharmacy. With this newly introduced field in different schools across the nation our pharmacy education curve is rising.

The curve continues to strive for more. With diseases evolving every day so should our education. Today, Egypt welcomes another field of pharmacy study which is drug design. Today, as I witness the introduction

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At first, when I started studying pharmacy, it felt like I was following the footsteps of giants, trying to follow what the pharaohs have reached. Later, I felt like I had no control over the rise of the machines and industry and now that the pieces came together, I see the whole picture. We as pharmacy students and educators today, are creating our own path by providing all the

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knowledge and all the choices. The researching pharaohs, the compounders, the industrial pharmacists, the clinical pharmacists and many others. No one field of study is perfect for me because there has always been only one field.

So yes, education can be poisonous when it blinds you by one field. As pharmacy students, we need to strive for all the knowledge and more variety because for a picture to be perfect, one needs to gather all the pieces together.

Louisa Sullivan

IPSF Chairperson of Pharmacy Education 2016-2018

Pharmacy Education in the United States y mother graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1971. She has been practicing as a pharmacist for nearly 50 years, and she has seen huge changes in the profession since she graduated. Pharmacists were not allowed to give any information about their medications to patients when my mother graduated; it was considered a violation of the patient-physician relationship to do so. Now, pharmacists are required to at least offer to counsel every patient about their medications.

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So what does my curriculum look like? We have three years of didactic coursework that includes: biochemistry, physiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, law, ethics, public health, dispensing, counseling, compounding, and most importantly, therapeutics. In therapeutics we put together everything we’ve learned so far to determine the best way to treat a patient. We consider the diagnosis, lab work, comorbid conditions, and any other pertinent information to make the best medication recommendation.

Along with this change in the pharmacistpatient relationship, there has been a major shift in pharmacy education in the U.S. In the year 2000, the accreditation body for American pharmacy schools created new standards that require all individuals to have completed a Doctor of Pharmacy degree [rather than the five year Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy] in order to take the national pharmacy exam which allows them to obtain a pharmacy license.

All of this coursework prepares us for our fourth year. In the last year of the program, we do a variety of rotations in which we have practicing pharmacists as preceptors and gain real-world clinical experience. We work with real patients and make recommendations to physicians. By the end of this year, we have gained a great deal of confidence in our ability to practice as pharmacists, and we graduate prepared to work independently and put our clinical knowledge into practical use.

I am currently in my 4th and final year of a Doctor of Pharmacy program, and I often speak to my mother about my schoolwork and the requirements for my degree. Much of what I learn in my classes goes far beyond her knowledge of physiology and the reasons why a specific drug would be the best choice for a particular disease.

When I attended my first World Congress in Zimbabwe in 2016, I learned that many students have a very different curriculum than the United States. I really liked hearing that students in Zimbabwe do a research project during their final year of school, and I would like to see more emphasis on research in American schools. However, I also heard from

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of various pharmacy education fields, I start understanding my mixed emotions towards Egypt's history of pharmacy education.

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I personally hope to become a professor at a school of pharmacy, so I am quite passionate about the topic of education, especially pharmacy education. I first learned about the Global Conference on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education while I was in Zimbabwe for World Congress, and I decided to travel to China to attend the conference. This conference was unique because it was the first attempt to create global standards for pharmacy education.

The best part is that IPSF members helped to write quite a few of the statements that were approved by the delegates to this convention [Hint: check out Whitley Yi’s article in this issue of PEN for more information on that].

I view this as one major step forward in student-driven pharmacy education. I hope to see more students around the world get involved and advocate to their locals schools to encourage them to teach what students are excited to learn. Healthcare is changing rapidly and schools of pharmacy should be producing students who can easily adapt to the future of medicine.

Third Year Professional Pharmacy Students

The Lebanese American University, School of Pharmacy *

Professional Pharmacy Students Leading Change of Pharmacy Practice in Lebanon

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harmacy education and practice are two essential complementary components of an evolving profession which is slowly and globally transforming its vocation from medication-focused to patient-oriented (Inoue Y et al. 2016; Schindel TJ et al. 2017). The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) outlined the Global Pharmacy Action Plan as a worldwide initiative to transform the culture of pharmacy practice and issued jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) a statement about pharmacists’ roles and responsibilities in patient care (Anderson et al. 2008). In addition, the role of pharmacist is being reconsidered worldwide, such as in United States of America (Taylor et al. 2015), Japan (Watanabe et al. 2005), United Arab Emirates (Rayes et al. 2015), Canada (Tsuyuki et al. 2008), Australia (Neto 2003), Ethiopia (Mekonnen et al. 2013) and Thailand (Chanakit et al. 2015), to name a few. This paradigm shift recognizes the important and rewarding clinical role of pharmacist beyond pharmaceutical product supply to ultimately ensure a better patient care and outcome (Wiedenmayer et al. 2006).

Academic pharmacy has made great strides in gearing their pharmacy curricula towards equipping future pharmacy graduates with the necessary clinical skills to provide patient

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care and manage medication therapy. The Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) emphasized in its fourth version, published in 2013, the importance of educational outcomes on developing, not only the clinical knowledge, but also the professional skills and personal attributes, with the premise that pharmacists should be capable of functioning collaboratively as members of an interprofessional team to provide care for diverse patient population.

The change emphasizes the mindset of self-awareness, innovation, leadership, and professionalism needed for pharmacy practice (Medina et al. 2013).

Inside IPSF

many students that they wished they got more opportunities during school to obtain clinical experience.

Kotter’s 8-step approach to leading change provides an applicable framework to implement change in pharmacy practice (Janker 2009). The 8-steps include: creation of a sense of urgency, visioning, guiding coalitions, communication for buy-in, planning and acknowledging short-term wins, consolidation, and institutionalization of change (Kotter 1995). In this newsletter, pharmacy students were instructed to apply these steps to implement change of pharmacy practice in Lebanon. This assignment is part of the career opportunities elective course which objective is to prepare students to appreciate the role of emotional intelligence, change, professionalism, and leadership in

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The below outlines and describes the 8 steps devised by professional pharmacy students (PFS) to lead change of pharmacy practice in Lebanon.

1. Establish a sense of urgency As future practitioners, PFS acknowledged the urgency, necessity, and positive impact of change as well as the detrimental effect of the lack of it. First, the role of pharmacist should evolve to focus on patient centred care rather than just dispensing, thus underlining the pharmacist as a definite team member working in conjunction with other healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, nutritionists) to ensure a better health-related decision-making. Each team member provides a distinct, essential, and complementary contribution to patient care.

The positive impact of this evolution would be notable on the healthcare system (i.e.: better access to medication, reduction of drug-drug interactions, prevention of drug abuse and misuse, decreased polypharmacy-triggered hospitalization, improved patient compliance and ultimately better patient outcomes).

Otherwise, the detrimental consequences of the status-quo would further reinforce the public perception of the pharmacist as merely a drug salesman. Clearly, the supply function can easily be delivered by “pharmacist technician”, thus the need for pharmacists to perform a clinical function. Hence, pharmacists have a greater responsibility to perform a vital function in patient care and serving society, commensurate with their

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acquired clinical knowledge, skills and training.

Indeed, pharmacists are well positioned to fill a gap in health care related to safe and appropriate use of medication in various setting (community and hospital setting) and to a diverse population (geriatrics, paediatrics and disabled). This specialized medical service is an opportunity for a better pharmacy career for future graduates.

The sense of urgency recognized by PFS is balanced between the need to change and the hope of a better future for patients, pharmacist and healthcare system.

2. Form a powerful guiding coalition FPS agreed that change requires the inclusion of the entire spectrum of health care system from the private/public sectors, academic/ health/governmental institutions, society/ organizations/unions, individual pharmacists, pharmacy students and patients. This coalition is not restricted to pharmacy profession but also extend to other healthcare related fields, particularly physician and nurses who support an interprofessional practice. Furthermore, PFS highlight the diversity and collaboration between the different stakeholders to drive change by considering the different contribution each can make as an educator, academician, regulator, clinician, pharmacist practitioner, student, and patient demanding better healthcare. Hence, influential leaders from each sector of healthcare can engage others in identifying and valuing the role of the pharmacist.

3.Create a vision and a strategy The elements of an appealing communicable vision expressed by PFS can be summarized as, “enhancing interprofessional collaborative practice to optimize patient care and improve therapeutic outcomes”. This vision recaptures the role of the pharmacist as an efficient and

indispensable member of the healthcare team and a trustworthy health professional recognized by patients and physicians alike for the valuable contribution and positive impact in drug therapy management. This vision is appealing to patients, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers because it promises a better quality of treatment for patients, better future for pharmacists who need to change their practice to ensure the viability of the profession, and better support for physicians in managing patient care.

4. Communicate the vision PFS identified the targets, tools, and contents to effectively communicate the vision of pharmacy practice change. First, the vision should be communicated not only to pharmacists but also to medical personnel, society in general, patients, and students.

Second, the communication tools would include the organization of workshops and seminars by hospitals, unions, and governmental institutions; the incorporation of pharmacy education by pharmacy and other medical schools; the preparation of newsletters, mass emails and orientation sessions by pharmacy and students’ societies; and the use of social media and advertisement to portray the role of pharmacists. Third, the vision should be supported by evidence highlighting the beneficial effects of change for each target audience. Indeed, the scientific literature underwrites the impact of pharmacist engagements in patient care and success stories of clinical pharmacist working abroad advocates for this vision.

Furthermore, PFS recognize their own role in raising awareness among other healthcare professionals and patients during their internships and trainings.

facilitate change by providing appropriate resources and removal of obstacles. They envisioned the offering of training courses, educational workshops, and continuing education to further reinforce the skills necessary for direct patient care, thus empowering pharmacist and building their confidence to embrace and implement change in their own practice. These workshops would be delivered by national and international leaders in the field and would cover, not only clinical competencies, but also interprofessional communication skills.

Such educational programs would target all health-related professions to instil a better understanding of the group dynamics and improve team building in a way that ensures the optimal patient outcome. Furthermore, FPS projected the need to bolster change at the legislative level, by modifying current regulations and introducing new guidelines, to protect and reinforce the role of pharmacists in health care.

6. Plan for and create some short-term wins

5. Empowering broad-based action

PFS identified the need to plan and assess the implementation of change. Consequently, documenting change is a challenge that must be built-in to ensure progress and appropriate planning for short-term wins. PFS proposed the evaluation of several performance criteria and clinical outcomes such as: 1) patient feedback, 2) quality of care, 3) medication errors, 4) institutional buy-in, 5) pharmacist-patient interaction, and 6) pharmacist clinical activities.

They also suggested providing individual and institutional incentives by: 1) offering certificates or awards to pharmacists’ practitioners who integrate change in their practice, 2) establishing pharmacy positions at medical institutions for patient counselling, 3) supporting financially institutions which advocate and implement change, and 4) introduction of pharmacies public rating scores.

FPS recognized the need to support and

7. Consolidate improvements and produce IPSF Newsletter 108

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career advancement. The ideas and insight of pharmacy students were collected and consolidated as a testament to their awareness of the culture of change, their high commitment level to pharmacy and their genuine enthusiasm to play a significant role in transforming the profession.

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2013;77(8):162. doi:10.5688/ ajpe778162.

8. Institutionalize new approaches

References

The final step of leading change is only accomplished when the change becomes the standard of practice. Not surprisingly, FPS considered the new graduates of pharmacy as the centre of change. Only when they become practitioners themselves, trained to provide direct patient care, then the change will become permanent. Hence, pharmacy education in Lebanon carries a huge burden in preparing the new element of change, the next generations of patient-oriented pharmacists.

1- Anderson C, Bates I, Beck D, et al.

The WHO UNESCO FIP Pharmacy Education Taskforce: enabling concerted and collective global action. Am J Pharm Educ 2008; 72:127.

9- Rayes IK, Hassali MA, Abduelkarem AR. Perception of community pharmacists toward their current professional role in the healthcare system of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal: SPJ. 2015;23(3):235240. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2014.11.016.

Conclusion

3- Inoue Y, Takikawa M, Morita Y, Takao K, Kanamoto I, Sugibayashi K. A comparison of pharmacists' role functions across various nations: The importance of screening. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2016 Mar-Apr;12(2):347-54.

In conclusion, schools of pharmacy in Lebanon play an important leadership role in driving change of pharmacy practice, by preparing the future generation of pharmacists to perform their new roles in patient care and modelling the way through interprofessional education.

The latter is an essential step in implementing change of the pharmacy profession because change starts in the minds of our students, the future leaders.

Acknowledgements: * The present newsletter is based on the collective input and thoughts of the following third professional pharmacy students who were enrolled in the course “career opportunities”: Abou Ali, Rasha N.; Al 32

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2- Chanakit T, Low BY, Wongpoowarak P, Moolasarn S, Anderson C. Does a transition in education equate to a transition in practice? Thai stakeholder’s perceptions of the introduction of the Doctor of Pharmacy programme. BMC Medical Education. 2015; 15:205. doi:10.1186/s12909-015-0473-4.

7- Mekonnen AB, Yesuf EA, Odegard PS, Wega SS. Pharmacists’ journey to clinical pharmacy practice in Ethiopia: Key informants’ perspective. SAGE Open Medicine.

2013; 1:2050312113502959. doi:10.1177/2050312113502959.

8- Neto A. Changing pharmacy practice: The Australian experience. The Pharmaceutical Journal, February 2003, online | URI: 20008776.

10- Schindel TJ, Yuksel N, Breault R, Daniels J, Varnhagen S, Hughes CA. Perceptions of pharmacists' roles in the era of expanding scopes of practice. Res Social Adm Pharm.

2017 Jan - Feb;13(1):148-161.

11- Taylor CT, Adams AJ, Albert EL, et al. Report of the 2014-2015 Professional Affairs Standing Committee: Producing Practice-Ready Pharmacy Graduates in an Era of Value-Based Health Care.

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

2015;79(8): S12. doi:10.5688/ajpe798S12.

