Pharmaceutical Sciences

Presented by [Insert your name & title here][Insert name of your PSMO]

International Pharmaceutical Federation

Founded in 1912, the FIP is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. As a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the FIP has been in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) since the founding of the latter in 1948. Through its 132 member organisations, the FIP represents and serves more than three million practitioners and scientists around the world.

Since its inception, FIP’s priorities have expanded both literally and figuratively to meet the needs and expectations of the professions of pharmacy, of pharmaceutical scientists and of society in general. The FIP mission is to improve global health by advancing pharmacy practice and sciences to facilitate the discovery, development, access to and safe use of appropriate, cost-effective quality medicines. The federation has evolved into the most extensive global pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences network.

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What are the pharmaceutical sciences?1

• Defined as the “science of medicines”

• It is the science underpinning the discovery, development, production, and use of medicines — arguably one of the most complex and sophisticated endeavours of mankind.

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1  International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Impact of Pharmaceutical Sciences on Healthcare. The Hague: International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP); 2012.

[Insert name of your PSMO or AIM or School of Pharmacy]

• [What’s your role in promoting pharmaceutical sciences in your country?]

• [How many scientists do you have as members?]

• [Any partnerships your organisation have?]• [Any collaborations with any universities?]

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Why the pharmaceutical sciences?2

• Ever-pressing need to make drugs safer and their development more efficient and cost-effective in order to provide society with affordable quality medicines to meet both unmet medical needs and improved drugs to replace existing suboptimal ones.

• Through a career in the pharmaceutical sciences, you can: –Take part in helping people live healthier lives–Work closely with other people every day–Work in a various range of settings–Have a competitive salary and other benefits

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2  International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Impact of Pharmaceutical Sciences on Healthcare. The Hague: International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP); 2012.

Are the pharmaceutical sciences right for me?3

• Do you enjoy science and want to pursue a science-based career?

• Do you like to work hands-on in a laboratory setting?

• Do you have a desire to contribute to the health and well-being of society through the development of medicines and therapies?

• If the answer to one or more of these questions is “yes” then a career in the pharmaceutical sciences may be right for you!

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3 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS). Is a career in the pharmaceutical sciences right for me? [pamphlet] Arlington: American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists; 2012.

Fields of pharmaceutical science4

• Drug Design and Discovery: Find better compounds to treat both major and rare diseases, including those that continue to inflict misery and premature death in developing countries;

• Natural Products: Help to isolate and identify the active components of traditional and herbal remedies and turn them into safer and more effective drugs;

• Formulation Design and Pharmaceutical Technology: Develop smart systems and materials more effectively and safely at an affordable cost;

• PK/PD and Systems Pharmacology: Apply joined-up quantitative thinking to understanding and predicting the fate and effects of drugs in the body for the selection of rational dosage regimens;

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4 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Changing the world by translating science into practice [pamphlet]. The Hague: International Pharmaceutical Federation; 2014.

Fields of pharmaceutical science4

• Translational and Personalised Medicine: Bridge the gap between bench and bedside in bringing better drugs to the patient, and to realise the dream of tailoring drug therapy to the individual rather than the non-existent average patient;

• Biotechnology: Create exciting new medicines of the future based on proteins, nucleic acids and stem cell systems;

• Analytical Sciences and Quality Control: Ensure the purity and reproducibility of medicinal products and their ingredients

• Regulatory Science: Safeguard public health through critical appraisal of the safety and efficacy of new medicines; and

• Pharmacoeconomics: Improve the benefit-to-risk ratio of new therapies relative to current standards of patient care

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4 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Changing the world by translating science into practice [pamphlet]. The Hague: International Pharmaceutical Federation; 2014.

For more information, you can get a PDF brochure from the FIP website at: [Insert FIP link here]

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Pharmaceutical sciences in [your country]

• [State the role of pharmaceutical sciences in your country]

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How can I gain exposure?

• [Opportunities for students to get involved? Pharmaceutical industry tours, pharmaceutical sciences talks at universities, your organisation, etc?]

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How do I become a pharmaceutical scientist?

• [How to get an education in the pharmaceutical sciences?]

• [What are the necessary steps to take?]

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What are possible career options?

• [List different career options pertaining to the pharmaceutical sciences in your country]

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