12- Tsuyuki RT, Schindel TJ. Leading change in pharmacy practice: fully engaging pharmacists in patient-oriented healthcare. Edmonton, AB: COMPRIS/EPICORE Centre; 2004. Available: www. epicore.ualberta.ca/compris/LeadingChange. html 13- Watanabe, Tomoko, et al. "The Case for a Shift in Pharmacists' Activities and Pharmacy Education―Based on Those in The English Speaking Western Countries―." Yakugaku zasshi 125.3 (2005): 282-292.

14- Wiedenmayer, K., Summers, R. S., Mackie, C. A., Gous, A. G., Everard, M., & Tromp, D. (2006). Developing pharmacy practice: a focus on patient care: handbook. In Developing pharmacy practice: a focus on patient care: handbook (pp. x-87).

4- Janke KK, Sorensen TD, Traynor AP. Instruction for Student Pharmacists on Leading Change. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2009;73(2):30.

5- Kotter JP. Leading change: why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review 1995;73(2):59-67.

6- Medina MS, Plaza CM, Stowe CD, et al. Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education 2013 Educational Outcomes.

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FPS proposed consolidating change by providing MORE incentives for those who lead the way, more educational training and workshops for those who lag behind, more changing policies and guidelines to reinforce clinical pharmacy, and more communication of evidence to authenticate the vision of change. FPS recognized the importance of maintaining the momentum through constant efforts by identifying drawbacks to overcome and opportunities to expand change.

Sayed Mortada, Hasan S.; Azar Atallah, Shirine E.; Azzam, Zeina R.; Boutros, Sarah I.; Daou, Nagham M.; El Hajj, Janine J.; El Masri, Mira H.; El Tom, Jad M.; Hatoum, Youmna H.; Ismail Fawaz, Sara M.; Mansour Jamaleddine, Joanna Y.; Marchi, Lara B.; Matar, Christelle G.; Matar, Rita C.; Najem, Vanessa P.; Oueidate, Maya M.; Serhan, Alisar H.; Tabbara, Leen M.; Zaweel, Adam Y.; Zmeter, Maria V. Students’ responses were compiled and edited by the faculty members: Roy Kanbar D.Pharm., PhD; Aline Saad, PharmD and Imad Btaiche PharmD, BCNSP

more change

Aicha El Masri

Professional Year II, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University

What Falls Beyond I

can sugar coat this in so many ways. I can say pharmacy education has reached its climax. I can say that our social image as pharmacists is beyond exceptional. But would you believe it?

Do you really think that the education entity by itself even has a climax? Or is knowledge too intangible of a term to quantify with lines and numbers? I personally believe that we lie tangent to a plateau. I think we have lost our aim, and by “we”, I identify myself as a voice among aspiring others trying to make a change.

The change to be implemented should be directed to its utter antonym: stasis. Students are nowadays spoon fed information in so little time that it becomes necessary to deduce that the time it takes to interpret this information, to reinforce it, and to try to think beyond it, is being significantly cut off.

The point of running a marathon is not to solely reach the finale. It is to put the effort, to feel a muscle stretching and burning, and to rise above all limited self-conceptions.

Education is not knowledge and knowledge is not education. Knowledge identifies with additional energies and frequencies. It rises above the educational threshold that we lie tangent to. It is the conglomeration of the collective human knowledge and the individualistic one. Therefore, I believe that our education systems have become corrupt with the idea that more information equates with more knowledge. As pharmacists, we deal with molecules, signals, and cascades that form basis to our pharmacological theories: 34

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another stone to hit the fact that imagination is particularly important for progressing in our fields.

Our eyes are limited by a narrow range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our ear conductance is circumscribed within pitch ranges. We are a species limited by our senses. By stimulating student creativity, we are passively moving beyond these senses.

We are therefore allowing the uniqueness of every human consciousness, the individuality of human thought, to flourish the pharmaceutical sciences. This of course is amplified by one very important aspect of the pharmacy education system: interactivity.

Our enlightenment can also serve as a source of power. In many communities, pharmacists are sometimes misconceived as either blind clinical purists or greedy business people solely after profit. If we continue to show our communities how student and graduated pharmacists are contributing to health care, such labels can be deemed extinct. I am not undermining any of the advances forwarded by modern day pharmacists. I am just re-emphasizing the fact that any power, be it for intellectual or prestigious purposes, would be diluted if the key people for the given power are in disconnection.

In conclusion, we shouldn’t be disillusioned with our present state. We also shouldn’t shrug off any realities just because we want to show positivity.

We should inculcate the fact that whether there is a climax or not will always remain a mystery.

In this way, we would live amongst infinite possibilities, and by expanding, we increase our chances of capturing some of them. The point does not lie in drilling continuous pieces of information. It lies in stepping out of the box and going onto a different level: it is experience beyond the lines.

Inside IPSF

This noun has to be fundamentally built within every pharmacist if he or she is to be successful.

This is why our pharmacy curriculum involves a professional communication course. Therefore, we use interviews as a mode of selection for the professional pharmacy program. This is why we built IPSF. In other words, we should galvanize our fellow pharmacists and take advantage of our togetherness and oneness to create something beautiful. One can compare this method to the human genome project. The difference however lies in the propagation.

I sometimes balance this approach with Darwin’s evolutionary tree. Through IPSF, or any form of oneness, we can grow branches of different ideas and thoughts. We can break the paradigm we are restricted to and expand in amorphous like form.

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Ahmad El Ouweini

IPSF Pharmacy Education Newsletter Editor 2016-2017

Working With Older People – A Rich Learning Opportunity for Pharmacists

I

An editorial in The Official Journal of Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy in 2016 Author: Dr. Chris Alderman, the Director of Clinical Excellence with Ward Medication Management, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.

n this article, we are introducing to you an interesting topic that was well analysed and demonstrated by Dr. Chris Alderman, the Director of Clinical Excellence with Ward Medication Management, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Alderman wrote an editorial on this subject in The Official Journal of Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy.

Dr. Alderman started his article with highlighting the importance of having a wider perspective on the definition of the "clinical pharmacist" role rather than just limiting it solely to the hospital setting, where in fact there are many different arising educational and teaching opportunities and practice settings outside hospitals doors, that can still contribute to the preparation of a highly competent clinical pharmacist. There is an abundance of teaching fields that can be implemented in the clinical education of future pharmacists to ensure their full readiness for the pharmaceutical care practice, and one such example is to teach students how to study "patients affected by complex disease states or those characterized by acute instability."

However, according to Dr. Alderman, the field of geriatrics and gerontology is becoming progressively more essential and paramount in the clinical practice. This newly introduced trend is largely due to the observed and evident increase in life expectancy worldwide, where Japan has currently the longest life expectancy globally. Additionally, in many countries, the fastest growing populations 36

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nationally are the oldest people. What truly makes this issue pertaining to the pharmacy practice is the fact that this elderly sector of the society requires special care when it comes to managing their numerous health conditions and corresponding polypharmacy.

This consequently establishes the need for proactive screening for medication-related problems and side effects, the clinical problems that might emerge among these elderly populations, and surely the resultant economic burden on the limited health resources we have.

as a beneficial position within the healthcare team and caring for the elderly. Some of these duties include avoiding any drug-drug interactions, which are very likely to occur due to the multiple medications elderly people are usually on, improving the patient’s quality of life, and reducing the risk of falls and fractures by selecting the most appropriate drugs and a reasonable monitoring plan. However, Dr. Alderman pointed at a very important issue that needs to be taken into consideration when adopting an educational system for

future clinical pharmacist that focuses on the geriatric population concerns. According to Dr. Alderman, if both pharmacy educators and practitioners have incorporated, along with the clinical side of elderly patients, the social, psychological, and economic confrontations of elderly population, this would provide the society with fully prepared, well rounded clinical pharmacists who can participate in shaping and planning a magnificently healthy, social, and economic life for our beloved older patients.

Inside IPSF

Afterwards, Dr. Alderman moved on to give two examples of new terminologies that were introduced in the field of geriatrics upon the proactive involvement of clinical pharmacists deeply in this field. "For example, the term ‘prescribing cascade’ has been used to describe a situation where one or more drugs may be prescribed with the essential purpose of treating adverse effects associated with another medication. Another term that is increasingly used is “deprescribing,” which involves the systematic rationalisation of extensive polypharmacy."

Fortunately, the good news that Dr. Alderman brought to us is that there is a unique title that any pharmacist can acquire upon certain steps of education and training in the field of geriatric pharmacy. Thereby, upon mastering this path, the pharmacist can be designated as a CGP – a certified geriatric pharmacist.

Surely, the CGP has many different duties such IPSF Newsletter 108

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Ahmad El Ouweini

IPSF Pharmacy Education Newsletter Editor 2016-2017

Internship Reports – Live the Outstanding Ex-

I

perience with Our Past Interns' Words

n this article, we are going to present to the esteemed readers some parts of the internship reports that were written by students who did their internship in various professional places through the IPSF widely renowned and strongly influential internship program. The following words, certainly, will carry the excitement, positive change, and unforgettable life-long experience these students have witnessed during their internship period.

We will start our journey with Ms. Simona Dragieva, from Bulgaria, who has successfully completed an FIP internship in The Hague, Netherlands, between September and December 2014.

Simona told us: "If back before August of that hot and long summer of 2014, anyone had told me I would be going to FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, I would have giggled with disbelief.

I never thought that I would be fortunate enough to start my internship in Bangkok, Thailand as part of the amazing FIP staff and pharmacists, students and scientists from all over the world. I could not believe the opportunity that unveiled before me in a short period of time. I immediately accepted the challenge and took multiple plane rides across the world. Who knew that this pharmacy student from Bulgaria, studying and living in Kansas will be flying to Thailand and afterwards, settling in the Netherlands? After the initial shock, I quickly gathered thoughts, 38

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motivation and ideas for my next step as an intern. I took full advantage of the Congress program, the networking opportunities and helped my supervisor, Oliver Van Der Spek. Since I was part of the Marketing and Business Development team, I was able to start by looking for ways to expand services to FIP members and reach out to pharmacists with suggestions and opportunities for them to voice their concerns. Talking to a great number of talented pharmacists with diverse practices, opinions and experiences, was something I would never forget. I am extremely thankful for being part of the World Congress. In addition, I met many talented IPSF members and I do have to admit, the IPSF booth was my safe haven, my “homey” feeling for the day. After a couple of weeks spent getting acquainted to the Netherlands and working some from the wonderfully small IPSF flat, I clearly remember my first day walking into the office. It was one of those rare sunny days in the Netherlands. I biked with the IPSF bike, which I later substituted with my very own bike, entered the FIP/IPSF office, introduced myself to everyone and began my work. The international perspective of my internship, the influential professionals I had met, the projects I learned about and the skills I had gained shaped me into a better professional and global health advocate. I am more aware of cultures, countries and issues faced by people abroad. This eye-opening experience is making me even more driven to succeed. I plan to pursue an international

path in pharmacy. Despite the rocky road that may be lying ahead, I am choosing to pick a challenge and follow my dreams. The strength and lessons learned I have gained will be beneficial in the journey I am pursuing after graduation. IPSF and FIP will continue to be part of my professional career and take a special spot in my life.”

Our next guest is Ms. Amber from Canada who was also enrolled in the FIP Internship program.

She started by talking about her background and motivation for the participation in such a program. "The year was 2011. When I had time apart from student related activities such as attending class, sleeping, studying, and cursing the curriculum, I was very confused about what I wanted to do with my degree and with my career. I was in my third year of pharmacy, and I knew that I didn’t want a traditional career of working in the pharmacy. It didn’t matter which pharmacy chain or if it was in the hospital setting. I only knew that I felt the most in my element doing public health courses or engaging materials from health systems classes. Personally, the birds-eye view on systems in general is a far more appealing vantage point." Furthermore, about her expectations of the program and the mentorship she had, she stated: " My expectations for the FIP internship was to learn more about pharmacy in a global arena.

As aforementioned, I did not know what I wanted to do, and I wanted to gain different perspectives on what is available for pharmacy graduates.

At my internship, I had three mentors who gave me directions on what tasks to focus on and interesting ideas to think about. One mentor was giving me an introduction into the marketing area of pharmacy and helped me with adjusting to life in the Netherlands. The other gave me insight into the policy arena of pharmacy, and resources available to gain the

most updated details on diseases in the global perspective. The third mentor introduced me to the media and publications that FIP focuses on.

In all, I am very grateful for their roles in sparking a renewed interest in pharmacy. Though, I must say, everyone I met through this experience had a hand in mentoring me in some way."

For every lively and memorable life experience, there should be some unanticipated, stunning moments and events that add their own magic touch into our lives. For Amber, she described this as: " For me the most unexpected thing that happened during the internship was my first attendance at the IPSF World Congress in Egypt. It was a very last minute decision, and it was on the advice of one of my mentors from the internship. To this day, I am very grateful for her encouragement in this respect. For as you can see now, 2 years later, and I’ve met and gotten inspired by IPSFers all over the world. I am honestly very happy that I discovered IPSF when I did. I was amazed to meet young fresh minds with inspiring visions of the future."

Last, but not least, comes our student who experienced her Internship program at the WHO. She shared with us the benefits and unique practice period she passed through.

Ms. Kaouth Zribi from Tunisia, who had her internship at the Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products - Quality assurance - World Health Organization – Geneva.

She spent roughly two months from July 10th to September 6th, 2013. Kaouther said: Following the call for an internship at the WHO Quality assurance department, I sent my application. I was selected among twenty other students. During this internship, I learned about the World Health Organization, how it is run and its different departments, especially the Quality Assurance Department. The main objective of this internship was to participate in the update of The International Pharmacopoeia published

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Inside IPSF

to be with people from all over the world to share with them your experience, your culture‌" Finally, Kaouther sends a message to her colleagues worldwide:� I encourage all young pharmaceutical students to apply for such an opportunity to discover how this big organization works and to get introduced to the international practices, and when there, do not hesitate to take part of the social program for interns.�

Inside IPSF

by WHO. The International Pharmacopoeia is published by WHO in order to give guidelines to ensure the quality of medicines, especially for medicines listed as essential medicines by WHO. I also had the opportunity to attend a WHO Governing Bodies' working group of the member state mechanism on Spurious/ falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit (SFFC) medicines. Internship at WHO is for sure an important professional experience but also a personal experience and an opportunity

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Meet the IPSF Professional Development Team Meet the Chairperson

The Professional Development portfolio of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) is committed to constantly promote professional development projects among IPSF members. Pharmacists need to constantly improve their professional knowledge, competence, skills, and effectiveness. This is why our projects are crucial for pharmacy students and recent graduates to prepare themselves ahead for what the pharmacy profession is going to offer. The professional

development projects range from training to pharmacy profession awareness projects.

As student pharmacists and recent graduates, we must continuously find ways improve our professional development skills especially with the paradigm shift in the pharmacy profession which is very much focused on patient-oriented care.

This will enable us to propel one another to become eight-star pharmacists with patient health being a number one priority.

Inside IPSF

Juliet Onyinyechi

2016-2017

Meet the Coordinators

Mark Raafat

Amelia McLeod 42

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Estelle Yau

Yosra Azcool

N. Riziki Mulimba IPSF Newsletter 108

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Pharmacy Profession Awareness Corner Adeyemi Sylvester

IPSF PD Committee Member 2016-2017

diverse sources online, thus reducing the task of drug information service rendered by the pharmacist.

THE INDISPENSABLE PHARMACIST

D

id you know that some professions will soon go into extinction by 2030?

I mean in 13 years!!! Recent studies have shown that some manual activities carried out by accountants and auditors are being overlapped as a result of new technologies.

Today we have software programs capable of financial analysis at a single click. Some jobs too are not left out, for example, couriers are being overlapped by online messaging and delivery systems. Do you know that some online stores like Amazon are thinking of using commercial drones to deliver orders within 30 minutes!

The world is changing with time and the pharmacy profession is changing too. But the big question is, is a pharmacist dispensable in healthcare? Maybe or maybe not; I’d rather you answer that.

Pharmacists are healthcare professionals that provide a wide range of services.

Pharmaceutical services include, but not limited to, the following: management of clinical medication through pharmaceutical care, therapeutic review and monitoring of regimen for optimal use of medicines, medicine supply, compounding preparations, public health and research.

Advancements in the practice of pharmacy have led to some expanded roles of pharmacists in society. As medication

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experts, pharmacists have also broadened their horizons in pharmacology, clinical care, drug remodelling and engineering, health policy and decision making, social research to improve community health, and medicine supply. Pharmacists work at different levels of the healthcare system, however their existing role in healthcare is evolving with new technologies.

Published on Tuesday, March 15th, 2016 at 13:36pm, Omnicell, a leading organization in healthcare, announced the integration of Mach4 Pharma Systems LTD in the UK. Mach4 Pharma engineers had designed a robotic system to dispense medication even more accurately than a human. The integration was successful and was awarded a tender for robotic dispensing systems at two hospitals: The University College London Hospital and Bedford Hospital. Robotic dispensing aimed not to displace the pharmacist but to give pharmacists time for clinical roles and mature in pharmaceutical care.

In response to this evolution, the International Pharmaceutical Federation advocated in the Global Conference on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Education held on the 7th to 8th of November 2016. The advocacy to promote the workforce was through education, improving professional skills, fostering leadership development, developing skills in real life settings, focusing on developing future pharmacists, and improving sustainable performances in education. The key is to evolve with new trends and societal needs. This is summarized by continuous professional development, advancement in education and research and

utilization of skills that affect lives.

Conclusively, the functionality of pharmacy is pivotal in achieving sustainable development goals in 2030 and the place of a pharmacist is only at risk of becoming obsolete if only the experts fail to ensure continuous development and usefulness of the profession.

Viva la pharmacie Adeyemi Sylvester

Inside IPSF

In addition, the pharmacist’s role in drug information is now made easier with new trends in software technology. An example is the Emdex app, a new application containing drug classes, indications, adverse effects, contraindications, dosages, and common brand names of drugs in Africa. Another example is Medscape. Now patients can easily get information about their drugs from

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Clement HAECK

IPSF PD Committee Member Professional Development Committee Member 2016-2018

Experimenting with the Administration of Flu Vaccine by Pharmacists in France

46

On the 5th of December 2016, the national assembly of France adopted a measure allowing pharmacists to administer the seasonal influenza vaccine to adults over a three-year trial period. The ANEPF (French Pharmacy Students’ National Association) has been pushing for these changes since January 2015.

with this method. In Ireland, for example, 99% of respondents indicated that they would likely go to see their pharmacist again to receive their next influenza vaccination.

They noted the convenience provided by community pharmacies: extended opening hours, proximity, no appointment needed and less waiting time.

The work of pharmacy students, as well as other stakeholders in the profession, was crucial in the adoption of this experiment.

Their success was due to the large efforts made by the ANEPF executive committee and the local associations (representing students from the 24 schools of pharmacy).

Together they campaigned their members of parliament (MPs) to obtain the necessary amendments to pass this measure.

These conveniences are echoed by French patients who demand to have the option to be vaccinated by their pharmacist, a trusted local health care professional. A recent survey

by ODOXA showed that 60% of patients were in favour of allowing pharmacists to vaccinate against influenza, 50% had never been vaccinated against it and 28% would be willing to get vaccinated if the pharmacist was authorized to do so.

The seasonal influenza (or flu) is responsible for more than 3,000 deaths per year among people over 65 years of age in France. However, only 48% of those in the high-risk population get vaccinated, exposing an even greater risk of flu to those who do not receive vaccination.

This decision is an important victory for public health. ANEPF thanked the courage of the MPs who have overcome conservatism and corporation protectionism in favour of patient interests, who will be the first to benefit from this measure.

Administration of the flu vaccine by pharmacists is a common practice in a small number of countries around the world. Vaccination at the pharmacy allows for a significant improvement of the immunization coverage without impeding on the activity of other healthcare professionals who are authorized to vaccinate (especially doctors and nurses).

Furthermore, patient satisfaction is positive

ANEPF is now addressing practicing pharmacists so that they are fully involved in the success of this experiment, benefiting public health, for which they committed themselves during the oath of Galen.

IPSF Newsletter 108

experiment operational vaccination campaign.

for

the

2017

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Margaux Lefebvre, ANEPF Vice-President of Public Health 2016-2017, and Antoine Duckit, ANEPF Vice President in charge of External Affairs and Contact Person for IPSF 2016-2017, for their support.

Inside IPSF

The students will remain mobilized until the publication of the decree of application which will endorse the modalities of this experimentation. The aim is to make this IPSF Newsletter 108

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Highlight of Past PD Events Winners of Professional Development Events 2017

Compounding Events Compounding Beginners: 1st Place - Clarasintha Nindyatami 2nd Place - Xiao Meng 3rd Place - Natthan Pinnoppan

Clinical Skills Events CSE Individual Beginners 1st Place - Zahra Dehghani 2nd Place - Tan Jun Jie 3rd Place - Gabriel Wang

1st Place - Denobia Faishal Kusindarto

CSE Individual Advanced

2nd Place - Mohamed Eltaher Aly

1st Place - Thum Enn Yi

3rd Place - MinKyung Joo

2nd Place - Elsa Kobeissi

Inside IPSF

Compounding Advanced:

3rd Place - Soo Ching Ting

Patient Counselling Events

CSE Individual Beginners

PCE Beginners

1st Place - Zahra Dehghani

1st Place - Clarasintha Nindyatami

2nd Place - Tan Jun Jie

2nd Place - Tifa Maulina

3rd Place - Gabriel Wang

3rd Place - Aulia Hanifah PCE Advanced 1st Place - Lisa Toy 2nd Place - Carole Najd 3rd Place - Zeinab Amr Samir 48

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CSE Individual Beginners 1st Place - Zahra Dehghani 2nd Place - Tan Jun Jie 3rd Place - Gabriel Wang

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Crazy Clinical Corner

Crazy Clinical Corner case 1

A week later, after a referral to the doctor and some tests, Mr. Tate returns with a prescription.

He explains to you that he was diagnosed with chronic bacterial prostatitis caused by benign prostate hypertrophy. He says that the doctor is going to treat him with antibiotics before starting him on something to help reduce the prostate size.

ANSWER 1: Tamsulosin should start to show effect within 48 hours, but it can take 4-6 weeks to reach the full effect.

ANSWER 2: Nitrofurantoin is not appropriate, as it does not penetrate the prostate, a quality that is required for a chronic prostate infection. Some more appropriate options would be ciprofloxacin 500mg twice a day, or Norfloxacin 400mg twice a day, or Trimethoprim 300 mg at night. Each for four to six weeks.

ANSWER 3: Trimethoprim 300mg at night for 4-6 weeks if the previous answer was ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin. If the previous answer was trimethoprim then either ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin would be appropriate at the dosages given above.

Today’s prescription is for Nitrofurantoin, Tamsulosin 400mcg in the morning.

Question 1: How long until he will see relief in symptoms from the Tamsulosin?

Question 2: Is the antibiotic choice appropriate and why? If so, which dose and duration should be given? If not, which antibiotic and dose would be better?

Question 3: If sensitivity tests show that the bacteria is resistant to the antibiotic chosen, what antibacterial from a different class can be used and in which dose?

Leanne is a regular customer at your pharmacy. Whilst you know she has had a difficult past, over the past few years you have seen her getting her life back together.

She has been coming in for the daily supply of medications and hasn’t missed a day that you can remember. One week she misses two days. You want to make sure she is okay and not having problems. You phone her up at home and her housemate answers and says she is in the hospital. After a couple of weeks, she is back home and in your pharmacy.

You ask her if she is okay, and she says she had a chest infection that ‘got quite nasty’.

She also explains that she has been started on some new medicine that she has to take every day and asks if she can leave it here for daily dispensing alongside her other medicine so she doesn’t forget it. Unsure what it is, you agree. The next day she brings in three medicines, Tenofovir, Emtricitabine and Efavirenz. You realise what is going on and take her into the private room to make sure she really is okay. She says that it was the confirmation that she was HIV positive that made her sort her life out, but she has only just started the treatment.

Question 1: What is the name of the combination therapy she is on, and which drug classes are involved? What is the other common combination?

Question 2: Despite the early diagnosis why was Leanne only recently started on treatment?

Question 3: What adverse effects is Leanne likely to show?

Question 4: Which parameters need to be monitored?

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ANSWER 1: The combination of medications that Leanne is on is called HAART, which stands for highly active antiretroviral therapy. This is a combination of two NRIT or NtRTI’s with either a PI boosted with low dose ritonavir or a NNRTI. The other common combination is tenofovir, emtricitabine, atazanavir with ritonavir.

ANSWER 2: The reasons for delaying treatment can vary from area to area as different countries have different guidelines. Some of the reasons for the later start could be due to adverse effects, cost or treatment, and compliance as HIV can easily mutate to become resistant.

Some reasons to start therapy is when there is increased viral load, an opportunistic infection (such as complicated pneumonia in Leannes case), the CD4 cells drop below 500 wbc/mcL (or other specified levels) or the patient gets pregnant (in order to prevent the baby getting it) ANSWER 3: Anti-retroviral medication can cause a variety of adverse effects. Some of them are: metabolic disturbances, lipodystrophy, hepatotoxicity, osteonecrosis, neuropathy, and rash/SJS/toxic epidermal necrolysis, this is not an extensive list, there are many more depending on the medications used.

ANSWER 4: There are a variety of things that need to be monitored in a patient with HIV even before they start on medication to track the disease progression including, CD4 cells, and viral load, these need to be continued throughout treatment to ensure that it is effective. With the addition of therapy other things need to be monitored such as allergy, toxicity and adverse effects of medication, this will include both liver and renal function. As well as physiological tests, other things need to be monitored in patients such as compliance, and the psychological impact of the condition.

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Inside IPSF

Mr. Ross Tate, a 65-year-old man, comes into the pharmacy complaining that he is tired and lethargic (lacking energy). After questioning, it turns out he is tired because he usually gets up three times a night to urinate. When he goes, he finds it hard to pass urine and it is more of a dribble than a flow. In addition, his bladder still feels full when he is done. He also says that he feels pain when urinating and a general lower back pain, so he thinks he may be starting with another urinary tract infection.

Crazy Clinical Corner case 2

Compounding Corner

Crazy clinical corner case 3 stimulating factor used to increase white blood cell production and reduce neutropenia.

Metoclopramide is a dopamine receptor antagonist used for breakthrough nausea and vomiting. Docusate and sennosides, are laxatives used for the treatment and prevention of constipation caused by the medication.

Whilst mainly being used in the chemotherapy regimen prednisolone will also have some effect preventing nausea and vomiting.

As you pick up the chart Mr. Naser starts talking: “Are you the pharmacist? I think the doctors have something wrong. I am here for chemotherapy and there are a lot of medicines written there. Is that right? What is it all for?”

ANSWER 3: It will be no surprise to hear that there are a lot of adverse effects associated with this regimen. Some of the most noticeable ones have already been mentioned, nausea and vomiting, neutropenia, and constipation.

Medications

A red-orange discoloration of the urine due to the doxorubicin, there is not much that can be done to manage this as it will only last a few days after treatment, but the patient should be aware of this.

Prednisolone - oral, morning 1-5 Palonosetron - IV on day 1 Doxorubicin - IV on day 1 Vincristine - IV on day 1 Cyclophosphamide - IV on day 1 Pegfilgrastim - subcutaneous on day 4 Metoclopramide - oral three times a day when required Docusate and Sennosides- oral, daily Question 1: Which of the medications are being used to treat Mr. Naser’s lymphoma?

Question 2: What are the other medications being used for?

Question 3: What are the four most common side-effects Mr. Naser may experience? How could he manage them?

ANSWER 1: The medications that are being used to treat the lymphoma are prednisolone, doxorubicin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide.

ANSWER 2: Palonosetron is a 5HT3 receptor antagonist. It is a strong antiemetic given half an hour before the chemotherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting. Pegfilgrastim is a colony

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Oral mucositis: irritation and damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth. This can be managed with good oral hygiene using a soft toothbrush, rinsing the mouth after meals, adding extra sauces to food and avoiding, hot, spicy, and hard food.

Alopecia: hair loss from all parts of the body.

There is not much that can be done to prevent it, but it is important to make the patient aware of this, and it may be worth suggesting that once hair starts to fall out to shave the entire head.

Cardiac toxicity: this isn't an immediate adverse effect but is caused by high lifelong exposure to doxorubicin. The management of this is mainly through educating the patient on the risks, referring Ahmed to a cardiologist and ensuring that his lifetime exposure to the medication is below the maximum threshold.

W

Making Home Natural Remedies for the Winter

hether it’s winter time or soon to be, you’re likely to come down with a sore throat, a stuffed-up nose or a cold. While medication can help reduce the symptoms you experience, a cold has no cure and it takes about seven days to resolve. Thankfully, there are many simple natural remedies to help ease the discomfort and speed a nasty cold on its way.

1. Drink lots of fluids.

While drinking water is important throughout the year, it’s especially crucial during winter when dehydration puts you at greater risk of illness. Drinking warm water at regular intervals will help fight the common cold and reduce the inflammation in the throat along with washing out the infection. Other fluids in form of a warm soup or a fresh juice are also beneficial for replenishing the body’s lost energy. Try to make your home-made oral rehydration therapy: Mix 6 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1 L of clean drinking water (or boiled and cooled). Stir the mixture till the salt and sugar dissolve. Drink 200 mL of the solution every few hours.

Oral rehydration therapy is highly recommen -ded to prevent and treat dehydration due to diarrhoea, vomiting or fever.

2. Inhale steam A congested nasal passage occurs when the membranes lining the nose become swollen from inflamed blood vessels. In most cases, a stuffed nose is usually caused by a virus and typically goes away by itself within a week.

You can moisten your nasal passages, open your congested sinuses and loosen up your stuffy nose by inhaling some hot steam: Add 4 drops of tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil to

1 cup of boiling water in a big bowl. Drape a towel over your head while leaning above the bowl. Breathe slowly through your nose for 5 to 10 minutes every few hours throughout the day.

Tea tree oil is a natural agent for curing the three main types of infectious organisms: fungus, bacteria, and virus. Eucalyptus oil acts on receptors in the nasal mucous membranes to reduce the symptoms of nasal congestion.

Inside IPSF

Mr. Ahmed Naser, a 28-year-old man, has been admitted to your ward in the hospital. He is due to start his first round of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the morning and has been admitted early to make sure all the correct tests are done before starting. As you are the ward pharmacist it is your duty to review his chart. As you start with the consultation on the medications prescribed he interrupts you with some questions.

3. Massage with a chest salve Chest congestion is very similar to a stuffy nose. It is characterized by accumulation of mucus in the lower part of the respiratory system as well as inflammation of the airways.

There’s a good recipe for making your own vapor rub to massage and stimulate your chest muscles and loosen up the airway: Pour a neutral oil (such as grape seed oil, almond oil, olive oil) into a small container.

Add 15 drops of a mixture of essential oils (such as eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender) and stir slowly. Simply rub a little on your chest in a circular motion. Breathe deeply.

4. Gargle with warm salt water A sore throat is usually one of the earliest symptoms of a cold or flu. Many people have found that gargling salt water is an effective

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Simply stir a teaspoon of coarse salt into a large glass of hot water till all salt is melted.

Once the water is warm, gargle with it and repeat every few hours if needed. Do not swallow it.

5. Make a garlic, honey, and lemon syrup One of these classic home remedies for cold and sore throat is comprised of three familiar ingredients-garlic, lemon, and honey. Both garlic and lemon contain anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Raw honey is an

antimicrobial agent that boosts immunity and suppress cough.

Crush up 1 medium garlic clove and place it in a glass along with the juice from one half fresh lemon. Top it off with 1 teaspoon of raw honey (you can add more for better taste if you like) and then top it off with warm water. Give it a stir, and then drink entirely. Repeat 2-3 times a day for the duration of your symptoms.

Of course, if you are feeling seriously ill or your symptoms are not improving, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor.

N. RIZIKI MULIMBA

IPSF Patient Compounding Event Coordinator 2016-2017

Do’s and Don’ts of Patient Counselling Patient counselling is a key competency element of the pharmaceutical care process.

Counselling can be defined as a one on one interaction between a pharmacist and a patient and/or a caregiver. It is interactive in nature, and should include an assessment of whether or not the information given was received as intended and that the patient understands how to use the information to improve the probability of positive therapeutic outcomes. As is in any engagement, there are do’s and don’ts, here they are to help us as we go about counselling activities.

DO’s »» Introduce yourself to the client

DON’Ts »» Be judgemental

»» Be polite and make the client feel relaxed

»» Impose personal solutions on the client

»» Create an environment of trust

»» Show sympathy to the client.

»» Assure confidentiality »» Ask open ended questions »» Share information which is short, precise and in simple language »» Avoid street language »» Be attentive to the client, allowing them to give you feedback »» Maintain eye contact »» Behave in a professional manner regardless of the clients’ manners »» Motivate the client to speak if he/she looks hesitant »» Have empathy and avoid sympathy to your client

»» Give advice to the client. »» Interrupt the client when he/she is talking »» Provide incorrect information or information you are not sure of »» Intimidate your client through body language »» Quickly dismiss the client to attend to another »» Use your mobile device or another gadget during counselling, unless to retrieve necessary information »» Push/force the client to give details

»» Be positive in your attitude

»» Give false hope/make promises you can’t keep

»» Share information with your client, avoid advising him/her

»» Look bored, irritated, or sneer at the patient

»» Facilitate decision making »» Always be non-judgemental

Inside IPSF

way to soothe a sore or scratchy throat:

»» Impose your own values »» Ask questions in an embarrassing direct manner

»» Recap for the client before dismissal Sources; 1. Guidelines for Counselling Practice Handbook- NFI pdf. http://www.nfi.net/downloads/knowledge_centre/NFI%20publications/BCC%20resources/Multilingual%20BCC/English/Booklets_English.pdfs/Guidelines%20for%20Counselling_english.pdf 2. http://zone4counseling.blogspot.co.ke/ 54

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»»Introducing IPSF Compounding Event (CE) sponsor: Lucas Ercolin PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America) »» Internal Relations Chairperson 2015-2017 ment Committee Member 2016-2018: "As one of the past CE coordinator, I would like to acknowledge and thank our CE sponsor: PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America). PCCA is an international company based in the USA which integrates the complete resource for independent compounding pharmacies, providing high-quality products, next-level education and above-and-beyond support. It was incorporated in 1981 by a network of pharmacists, united by a commitment to help patients who require commercially unavailable or personalized medications. The company’s members are more than 4,000 independent community pharmacists in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries around the world. IPSF will be able to build on this collaboration to bring pharmacy students from around the world the chance to organise their own Compounding Event (CE)!"

Products. Education. Support.

Everything compounding pharmacies need to make a difference.

Membership, for all the right reasons. pccarx.com | 800.331.2498

PCCA_Ad_IPSF_01-17_5.845x4.135_HalfA4.indd 1

With PCCA, Membership MeansPartnership PCCA provides member pharmacists and prescribers more products, education, and support than any other compounding organization. We have been the innovative compounding leader for 36 years, developing new industry-changing bases and equipment. With studies to back up our qua-

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ty products, we are proud to have helped com pounders solve some of the toughest patient .challenges

lEvery

Lot - Not Just the Initial Lot - Is Tested Comprehensive Education is the Key to Compounding

We do not solely rely upon the USP or manufacturer’s label to ensure the quality of the chemicals received.

Every lot received is tested using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible analysis, melting point, specific gravity, solubility, and chemical identifications.. Additional testing of APIs is done using actual formulations. Checks and Analyses are Performed on Each Chemical Lot. Nine qualitative and quantitative analyses are performed on every incoming chemical lot before it is released for repacking or sale.

Each lot is tested against the certificate of analysis (C of A), including: USP, EP, NF, FCC, ACS, and PCCA standards.

After initial testing, all results are reviewed for accuracy by a second QC analyst. Chemicals are tested only by .degreed Chemical Analysts

Continuing education is the key to quality compounding solutions. PCCA pharmacies have access to more Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited continuing education than anyone else In 2016, PCCA will conduct more than 115 ACPE-accredited sessions across the United States, Canada and Australia, as well as scores of other training sessions from clinical and technician related topics to sales and markerting

Complete Support

PCCA Rejects Almost 250 Chemical Lots Per Year. PCCA is fully registered by the FDA, DEA, and State of Texas as a manufacturer and follows current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Only FDA-registered and GMP-certified manufacturers are used for the purchase of active pharmaceutical ingredients

Member pharmacies have access to the industry’s best support with more than 30 pharmacists and pharmaceutical chemists on-hand to answer the toughest compounding and clinical questions

Proven Bases for More Patient Options

Through our dedicated Public Affairs department, PCCA advocates for each member’s right to compound through such things as regulatory and insurance support, product availability, and crisis intervention. We work hard on your behalf to raise awareness of compounding and to protect your practice and your patients manage this vital but complex process while providing the care and protection your patients' need

With access to more than 60 proprietary bases — unavailable to other compounders — your PCCA pharmacy will have more options to treat patients, from VersaBase® topicals, specifically designed for compounded HRT delivery, to Lipoderm®, the industry’s only transdermal proven to deliver four drugs simultaneously, to PracaSil™-Plus, our base for scar therapy backed by a number of studies showing its effectiveness

Advocacy

At PCCA, we have made it our business to support compounding pharmacists every step of the way — and then some. What began in 1981 as a small network of pharmacists, has grown to over 4,000 member pharmacies worldwide. Here is the list of Quality Differences that PCCA brings to Member pharmacies every day

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Inside IPSF

C

lement Haeck, IPSF Compounding Event Coordina- tor 2015-2016 and IPSF Professional Develop-

Austin Green Third-year student pharmacist at The University of Texas at Austin IPSF PARO Regional Projects Officer 2017-2018

Pharmacists and PrEP: Improving Global Health through Pharmacy Services reetings, my name is Austin Green. I am a second-year student pharmacist at The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy. I am a part of APhA-ASP in the United States of America and serve on IPSF’s Public Health Committee, where I work on projects related to communicable diseases and reproductive health.

As the role of the pharmacist has advanced over the years, the potential for pharmacists to advocate for patient access to pharmaceutical agents as well as monitor their therapeutic success has never been higher. From diabetes, to hypertension, to complex disease management, pharmacists are at the forefront of ensuring optimal patient outcomes for chronic diseases. However, pharmacists can also play a large role in advancing global health through disease prevention strategies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a progress report for 2016, outlining the progress made in HIV/AIDS care, containment, and prevention. This report contains goals for future years, including decreased incidence and mortality, alongside a “treat all” approach, suggesting that instead of treating patients below a certain CD4 level, all patients who test positive for HIV should receive the appropriate antiretroviral therapy.

While this methodology is more expensive due to increased antiretroviral usage, it can prevent additional infections and more complex or second-line medication usage that would further increase the cost. In this regard, this “treat all” approach is not only saving lives, but also saving money.

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One of the most striking goals for the WHO is to have less than 200,000 new infections by 2030. While increasing antiretroviral prescriptions internationally through the “treat all” approach to treating HIV/AIDS will start to decrease the infection rate, prophylactic measures would also need to be taken to achieve this seemingly lofty goal.

Fortunately, with the rise of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), pharmacologic options are available to prevent the spread of HIV. HIV-negative persons who belong to high-risk categories or live in high-risk areas can simply take one pill, once per day to help prevent contracting HIV. This highly effective method, when paired with other safer sex practices, offers a novel approach to HIV prevention in which the pharmacist can play a key role.

Inside IPSF

G

Much like chronic disease management, the pharmacist can monitor the course of a patient’s PrEP usage. The pharmacist can monitor and emphasize the importance of adherence to PrEP, provide the patient with recommendations based on potential side effects, and counsel the patient on safer sex practices to use in combination with their prescription. This allows a strong opportunity for the pharmacist to take an active role in helping the patient avoid contracting HIV, and by extension, help advance public health.

With pharmacists working together to address the spread of HIV/AIDS, we as a society can reach the large goals set by the WHO. Together, we can advance global health. Together, we can put an end to HIV/AIDS. IPSF Newsletter 108

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Khansa Chavarina

IPSF APRO Regional Relations Officer 2016-2017

Asia-Pacific’s Biggest Enemy

People in Asia-Pacific countries have different habits and lifestyles. There are three main concerns we are trying to put in our campaign, which are food, exercise, and hours of sleep.

Asia-Pacific countries have a variety of great food with exceptional spices. Unfortunately, some of them have a bad impact for health.

In my own country, we have a lot of fat in our foods. A lot. Worse thing, we eat all of these fats every single day. Even three times a day.

That includes rice, a staple food for Asian countries. In addition to that, we drink a lot of box drinks which contain preservatives.

Can you imagine how much sugar intake we have in a day? Multiply that number with the number of days.

a lot of programs in each country to raise the awareness of how important it is to exercise.

Some of the countries have movements to increase the number of people with routine exercise.

The last, sleep deprivation! Yeah, those people again with crazy working hour do not have enough time to sleep. According to Mahowald, the body’s reaction to sleep loss can resemble insulin resistance. Another fact that people who are tired tend to eat more to get more energy. Sleep is as important because it restores your energy. Not a lot of countries have concerns regarding sleep deprivation, but we are likely to have a big campaign in the future.

Inside IPSF

T

ype 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) currently are two main diseases with biggest number of patients in Asia-Pacific countries. We have been dealing with these issues for years. As we know, people with bad lifestyle are susceptible to these diseases. That is the key to the problem and for that reason, we would like to raise people’s awareness towards a healthier lifestyle.

I believe our work in fighting type 2 diabetes and CVD is not an easy task, but we need to keep it going. Our concern to make this campaign successful is the length of time people get exposure to it. So, what we are trying to do, is keeping this campaign continuously in the future.

Number of type 2 diabetes and CVD patients are the highest in urban cities. People who love to work with crazy working hours mostly do not exercise. They rather spend their time in their office, sitting in front of their laptop, and type. Only their fingers work out. You definitely need more than fingers to prevent these diseases. There have been

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Dear friends from all around the world, For those of you that are reading about SEP for the first time, I hope that you will enjoy and learn something new about countries that offer SEP placements and that it will increase your desire to have great international experiences. I hope you may be inspired by testimonials from students that have been on SEP to make the important step in your professional career and join SEP.

Petra Orlić

SEP is one of the biggest projects that IPSF has, and the experience that students can gain from SEP is of great value in the professional and personal development of each individual. It is a unique opportunity to share pharmaceutical knowledge and at the same time experience new cultures, try different food, meet friends, learn new languages, visit beautiful places and enjoy your vacation by enriching yourself in different ways. I challenge you all to step outside of your comfort zone and join the big SEP family!

Tijani Adlina

Citta Santi

Amr Fathi

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If I should describe what SEP means for me, SEP is my addiction. I always want to be involved in SEP again and again.

Even though I couldn’t go to do my own SEP because of some reasons in the past, I’m grateful to have such opportunity to work and implicate in SEP. I’ve been contributing to SEP for 4 years, started as a SEP buddy, chosen as a SEO, and now am a part of SEC Guardians. It’s a great pleasure for

Joining the SEP family is beyond my expectations! My journey with SEP started 3 years ago as I volunteered in my association.

This year I went from SEO to the Guardian SEC Team. These experiences woke me up to the idea of diversity and friendship. I am very happy to have met and known a lot of interesting people :) Come on! Experience the

As the old pharaohs had their secrets, secrets that were kept hidden for thousands of years, the same, every country has its own secrets and its own culture. Simply, SEP will take you to the world, you will discover new places, places with stories in each corner and on each wall, stories will take you back in time in a way you have never tried before. The feeling can't be described, you should try it yourself, because the world is so

me to serve all of you and help SEP to run well. I have witnessed how SEP changed people’s life and perspectives. I experienced many good memories with the exchange students, and I also know how it generated mutual understandings between people.

However, I still have a desire to do my own SEP in the future. I really suggest you do your own SEP too, because it will be a life-changing experience and #discoverSEP will be the best memory in your life.

hospitality of the hosts, visit one of the seven wonders, and establish network only with #discoverSEP.

Inside IPSF

Meet IPSF SEP Advisors

Warm greetings from Indonesia!

big and full of many secrets which need to be revealed, and SEP is the way to discover them!

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pharmacy. Either option will get you the experience you are looking for and show you how the Lebanese pharmaceutical field functions and interacts either with other companies, patients or other healthcare providers.

I consider my past 4 years at pharmacy in Lebanon life changing and similar to an extended SEP :) and that is why I advise you to create some unforgettable memories and make some good friends abroad at your next SEP experience while you #discoverSEP

SEP is one of the greatest gifts that IPSF gives to pharmacy students. It’s an adventure that will change your mind set in every aspect! And the precious part is like my pharaonic buddy Amr said - that each country will create a different experience within you, with new neural pathways in your head, as a Guardian I really recommend

SEP! Cause this magical word is enough to turn your life 180 degrees.

Welcome to the United States of America, where every state brings a unique SEP opportunity!

While you may be a student right now, before you know it you will be a practicing pharmacist like me. By doing your SEP here in the US, you can experience the expanded roles of pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry and clinical and community practice.

Shadowing a US pharmacist is a great way to start off your rotations or to prepare for your first pharmacist job!

IPSF Newsletter 108

Roland SHAKILA KAMATALI

Cassandra Woit Mahmoud

Amanda Cavness

Hello from Rwanda and AfRO at Interacting with IPSF AfRO large. and SEP has been an amazing experience to be exposed to I’m personally from the land of a great interesting people with thousand hills, and I’m a final year whom I share so much and learn pharmacy student (quite a relief from a lot. and sad as well). Oh, where do I start with AfRO, it’s so big, diverse If I had to characterize AfRO it and at the same time I feel like would be the friend who is laidthe same thread runs through us back, knows how to have a good all. Working with AfRO has been time, reliable but also knows such a blessing, from connecting when to get down to business with my francophone brothers and hold you accountable. in Ivory Coast to my anglophone sisters in Zimbabwe, that it has been a whirlwind.

Hello and Bonjour from Canada!

Whether it is poutine, snowmen or figure skating, Canada has so much to offer through SEP. While I myself have not yet participated in SEP (emphasis on the YET), I have been involved with incoming and outgoing students as SEO. Just being in the SEO position has given me so much contact with students from other countries, I cannot imagine how amazing participating in SEP

Ho-ho-ho! Welcome to the land of thousands of lakes and forests - and Santa, of course.

To be honest, I haven’t been to Rovaniemi (the Santa Claus Village) myself, even it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Finland. The problem is that it’s up up up North and quite cold during the winter and too bright during the summer as the sun is not setting at all. Besides, I prefer warmer climate and that is one reason I chose to do my SEP in Indonesia.

would be. It is also very fulfilling seeing fellow SEO’s and students from around the world coming to Canada and experiencing all the wonders we have to offer.

From Niagara Falls, to the Rocky Mountains, and oceans on both sides, there is so much to see and do! Sounds like an amazing time, eh? If you come through SEP, or just come to visit, our IPSF family would love to show you around!

What a wonderful xSEPerience!

The culture in Bali was something totally different and gave me lots of different point of views.

I met some awesome students - both exchange students and locals - who made the exchange unforgettable. It totally trapped me, and here I am, can’t let go!

Every time I’m travelling I can’t wait to see my dear SEP and IPSF pharmily! I hope we can go together and meet the Santa, so welcome again soon!

Inside IPSF

Hello from Lebanon where I have lived for the past four years. Here I got to experience the rooted culture, the varying climates and landscapes that makes Lebanon a great place to do your SEP this summer. With the Mediterranean Sea to the west, mount Lebanon and bekaa valley to the east, Lebanon is full of wonders. Started with the Pheniciens, the first alphabet, to the Greek then Roman empire, Lebanon never stopped gaining more culture. The Ottoman empire and the French soon added their own touch to the mix that is eminent through monuments, the architecture, the music and art that makes Beirut's nightlife a focal point for many tourists to experience either local music with dabke and meza and arak for dinner or party till the sun rises at any rooftop nightclubs. When it comes to the pharmaceutical experience in Lebanon, it can be either in an industrial setting or a community

Ida Lepistö IPSF Newsletter 108

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SEP is just the first step of a journey that if you decide to embark on, will open a new world of opportunities: new friends, new adventures, new fears, new challenges, new perspectives on life.

Once you get the taste of it, it is hard to say no afterwards. And that is understandable, as what can be more exciting than discovering yourself through travelling, by connecting with other people and other cultures, by overcoming your fears and constantly improving yourself? This is what SEP promises to offer you: an “intensive course” packed with exciting experiences, cheerful moments, perfect dose of awkwardness and forever lasting memories.

Two years ago, after founding EMUPSS, we have found out about IPSF and started dreaming about becoming a part of this amazing Federation and participating in SEP to broaden the pharmacy vision.

Even the name “Student Exchange Program” was attractive enough for me to work and discover more. At the 61st IPSF World Congress in India, we officially became a part of the IPSF family and my journey as the first-ever Student Exchange Officer of EMUPSS started.

The SEO meetings during the World Congress

Safiye Çağansel

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"I hope you enjoyed the tour around the world!

Keep the SEP spirit alive!

Viva IPSF, viva SEP, viva la pharmacie!"

So, have you already registered?

Inside IPSF

Bianca Chichirau

SEP is one of my dearest projects that has literally contributed to my personal development throughout the last years. Not only it has offered me the chance to broaden up my horizons by being in contact with pharmacy students from all over the world but it has also introduced me to the wonderful world of IPSF. I have never imagined that such an energy, positivism and good spirit can be so easily transmitted to you, by simply talking to the members of the team, creating ideas together, debating on different subjects, enjoying together the good and the bad moments that we have overall experienced.

were very fruitful – I felt that I really want to work actively for improvement in every fraction of this educative and personally enriching program in all dimensions.

However, because it was literally the first time for SEP to be in Cyprus and I didn’t have any predecessor, it was tough but fun to explain and make people familiar with IPSF and SEP, to find placements, set the ideal pre-selection criteria, etc.… but it was all worth! Moreover, recruiting a highly-motivated group of LEOs and creating my own SEP team which includes SEP volunteers, where there has always been an active flow of ideas during the meetings to fulfil the great xSEPectation of the incoming students. This has been one of the best experiences of my mandate as a Student Exchange Officer and now as a part of Student Exchange Committee!

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10. SEP ADVENTURE 1. PHARMACY PRACTICE You have heard that there are opportunities to do training abroad in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences? Yes, SEP is a great programme that offers you great quality training in any interesting field you would like to develop further in.

2. NEW FRIENDSHIPS AND GREAT MEMORIES We can assure you that while on SEP you will meet friends that will last a lifetime. SEP connects people and the memories you will gain from SEP will remain with you forever.

Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heart-warming and it is great when you can share those with your friends as you can with SEP! 3. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT What is more important than a great beginning of your professional career? SEP is the right thing to do, for skills and knowledge that you can gain will be a valuable addition to your personal and professional development. You will be able to strengthen your communication and organizational skills, learn new languages or improve existing language knowledge.

4. VISIT NEW PLACES Travelling is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer. It is the same with SEP as here you can combine travelling and pharmacy practice. SEP offers you opportunities to visit beautiful and hidden placements with professional guides from your host association's SEO and members.

5. PARTICIPATE IN DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES

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As it has been already mentioned, your hosts will be SEOs, LEOs and members of association which you choose to do SEP with. They are preparing different, interesting activities and events. You can try everything that you don't have the chance to do at home. Don't miss it and plan your stay on SEP well with your hosts.

6. EXPERIENCE CULTURE You can do SEP in any IPSF member country, which allows you to experience cultures from all around the world. You can choose what you would like to learn and experience and enjoy new cultures and customs. Meet locals and spend your time on SEP like they do to get the most out of it.

7. EXPLORE FOOD If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him, the people who give you their food give you their heart.

Go to SEP and enjoy in new dishes with your hosts and SEP friends! You know that love goes through the stomach.

We are sure that all of you have little adventurers inside of you and SEP will definitely release them. Meeting people from different backgrounds opens our minds, expands our world, and can inspire us a lot.

You may meet some amazing locals or other adventurers like yourself. Either way you’re bound to make some new friends during your journey. Adventures are the best way of learning, so SEP is calling you.

possible, you just have to decide you’re willing to take the first step and start planning your itinerary.

12. HAVE THE TIME OF OUR LIFE Live your life, take chances, don't wait! SEP is an amazing and important time in your life that you will never forget.

11. SEP PROVES DREAMS DO COME TRUE You imagined it, daydreamed about it, envisioned it. Guess what? It can be done.

Going on SEP in any part of the world is

Explore! Dream! Discover! ˝In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away˝

Inside IPSF

12 Reasons Why to Participate in SEP

dreams come true. It is good way to broaden your mindset and way of thinking.

8. DISCOVER HIDDEN POTENTIALS IN YOURSELF As you are going to spend few week far away from your home and working in another environment, it wouldn't be surprising if you discover that you are good at something new.

Dare to try and dare to give the best of yourself as you will receive it back a hundredfold.

9. EXIT YOUR COMFORT ZONE You will hear for sure at least once that the best experiences are gained when you take a risk. It is often said that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, so join SEP and make your

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Best SEO of 2015-2016 An Unforgettable Journey Dear IPSFers around the world, My name is Ivan Ramos and my mandate as Student Exchange Officer finished last December. I was APEF´s-Portugal SEO during the mandate of 20152016 and I have never imagined Ivan Ramos that SEP was going to give me one of the best years of my life, personally and professionally.

I never had the opportunity to reveal the importance of this program to me and the lucky I had to be surrounded by great professionals, always trying to “fight” for the interests of their students, some of them future great leaders. Before getting involved as a Student Exchange Officer, my experience and my knowledge of SEP were close to nothing, I had just heard some opinions about it, but nothing concrete. The lack of experience should not be an excuse for a SEO to avoid the work, on the contrary it must be the “fuel” for the desire to be the best.

Every single SEO should be aware of the responsibility that is to be SEO, representing their students worldwide. There should be

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constant interaction not only with the students (incoming and outgoing), but also with Local Exchange Officers as they are the “eyes and ears” in each city. One of the best parts of this experience was the opportunity to meet people from every single part of the world, realize that without me and my team they would never have this amazing experience, and I hope we have changed many people’s lives with this opportunity. This whole year made me a more responsible person, more organized and raised my self-confidence, as my efforts were recognized in the end.

If you are a SEO and you are reading this, you should view this experience as a huge opportunity for you to become a leader (of people and ideas), and not as an obligation with lots of steps to follow. Enjoy every single moment of your mandate, do your best, and I am sure you will leave a better person!

Best regards from Portugal, Ivan Ramos BEST SEO 2015-2016

To tell my story about SEP (Student Exchange Program) I need to start from the beginning.

Fresh faced 19-year-old me is getting enrolled in my first year at university with papers that say I am a pharmacy major, when every fibre of my being is telling me that I have to change Shakila Kamatali this major sooner or later. You have to understand that I had always thought I was going to do medicine that I never envisioned thinking of a different major.

Two years down the line and I figured that I might as well commit fully to this pharmacy thing; this was pushed along by one lecturer who taught us pharmacology and finally I felt I could carve my niche in this sphere. So, I started thinking about interning to get a feel of the pharmacy practice outside of class, which eventually led me to my students’ association RPSA (Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association) and IPSF (International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation) by extension.

Fast forward I’m traveling to Algeria for my SEP; a country many of my peers kept calling: Nigeria?!” to which I would often reply: “No, Algeria where they speak French and have a good football team!”

trip changed my life but it did. I met great people, learned new languages and tasted new food; it was an unforgettable experience even with its ups and downs.

My first night there, we ordered pizza while we talked about toxicology marks as well as the latest Big Bang Theory episode. Once I returned to Rwanda I felt compelled to run for Student Exchange Officer (which I won!) because I knew that my fellow classmates could benefit immensely from the internship that I got to do at Institut Pasteur d’Algerie. It’s one thing to study something theoretically, but it’s entirely different when you get to do it and see it with your eyes.

My term as SEO was also another lesson in balancing school work, making new friends through

Inside IPSF

SEO TESTIMONIALS

From SEPer to SEO to SEC: My journey through SEP

IPSF, and being blown away by what other pharmacy students are doing in this field.

This was my fifth year and my last one as a student but I’m giving SEP my farewell as a member of SEC (Student Exchange Committee) to pass on the baton of the SEP spirit which personally signifies loving this thing called pharmacy, living in this world as a global citizen and continually learning all the time from people, places and experiences.

Shakila Kamatali, RPSA Rwanda Best SEO of AfRO 2015/2016 SEC member 2016/2017

Admittedly, I was nervous about my experience in this foreign country, yet at the same time I was very excited about what was in store. I know it sounds corny to say that this

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An adventure is knocking on your door as you read this! It’s time to pack your bags and ride this wave of wonder which is the student exchange program! If you welcome it with open arms, you may just be surprised with who you meet and what you’ll learn! From cuisine, culture, architecture, festivals, hidden bars, and a passion for pharmacy, every cell in your body will be thrilled when you embark on this once in a lifetime adventure. As a SEO who has hosted 3 students in their home town it has been by far the best thing I have ever done! We’ve had students from Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom and Malaysia all make their way down under! It’s time you do too! Here they navigated the Australian health care system and the pharmaceutical benefits scheme while enjoying the sandy beaches and Melbourne’s nightlife. Some were even fortunate enough to travel around Australia and swim their way down from the north to south So this leaves me with one questions.... what are you waiting for?

Aleksandra Trakilović, NAPSA Australia BEST SEO of APRO 2015/2016

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is Sam Doherty and I was voted as Best SEO of EuRO region for 2015-16. My year as SEO was one of the most challenging yet rewarding years to date. A highlight of my mandate was definitely having such a supportive network of fellow SEOs, SEC members and the Chairperson of Student Exchange to help me achieve my personal goals throughout the year. They were not only colleagues but also became close friends whom I kept in regular contact with throughout the year. This involved regular Skype Sam Doherty meetings, Facebook groups and email threads. These were ideal ways to stay connected and also hear what other SEOs were getting up to! I found it useful to be surrounded by like-minded people who all shared the same passion and ambitions for the SEP programme and contributing innovative ideas and opinions regarding future improvements. Being an SEO and coordinating placements for students from all over the world was certainly not an easy job.

However, it helped me to develop my time management, organisation and communication skills. Regular reminders from the Chair Person Student Exchange regarding deadlines helped me to prioritise my own workload and manage this around my studies. I also relied on my national association (BPSA) to support me when needed. I found the role very rewarding as I was actively helping pharmacy students realise their ambitions of completing a place-

Sam Doherty, BPSA UK Best SEO of EuRO 2015/16

From being exchange student to SEO During the same summer, I was both LEO and exchange student (ES). The SEP movement in my life started by an accident, as I didn't know exactly what I was signing for.

I remember havso much fun Georgiana Ciobanu iningthe preparing period and during the hosting period, having deep conversations with the ES, exchanging cultural customs and organizing everything: from practice placements to social schedule.

I was lucky enough to have a great collaboration with my SEO at the time and I benefited from all her support.

Inside IPSF

Connecting APRO with What to expect when the world you become SEO? My name

ment in a different country, introducing them to completely different healthcare systems and helping them to develop as pharmacy professionals. I believe opportunities such as SEP can really enhance learning, change perspectives and broaden your idea of pharmacists therefore I would encourage all students to apply. Finally, I would like to thank all those who helped me through my year as SEO and thank all those who voted me as Best SEO of EuRO region.

The next month I transitioned to being ES. I went to Croatia and experienced what I have provided to my incomers: practice placements, social schedule and lots of memories.

It felt rewarding and different as I was accustomed to knowing what was happening with volunteers, programming visits and tours, but it was good different: care-free and enjoyable.

After my return home, the next year I decided to take a break, but the break didn't happen and I was LEO again. I remembered how much fun it was, how organised you need to be, and everything came in handy and easy.

It was when my predecessor asked me if I want to apply for SEO when I took the matter seriously and accepted the challenge.

Now, when I look at the things I've done, the people I met, the process that lead me here, I am grateful.

Georgiana Ciobanu, Romania SEO FASFR 2016/2017

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◊ In the Netherlands, we have one mountain: the Vaalserberg. Overall, we are a very flat country, almost completely below sea level. However, when going to the south, you will come to a point where 3 borders cross: the border of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. At this specific intersection, you will face the Netherlands' highest mountain that measures 323m. So, when going on SEP to the southern part of the Netherlands, please visit this worth-seeing beauty! ;) ◊ The development of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) as an immunomodulator drug for treating multiple sclerosis occurred in Israel. It was developed in the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel by Michael Sela, Ruth Arnon and Deborah Teitelbaum. Teva Pharmaceuticals holds the patent for Copaxone. ◊ The pride of the biggest Finnish pharmaceutical company Orion is Entacapone, a revolutionary drug for Parkinson’s disease.

Entacapone was invented by Pekka Männistö who was also a professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy in the University of Helsinki. ◊ Eighty-three percent of Algeria is covered by desert. Not only the land of camels, oases and the "Deglet Nour", but also less famous creatures, such as the terfess (desert truffles), and aliens! There have been several reported UFO sightings in Algeria. In addition to prehistoric rock art found in Tassili, which seems to be from extra-terrestrial beings. So, when you’re in Algeria, keep an eye on the ground for creatures you may not see elsewhere and the other out for little green aliens in the sky! ◊ The Hungarian pharmacist, János Kabay revolutionized morphine production in the 1920s. He extracted morphine from the dry 74

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poppy-straw, which before was considered waste. This way, they could not only produce the narcotic analgesic but also sell the poppy seeds. Presently, his patent serves as the base for industrial manufacturing of morphine all around the world. ◊ Croatia is famous for its many scientists and inventors, and some of their discoveries you use in your everyday life. In 1906, Slavoljub Penkala invented a mechanical pencil called Penkala, which we nowadays call the 'pen'. Croatians also invented the necktie, and a team of researchers at Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva discovered azithromycin in 1980. ◊ Deep in the Jordan Valley and 55 km southeast of Amman (the capital of Jordan), is the Dead Sea, one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the whole world. It is the lowest body of water on earth, the lowest point on earth (430 meters below sea level), and the world's richest source of natural salts, hiding wonderful treasures that accumulated throughout thousands of years.

The Dead Sea water has a density of 1.24 kg/ litre, which makes swimming similar to floating. ◊ A Portuguese pharmacist, Maria Odette Dos Santos-Ferreira was a pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Portugal. In the laboratories of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon, during her research work, she isolated the HIV-2 virus for the first time in history, in September of 1985. ◊ There is a crafted talismans market located in Lomé, the capital of Togo, in the district of Akodésséwa.

Bird feathers, animal skulls, animal skin, herbs and all kinds of things that are supposed to have magical qualities appear on the counters, as well as small sculpted talismans. ◊ Argentine discovery on the functioning of the dengue virus: BUENOS AIRES: CONICET (The National Council for Scientific and Technical Research) scientists at the Leloir Institute elucidated the behaviour of a protein essential for the virus to reproduce. Understanding how the virus works opens the door to a possible vaccine and treatments against this disease.

The discovery was carried out by a team led

by Andrea Gamarnik - head of the molecular virology laboratory at the Leloir Institute and lead researcher at CONICET and Sergio Kaufman, a professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry at University of Buenos Aires (UBA). The results were published in the Journal of Nucleic Acids Research. ◊ Did you know that Yogyakarta was given the status of a Special Administrative Region, making Yogyakarta the only region headed by a monarchy in Indonesia. The Buddhist temple of Borobudur on the Indonesian located in Yogyakarta is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. It resembles a nine-tiered “mountain,” rising to 113 feet (34.5 m) tall. It is said to have taken 75 years to complete. It was also one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Indonesia! ◊ World’s most expensive coffee comes from Rwanda?!

Well, one of the most expensive coffees is pro-

duced in Rwanda and you have got to taste the freshly ground brew to believe that Starbucks imports their coffee beans from Rwanda. ◊ The first two Algerian presidents were pharmacists; Farhat Abbas & Benyoucef Benkhedda, whose names were given to the University of Setif and the University of Algiers respectively. ◊ The earliest recordings of pharmaceutical documents were found in Egypt. The records had information on 800 prescriptions mentioning 700 medications. The records were 3500 years old which places them at around 1500 BC. The records are named "Papyrus Ebers". ◊ Our professor, Dr. Elin Yulinah Prof., managed to find a cure for tuberculosis from the Morinda citrifolia fruit and the Zingiber officinale rhizome extract. The result is published in the 10th Asian Conference on Clinical Pharmacy, 2010. Now, the cure is available in Indonesian drugstore, named FORTIBI.

Inside IPSF

Did You Know That….

The market is famous throughout the sub region for the great diversity of its products, allowing many people to find what the sorcerers have prescribed.

◊ Do you know the result of an investigation

by Expat Insider-The Top Expat Destinations 2016? All in all, Taiwan holds the first prize in this survey. It’s said that Taiwan is a satisfactory place for you who are interested in experiencing a different life and culture. What are you waiting for? Come and join us! Taiwan: out with the old, in with the new. The newcomer Taiwan has ousted two-time champion Ecuador to win this year’s survey. In addition to claiming 1st place out of 67 countries in the overall ranking, it is in the top ten for every individual index! Taiwan holds first place in the Quality of Life and Personal Finance Indices, impressing with the quality and affordability of its healthcare and the enviable financial situation of expats living there. ◊ Did you know that one of the most important chemicals, ethanol, was discovered

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◊ Did you know that Romanians have a history with pharmacies? The first pharmacy in Romania dates from the 1494 in Sibiu, and nowadays there is a museum of pharmacy. Also, in Cluj-Napoca there is another pharmacy museum with collectibles such as substances and pharmaceutical instruments.

On a more social life note, in Brasov there is a Pharmacy Cafe, Dr Jekelius, where the space is decorated like an old pharmacy. ◊ In Estonia's capital Tallinn is located Europe's oldest pharmacy, that is still active to this day. The pharmacy Raeapteek was established in the year 1422 (some believe that it was even earlier than this) and to this day it still actively works in the same building and same rooms! It also has a museum section and exhibits of old pharmaceuticals. ◊ Did you know that El Salvador has incredible beaches to do surfing?

Located just 25 miles or so south of the capital, San Salvador, La Libertad and its main wave Punta Roca, are the anchors of El Salvador's surf scene on the Costa del Bálsamo. There are at least a dozen excellent waves within about an hour's drive of La Libertad. The best time of the year to visit is March and April, when temperatures are high but south and southwest swells start arriving. ◊ Did you know that Costa Rican scientist Dr. Clodomiro Picado studied between 1915 and 1927 the inhibitory action of the fungi

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of the genus Penicillium sp. on the growth of Staphylococci and Streptococci and found a "non-specific vaccine" years before Fleming formally discovered penicillin, so some consider him the first discoverer of penicillin. ◊ Some of the earliest evidence of cancer is found among fossilized bone tumours in human mummies in ancient Egypt, and references to the same has been found in ancient manuscripts.

Although the word cancer was not used, the oldest description of the disease is from Egypt and dates back to about 3000 BC. It is called the Edwin Smith Papyrus and is a copy of part of an ancient Egyptian textbook on trauma surgery. It describes 8 cases of tumours or ulcers of the breast that were treated by cauterization with a tool called the fire drill. The description adds that there is no treatment for the condition.

he was the first one who was working on creating electricity from sunlight.

10 kilograms of flour and six chickens. Double the cross and it could buy a gun.

◊ The first Australian of the Year award was awarded to Professor Macfarlane Burnet who had won the Nobel Prize in the same year of 1960 for his ground-breaking physiology research.

◊ Spain was the first country in the world where wind power was the greatest source of electricity. Red Eléctrica de España (REE), operators of Spain’s electricity system, revealed that in 2013 wind turbines generated over just under 54,000 gigawatt hours of electricity – a fifth of the nation’s usage.

◊ Tulips do not originate from the Netherlands as most people believe. They were wildflowers growing in Central Asia that were cultivated by the Turks as early as 1,000 AD. The flower found its way to Western Europe and the Netherlands only in the 17th century. ◊ The national flower of Thailand is the orchid. If you love exotic flowers, you’ll be pleased to know that 1,500 orchid species can be found growing wild in the Thai forest.

There’s a reason why it is one of the world’s largest orchid exporters.

◊ Louis Pasteur was a French scientist, chemist, physicist, biologist, and a pioneer of microbiology. In 1860, he developed pasteurization, a process of food preservation, and in 1879, he developed the principle of vaccine.

◊ College education in Germany is free even for internationals – tuition fees for bachelor’s degrees in public universities was abolished in 2014 due to politicians believing that having to pay for higher education is ‘socially unjust’.

◊ Prof. MUDr. Jan Janský was a Czech serologist, neurologist and psychiatrist. He is credited with the first classification of blood into the four types (A, B, AB, 0(zero)) of the AB0 blood group system.

◊ Polish students invented the modern drug test, app for smartphone which detects presence of drugs in human body.

◊ Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world's lakes combined. ◊ It is illegal for drug companies to advertise prescription medications to consumers almost everywhere in the world. The only exceptions are the US and New Zealand. ◊ The Lebanese Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah was a technological leader whose inventions in electricity had a great impact on the development of the 20th century technology and

◊ Traditional medicines and forms of treatment are still widely used in Zimbabwe. In fact, traditional healers, also called n’anga, are sought for their healing powers and religious counsel. They even have an association – Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association. ◊ The Democratic Republic of Congo used to have a very strange form of currency. It’s called the Katanga cross. The metal is made of copper and is shaped in the form of an X. A single Katanga cross, which was used for trade in the 19th and early 20th centuries, could buy

◊ French was the official language of England for about 300 years, from 1066 until 1362. ◊ The shape of Cyprus is like that of a Cigar pipe. Have a closer look at the map of Cyprus. ◊ Tunisia has only ever had two presidents. ◊ Iraq first took part in the Olympic Games in 1948 and has only won one medal, a bronze in weightlifting in the 1960 Rome Games. Iraq has never competed in the Winter Games.

Inside IPSF

by an Iranian scientist "Rhazes", He's also the discoverer of paraffin. He was among the first to use "Humourism" to distinguish one contagious disease from another and wrote a pioneering book about smallpox and measles providing clinical characterization of the diseases. Rhazes (Razi in Persian) is the "Father of Pharmacy" in Iran and his birthday is our National Pharmacist's Day.

◊ Sudan is nicknamed the Arab world’s food basket, as it accounts for 45% of arable land in the Arab world. ◊ The main rivers of Nigeria are the Niger and the Benue, which meet and empty into the Niger Delta, one of the largest river deltas in the world. ◊ Côte d’Ivoire has two capitals, Yamoussoukro and Abidjan; they cover an area of 1,351 square miles (3,500 square kilometres) and 818 square miles (2,119 square kilometres) and had a population of 259,000 in 2014 and 4,860,000 in 2015 respectively. ◊ The main transportation vehicle in Uganda are bicycles. ◊ Colombia is the happiest country in the world according to the 2013 and the 2014 Barometer of Happiness and Hope. ◊ Ghana is the world's second largest producer of cocoa beans.

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Ha Phan

Home Organization: APhA-ASP

SEP Essay After arriving later than scheduled at the airport, I was greeted by the local exchange officer (LEO), Martina, at the gate in Zagreb.

During the car ride she explained to me about how Croatia had just lost in the Euro Cup. I did not realize how important football was to Europeans but I quickly realized during my exchange. My favourite memories included the different people that I met, the unique events I got to experience and the different sites and scenery that I got to see.

During the two and a half weeks I was there I had so many opportunities to meet other pharmacy students from Croatia and other students in the SEP program. My roommates were from France (Salomé) and Poland (Natalia, and Paulina). One of my first experiences with my roommate was attempting to order pizza at a local shop. We tried to order pepperoni pizza and we tried to understand the words on the menu but it was difficult. The owner of the shop tried to find someone who understood English to help us order and someone came to help us! This first experience showed me that Croatians were very accommodating.

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After my first week of working at a community pharmacy, I had the opportunity to go to a free local concert. I had never heard of the duo that we were seeing, but apparently, they were the talk of the city.

I came to find out that 2CELLOS, was a very famous local and international duo that played electric cello! The concert was amazing as they played many popular songs. It was so interesting to see the draw of 2CELLOS, and to be at a free concert with such a large audience (thousands in a park).

Experiences make great memories but it is the people that you meet along the way that make an experience even more memorable.

Throughout it all, I met students from Italy, Poland, Estonia, Portugal, and students in Croatia that were not pharmacy students. It was an enlightening experience to compare the culture of Croatia and Europe to the United States (U.S). There are many things that I wish were a part of the culture in the U.S on example specifically would be the social culture that I experienced in Croatia. Everyone was very welcoming, even those who could not speak English at all or very well.

Most importantly, during my SEP, I observed the differences in the profession of pharmacy in Croatia. In the community pharmacy that I worked in, patients would come in and get over the counter (OTC) medications after talking to a pharmacist, whereas in the U.S patients can self-diagnose and select their own OTC medications off the shelf without consulting a pharmacist. My mentors at the pharmacy were very knowledgeable and open to showing me their day to day as a pharmacist. Overall, SEP was a memorable adventure and I look forward to the day that I get to come back to Croatia!

Inside IPSF

My roommate Salomé and I got to take a bus ride to Plitvička lakes, which is a national park in Croatia that has some of the most beautiful waterfalls.

The hike through all of the waterfalls was a sight that could not be described and a place you must stop if you are ever in Croatia.

We even went to the coastal cities where we were greeted by the LEO, Ante, and given a personal tour of Split! The city was centred on the structure of the roman palace of Diocletian. There were breath-taking views and lovely beaches.

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Birgit Reisenhofer AFÖP Austria

... Wait, let’s see if you can guess where I went for my SEP This essay on my SEP experience is dedicated to my host SEO Anania and all my friends I’ve made during my wonderful stay in Tanzania

A

t the beginning of July 2016, my journey started - it was my first travel alone, to a continent I’ve never been before.

Even if my family and friends were worried about me at first, I was really looking forward to my little adventure :) When I arrived, the local pharmaceutical students’ association TAPSA welcomed me very warmly at the airport and invited me to a welcome dinner. My SEP internship started with an orientation day at Muhimbili University of Health Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Muhimbili National Hospital (NMH) some days later.

Once I could even observe a leg surgery and its medical treatment at the theatre. I really enjoyed going to the ward rounds with the pharmacy students and the intern pharmacists because they always explained the medical treatments to me. Besides this, I was also allowed to deliver medicine under supervision and I learnt to deal with Jeeva, their hospital’s computer system. Moreover, they taught me some essential words in Swahili because even if all the treatments were documented in English by the doctors and interns, most of the patients didn’t speak English. Do you already know where I went for SEP? During my SEP, we also visited TFDA, a food and drug authority, where we were shown their registration procedure and laboratories of quality control, and a local pharmaceutical company named Zenufa where we observed the production of tablets and capsules and helped a little bit in the QA/QC labs. I was also able to attend classes at MUHAS University.

In the weekends, we travelled a lot: I did for example a safari at Mikumi National Park, went one day to Kiromo village to experience the villager’s daily life, another day to Bagamoyo where we saw some historical slavery sites, then we travelled to Zanzibar to visit the Prison Island and go for swimming with dolphins. Finally, we went for a hike to Lushoto where we walked through the Magamba rainforest, visited the Soni waterfalls and had an amazing view from Irente Viewpoint.SEP definitely doesn’t stand just for a common Students’ Exchange Programme, but in my case also for loads of Safaris, Experiences and Private developments! Did you realise that I was in Tanzania? A country in West Africa, situated on the Indian Ocean? It was one of the best experiences of my life. I can’t describe how much I miss the evenings at Coco Beach, eating cassava and listening to the ocean or their music. The students had such a positive attitude, they smiled and shined every single

day and lip-read all my wishes. Because of them I felt safe and welcome, they made my SEP unforgettable! Asante sana, marafiki zangu! (Thank you very much, my friends!)

Do you want to have your own incredible SEP experience like me? Apply now!

Inside IPSF

During my time at NMH I rotated mostly at the emergency and infectious wards but I was also introduced to pharmacists from other departments like Cardiac, Maternity and Paediatrics. I dealt a lot with malaria and HIV treatments and saw many patients with asthmatic issues and open-wounds at the resuscitation rooms.

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IPSF Student Exchange Programme (TAIWAN) Last summer was one of the best summers that I have ever experienced. It was my privilege to be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Taiwan for the Student Exchange Programme (SEP). I was placed in 4 community pharmacies around Taichung in my three-week exchange. To my delight, all pharmacists whom I had encountered were friendly, sociable and pleasantly welcoming.

They were very enthusiastic; with no sign of reluctance, introducing and exposing me to the pharmacy systems in Taiwan. Some of the examples are the Taiwan health insurance system their prescribing and dispensing separation, Traditional Chinese Medicines and pharmacy management system. All these contributed a lot to my knowledge because there are disparities between practices in Taiwan compared to practices in Malaysia. To be honest, it was an eye opener for me and several times, I was in awe of their efficiency and organisation. Besides imparting extensive knowledge in me, the pharmacists were also kind enough to bring me around; in which it was their personal effort, bringing me to explore different places in Taichung like Lu

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Kang, Shi Gang and also pampering me with the original local delicacies.

I would like to briefly share about the pharmacy systems in Taiwan. Apparently, every Taiwanese, regardless of age, is covered with a health insurance where they can get medications free of charge, provided he has prescriptions from the clinic. This system is to ensure that every Taiwan citizen - rich or poor, young or old is able to get fair treatments in the aspect of health, especially those with chronic diseases who need long-term treatment.

Besides, they also have dispensing separation, though not fully implemented across the country. Another interesting discovery is some pharmacies in Taiwan are comprised of a blend between Western medicines and Chinese traditional medicines, which can hardly be found in Malaysia. For the very first time in my life, I could get my hands dirty and pack Chinese traditional medicines under the supervision of a pharmacist, and this is one of my highlights because the experience was simply priceless.

applauding. Also, I am so glad to have been able to meet friends from different countries like Canada, United States, Indonesia and Germany. Every night, we had our dinner together followed by some leisure activities - playing bowling, exploring night markets and strolling in shopping malls. Despite our different backgrounds, cultures and languages, we were able to mingle well with one another; not forgetting sharing our cultures and beliefs. On weekends, the committees were kind enough to take us sightseeing, especially places in Taichung and also the outskirts of Taichung. Let’s give a big thumb up to the committees.

be a better self, personally and professionally.

As what Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Over the weeks, the Student Exchange Programme in Taiwan had brought sweetness and colours to my youthful moments – the warm and friendly people, their delicious food and their breath-taking sceneries. I was blessed to be a part of this programme, and it definitely had changed and motivated me to

Inside IPSF

Lim Hui Ming

Malaysia

Besides associating with friendly pharmacists, I also received a warm welcome by a group of young, energetic and friendly committees.

I have to say that this board of committees has done a marvellous job in taking care of us and making us feel like home. The fact that our accommodation, transportation and necessities were being well-taken care of, shows the committees provide their utmost hospitality to all exchange students, which is

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Nahla El Haddad

Egypt

Gateway to Exploring and Adventure “Travel, is that gateway from the real world into a world that is yet to be discovered. Like most people I love to travel, to get to know new places, people and traditions.

This experience will open for me a new way to learn about a different culture and way of living, improve my skills, live a great adventure and meet lots of people” This was apart from my motivation letter that I had sent to FASFR’s SEO when I was applying for SEP in Romania and that’s exactly what I achieved. People say the faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory, but I disagree. I think that If you do the thing you love, you will remember every single moment of it and the confirmation of this thinking came to me in my adventure that started from filling the application on the IPSF SEP website, receiving my placement, the visa and going to the airport and lasted until I returned, after a month away from my comfort zone.

Let me narrate my adventure from the beginning. I don't know exactly why I applied for SEP but it all began when I was a part of the publication team promoting SEP and the idea got immersed in my mind. For this reason, I thought of applying only to gain experience from the interviews. I never thought that I would be accepted but I was surprised when

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I found myself passing one interview after the other and at the end I found myself accepted to become one of the SEP students. Needless to say, that was the happiest day of my life, since that day till the day I was standing in the airport alone for the first time going to Romania, I couldn't particularly define my feelings at that time, it was a combination of happiness, anxiety and fear.

pharmacy. Besides the training, I had the best social program ever - either in the cities I was placed in or in the international weekend in Brașov where I saw many touristic places like Bran Castle, Râșnov castle and a lot of other activities which I cannot forget.

Travelling gets you out of your comfort zone, forcing you to discover new things, to use the time you have to explore magnificent things and to meet new people.

them with our eyes opened”. SEP allowed me to know people from different cultures and to see all of them in the same place, having different beliefs and traditions but having one thing in common, sharing the same interest in pharmacy. I feel extremely lucky that I got the chance to be a part of SEP. Nahla Adel EL Haddad EPSF, Egypt

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek

At the end, the great thing about SEP in Romania is the interSEP; I had the chance to practice in more than one city and also in different fields and this was the main reasons that made me interested in Romania.

I was placed in a community pharmacy in Iasi in which I got involved in the daily operation of the pharmacy and had the chance to know how the system is running, see the common drugs and the similarities between the practice there is and in my home town.

Inside IPSF

Then I was placed in hospital pharmacy in Heart Institute in Cluj-Napoca, this was very interesting, I had the opportunity to do dose adjustment preparations for paediatrics and beside that I got to know what pharmacy means outside my own borders simply I got to know the international meaning of

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IPSF Team ListIPSF 2016-17 This list is to serve as an official list of all members of the Team for the mandate of 2016-17.

This list is to serve as an official list of all members of the IPSF Team for the mandate of 2016-17.

Executive Committee: Executive President:Committee: Mr. Israel Bimpe (RPSA, Rwanda) President-Elect: Mr. Christian Roth (BPhD, Germany) President: Mr. IsraelMs. Bimpe Rwanda) Secretary General: Allie(RPSA, Jo Shipman (APhA-ASP, United States of America) President-Elect: Mr. Christian Roth (BPhD,Canada) Germany) Treasurer: Mr. Michael McIntyre (CAPSI, Secretary General: Ms. Allie Jo Shipman (APhA-ASP, United States Australia) of America) Chairperson of External Relations: Mr. Yacoob Moustafa (NAPSA, Treasurer: Mr. Michael McIntyre (CAPSI, Canada) Chairperson of Internal Relations: Mr. Lucas Ercolin (IM, Brazil) Chairperson Relations: Mr. Yacoob Moustafa (NAPSA, Australia) Chairperson of of External Media and Publications: Mr. Ahmed Ali Awed (EPSF, Egypt) Chairperson of Internal Relations: Mr. Lucas Ercolin (IM, Brazil) Chairperson of Pharmacy Education: Mr. James White (IM, Australia) Chairperson and Publications: Mr.Ms. Ahmed Awed (EPSF, Chairperson of of Media Professional Development: JulietAliOnyinyechi ObiEgypt) (PANS, Nigeria) Chairperson of Pharmacy Education: Mr. James White (IM, Australia) Chairperson of Public Health: Ms. Sabrine Chengane (ASEPA, Algeria) Chairperson Development: Ms.Orlić Juliet Onyinyechi Obi (PANS, Nigeria) Chairperson of of Professional Student Exchange: Ms. Petra (CPSA, Croatia) Chairperson of Public Health: Ms. Sabrine Chengane (ASEPA, Algeria) Chairperson of the African Regional Office: Mr. Arinze Awiligwe (PANS, Nigeria) Chairperson Ms. Petra Orlić (CPSA, Chairperson of of Student the AsiaExchange: Pacific Regional Office: Mr. BrianCroatia) Wong (NZAPS-O, New Zealand) Chairperson of the African Regional Office: Mr. Arinze Awiligwe Nigeria) Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office: Ms. (PANS, Meryam Hassine (ATEP, Tunisia) Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Regional Office: Mr. Brian Wong (NZAPS-O, New Zealand) Chairperson of the European Regional Office: Mr. Luka Šrot (ŠSSFD, Slovenia) Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office: Ms. Meryam Hassine Tunisia) Chairperson of the Pan American Regional Office: Ms. Jessica Rodiles (APhA-ASP,(ATEP, United States of America) Chairperson of the European Regional Office: Mr. Luka rd Šrot (ŠSSFD, Slovenia) Chairperson of the Reception Committee of the 63 IPSF World Congress: Mr. Jui-Lin Nathaniel Chang (PSAChairperson of the Pan American Regional Office: Ms. Jessica Rodiles (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Taiwan) Chairperson of the Reception Committee of the 63rd IPSF World Congress: Mr. Jui-Lin Nathaniel Chang (PSATaiwan) President Portfolio: President Portfolio:Ms. Dayl Eccles (IM, United States of America) Policy Coordinator:

External Portfolio Interprofessional Coordinator: Mr. Thomas Fares (EPSF, Egypt) Corporate Relations Coordinator: Ms. Lidya Kartika Marsaulina Sihombing (BEM FFUI, Indonesia) External Committee: Ms. Zeinab Mohamed Elrafaey (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Othniel Nimbabazi (RPSA, Rwanda) Ms. Ereny Wagdy Fawry (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Ooi Ziqian (MyPSA, Malaysia) Ms. Aya Ahmed Refy (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Karolina Miljak (CPSA, Croatia) Ms. Amanda Haddad (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Ms. Sara Waheed Mohamed Youseff (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Hubert Janowski (YP, Poland) Mr. Martin Koprivnkar Kranjc (ŠSSFD, Slovenia) Internal Portfolio Association Membership Coordinator: Mr. Peter Lin (IM, Australia) Individual Membership Coordinator: Mr. Peter Lee (KNAPS, Republic of Korea) Affiliations Coordinator: Ms. Yasmin Nasr Eldin Sedky Haroun (EPSF, Egypt)

Policy Policy Coordinator: Committee: Ms. Dayl Eccles (IM, United States of America) Ms. Lauren San Juan (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Policy Committee: Mr. Aniekan Ekpenyong (PANS, Nigeria) Ms. Lauren San Juan (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Mr. Aniekan Ekpenyong (PANS, Nigeria) Secretary General Portfolio:

Internal Committee: Mr. Sebastian Lehmann (BPhD, Germany) Ms. Ana Raquel da Silva Oliveria (AEFFUL, Portugal) Ms. Martina Lauš (CPSA, Croatia)

Secretary General Portfolio:Ms. Janet Mirzaei (IM, Australia) Parliamentary Coordinator:

Media and Publications Portfolio

Parliamentary Ms. Janet Mirzaei (IM, Australia) Constitutional Coordinator: Working Committee: Mr. Osama Abd El Rahman Abo Bakr (EPSF, Egypt) Constitutional Working Committee: Ms. Kartika Khoirunnisa (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Mr. Osama Abd Rahman Abo Bakr(EPSF, (EPSF,Egypt) Egypt) Ms. Yara Yasser El Mohamed Elkadey Ms. Kartika Khoirunnisa (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Mr. Benjamin Greathouse (IM, United States of America) Ms. (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Yara Kelsi Yasser FastierMohamed (NZAPS-O,Elkadey New Zealand) Mr. Benjamin Greathouse (IM, United States of America) Ms. Kelsi Fastier (NZAPS-O, New Zealand) Treasurer Portfolio:

Social Media Coordinator: Ms. Carla Figura (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Branding and Marketing Coordinator: Ms. Sara Mostafa Elmaadawy (EPSF, Egypt) Editorial Coordinator: Ms. Katarina Žunić (CPSA, Croatia) Merchandise Manager: Mr. Kandi Ziryeb (ASEPA, Algeria) Social Media Committee: Mr. Ahmed El-Sayyed Yousef (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Mahmoud Magdy Abdel-Aziz (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Chaiblaine Ramy (ASEPA, Algeria) Ms. Phildys Marian Dolcie Johnson (NAPS-SL, Sierra Leone)

Treasurer Portfolio: Development Fund Coordinator: Mr. Mian Zhang (IM, Australia) Grants Coordinator: Ms. Fikrianti Surachman (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Development Fund Coordinator: Mr. Mian Zhang (IM, Australia) Grants Coordinator: Ms. Fikrianti Surachman (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia)

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Development Fund Committee: Mr. Tsai Yu-Lin (PSA-Taiwan) Ms. Valerie Nolt (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Mr. Mohamed Gamal Ali (EPSF, Egypt)

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IPSF would like to thank IPSF team IPSF 2016-17 the works done in the past mandate.

Teamfor Listall 2016-17

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Patient Counselling Event Coordinator: Ms. Nyabhusagwe Riziki Mulimba (TAPSA, Tanzania) Compounding Event Coordinator: Ms. Estelle Yau (IM, France) Pharmacy Profession Awareness Coordinator: Ms. Yosra Ayman Ali Azcool (EPSF, Egypt) Training Coordinator: Mr. Mark Raafat (EPSF, Egypt)

Translations Committee: Ms. Emilie Coulombe (CAPSI, Canada) Ms. Asma Sellami (ATEP, Tunisia) Ms. Khadidia Si Chiab (ASEPA, Algeria)

Information Technology Manager: Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Shehata (EPSF, Egypt) Design and Creativity Committee: Mr. Mostafa Mahmoud (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Omar Mohamed Ewida (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Ahmed Abdel-Fattah Agwa (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Benyapha Tantawati (PSUT, Thailand) Ms. Carmelia Saraswati (ISMAFARSI, Indonesia) Mr. Muhammad Farhan bin Baharuddin (MyPSA, Malaysia) Ms. Er Jia Lin (MyPSA, Malaysia) Mr. Abdullaziz Mostafa Mabrouk (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Fikrianti Surachman (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia)

Public Health Portfolio: Public Health Activities Coordinator: Ms. Rahma Aouinti (ATEP, Tunisia) Public Health Advocacy Coordinator: Ms. Khezia Asamoah (BPSA, United Kingdom)

Pharmacy Education Portfolio

Public Health Committee: Ms. Emilie Colombe (CAPSI, Canada) Mr. Austin Green (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud Alkaragy (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Patricia Raquel de Vasconcelos Teixeira e Sousa (AEFFUP, Portugal) Ms. Ana Catarina Duarte (IM, Portugal) Ms. Eunike Lystia Florentien Kelena Jeversoon (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Ms. Galareh Delavari (IPA-SF, India) Ms. Katarzyna Kimel (YP, Poland) Mr. Christopher Chua (PSA-Taiwan) Ms. Clara-Jessica Rances (APhA-ASP, United States of America)

Internship Coordinator: Mr. Ang Yik Sheng (MyPSA, Malaysia) Pharmacy Education Advocacy Coordinator: Ms. Louisa Sullivan (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Research Coordinator: Ms. Whitley Yi (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Pharmacy Education Committee: Ms. Leah Osae (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Ms. Estelle Yau (ANEPF, France) Mr. Farooq Ali Khan (IPA-SF, India) Ms. Raluca-Mihaela Sisu (F.A.S.F.R., Romania) Ms. Thum Enn Yi (MyPSA, Malaysia) Ms. Zainab Amgd Hamdi (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Sarah Ibrahim Abu Alrub (JPSA, Jordan) Ms. Aya Ahmed Refky (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Ahmad El Ouweini (LPSA, Lebanon) Mr. Joao Pedro Bastos de Almeida (AEFFUP, Portugal) Ms. Maša Vozlič (ŠSSFD, Slovenia) Mr. Mohan Shrestha (IM, Nepal) Mr. Mac Ardy Junio Gloria (IM, The Philippines)

Student Exchange Portfolio: Student Exchange Committee: Mr. Roland Massaad (LPSA, Lebanon) Mr. Amr Fathi (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Shakila Umutoni Kamatali (RPSA, Rwanda) Ms. Citta Santi (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Ms. Tijani Aidlna (HMF AP ITB, Indonesia) Ms. Cassandra Woit (CAPSI, Canada) Ms. Safiye Cagansel (EMUPSS, Cyprus) Ms. Amanda Cavness (APhA-ASP, United States of America)

Professional Development Portfolio Clinical Skills Event Coordinator: Ms. Amelia Ruth McLeod (IM, Australia)

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Professional Development Committee: Ms. Yasmin Bibars (EPSF, Egypt) Mr. Adeyemi Slyvester (PANS, Nigeria) Mr. Abdo Oraby Sayed (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Okeke Adaobi Cinenye (PANS, Nigeria) Mr. Clement Haeck (ANEPF, France) Ms. Shams Tarek Osman (ASPSA, Egypt) Ms. Jana Kubačkova (CzPSA, Czech Republic) Mr. Pooria Sabouri (IPhSA, Iran) Ms. Jacinta Dias Barbosa (AEFFUP, Portugal) Ms. Sonya Park (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Ms. Stephanie Miller (CAPSI, Canada) Ms. Omnia Elliethy (IM, Egypt) Mr. Cheng He Yun (PSA-Taiwan)

Editorial Committee: Ms. Sara DiTursi (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Ms. Marina Faltas (EPSF, Egypt) Ms. Heeyeon Shin (APhA-ASP, United States of America)

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Ms. Ida Lepistรถ (FiPSA, Finland) Mr. Mahmoud Taher (EPSF, Egypt)

Reception Committee of the 63rd IPSF World Congress 2017, Taiwan: Secretariat: Ms. Chou, Wan-Hsuan Mr. Hung, Wei-Hung Mr. Chang, Wen-Yi

African Regional Office: Secretary: Ms. Felicity Karimi Thuba (KEPhSA, Kenya) Regional Media and Publications Officer: Mr. Kennedy Odokonyero (MUPSA, Uganda) Regional Projects Officer: Mr. Geofrey Beingana (RPSA, Rwanda) Regional Relations Officer: Ms. Nomagugu Belinda Ncube (ZPSA, Zimbabwe) Chairperson of the 6th African Pharmaceutical Symposium 2017: Mr. Jacob Enchill (GPSA, Ghana) Immediate Past Chairperson: Mr. Israel Bimpe (RPSA, Rwanda)

Logistics: Mr. Tai, Shih-Syuan Ms. Lee, Hsin-Ling Public Relations: Mr. Shih, Fu-Ying Mr. Wang, Lin-Chien

Asia Pacific Regional Office: Secretary: Mr. Pairoj Grover (PSUT, Thailand) Regional Media and Publications Officer: Ms. Henny Aryani (ISMAFARSI, Indonesia) Regional Projects Officer: Ms. Khansa Chavarina (ISMAFARSI, Indonesia) Regional Relations Officer: Mr. Abir Ashrafur (BUPS, Bangladesh) Chairperson of the 16th Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Symposium 2017: TBA Immediate Past Chairperson: Ms. Janet Mirzaei (IM, Australia)

Registration: Ms. Shih, Hai-Wen

Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office:

Inside IPSF

Treasurer: Mr. Lin, Chen-Han Academics: Ms. Lee, Hsiao-Chi Ms. Hung, Li-Yu

Secretary: Mr. Bilal Al-Aarag (JPSA, Jordan) Regional Media and Publications Officer: Mr. Mohamed Hamdy Abdelazeem (EPSF, Egypt) Regional Projects Officer: Ms. Jinane Ghattas (LPSA, Lebanon) Regional Relations Officer: Ms. Sherhan Ibrahim (EPSF, Egypt) Chairperson of the 6th Eastern Mediterranean Pharmaceutical Symposium: Mr. Ali Al-Shammeri (KPSS, Kuwait) Immediate Past Chairperson: Ms. Asma Sellami (ATEP, Tunisia)

Information: Ms. Chen, Ciao-Sin Editorial: Ms. Deng, Wan-Ru

European Regional Office:

Social Events: Ms. Huang, Ching Chih

Secretary: Mr. Eduardo de Melo Corvacho (IM, Portugal) Regional Media and Publications Officer: Ms. Ines Oliveria (AEFFUL, Portugal) Regional Projects Officer: Ms. Dalia Vaฤ unec (CPSA, Croatia) Regional Relations Officer: Mr. Ivan Ramos (APEF, Portugal) Immediate Past Chairperson: Mr. Christian Roth (BPhD, Germany)

Post Congress Tour: Ms. Tseng, Yi-Wen

Pan American Regional Office: Secretary: Mr. Matthew Hung (CAPSI, Canada) Regional Media and Publications Officer: Ms. Tiffany Lee (APhA-ASP, United States of America) Regional Projects Officer: Mr. Martin Ramirez (FECOEF, Costa Rica) Regional Relations Officer: Mr. Diego Funes (AEFRA, Argentina) Chairperson of the 11th Pan American Regional Symposium: Ms. Cassandra Woit (CAPSI, Canada) Immediate Past Chairperson: Mr. Jorge Schlottke (AEFRA, Argentina)

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