Newsletter: March 2003
President’s Message
It gives me great pleasure to welcome Dr. Frank Abbott as the new Executive Director of AFPC/ADPC! Dr. Abbott is well known by the pharmacy community, however here is a little background for those who have not had the pleasure of meeting Frank previously. Dr. Abbott is a pharmacy graduate from the University of Saskatchewan (B.S.P and M.Sc.) and Purdue University (PhD) and a long time member of the Faculty at the University of British Columbia. During the course of his career, Dr. Abbott was well known for his research in drug metabolism and toxicology, having received the AFPC McNeil Award for excellence in Pharmaceutical Research in 1993. He is also a founding member of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Dr. Abbott was a strong advocate for students as demonstrated with his being the inaugural and five-time repeat winner of the graduating class Master Teacher Award, the UBC Teaching Prize in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1994) and the Bristol-Meyers Squibb Award for excellence in teaching (1995). While Dean of the Faculty (1996-2002), Dr. Abbott served as the president of ADPC and is past president of CCAPP. In 2002 the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores awarded Dr. Abbott the Len Marks Pharmacy Advancement Award for his innovation in education.
We are looking forward to working with Frank in the coming years. Please take the opportunity to chat with Frank or any of the Executive and Council at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in Montreal.
As a final note, we have been exceptionally fortunate to have had Dr. Jim Blackburn as our Executive Director over the last several years. Jim will be assuming his new role as Executive Director of CCAPP, so we are looking forward to close collaboration with Jim in his new role. Thanks for all of your support Jim.
Lavern Vercaigne
Executive Director’s Message
Dr. Jim Blackburn has asked me, as the incoming Executive Director of AFPC/ADPC, to begin my responsibilities with this edition of the newsletter. First of all, let me say that I am delighted to have been chosen for the position and to be given this unique opportunity to continue my contributions to academic pharmacy in Canada. The new Executive Director’s position of AFPC now requires a commitment to the Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada and I will certainly be focusing on maintaining and expanding effective communications and interactions between these two organizations.
There will be much to keep us busy over the next year or so as we deal with human resources issues, opportunities arising from the Romanow report, curriculum and teaching/learning methodologies, experiential education, the evaluation of programs, research opportunities in pharmacy practice, and maintaining our awards program, to name a few. I am looking forward to working closely with all of you as we deal with the challenges of academic pharmacy in Canada.
I will begin my term at the new AFPC council meeting following the AFPC/CCCP conference in Montreal, May 29-June 1, 2003. I hope you will be attending this conference because the Montreal planning committee under the direction of Dean Jacques Turgeon has created an excellent program. As well as this conference, the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences (CSPS) will be holding their symposium on the same site as AFPC/CCCP, so there will be ample opportunity to hear speakers and view posters that span basic to professional and clinical practice research. I look forward to seeing you there.
Dr. Jim Blackburn will be stepping down as Executive Director of AFPC at the end of May and our organization owes a great deal of thanks to Jim for the steady hand and efficient manner in which he has administered and guided AFPC. Fortunately for pharmacy, Jim has just been appointed as the incoming Executive Director of the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). We can be assured that Jim’s academic experience and wise council will continue to serve pharmacy well. Please join me in offering our very best wishes to Jim in his new position.
Frank Abbott
-----
It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as the AFPC Executive Director over the past four years and I am looking forward to turning the responsibilities over to Frank Abbott, who along with the Executive and Council, will provide outstanding leadership to AFPC.
Dr. Abbott has excelled in all aspects of a faculty member's responsibilities: teaching, research, service and administration. Frank stepped down as Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC last year after leading the faculty during a very successful period. He was the recipient of the AFPC McNeil Award for Excellence in Pharmaceutical Research in 1993; he is a great teacher and he is a Past President of the Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada and the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs to mention a few of his many accomplishments. Congratulations, Frank!
Jim Blackburn
AFPC Awards Recipients 2003
AstraZeneca New Investigator Research Award
Jean-Christophe Leroux
Faculté de pharmacie
Université de Montréal
Montréal, QC H3C 3J7
Bristol-Myers Squibb National Award for Excellence in Education
Simon Albon
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Janssen-Ortho Pharmaceutical Research Award
Ed Knaus
Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB T6G 2N8
GlaxoSmithKline Graduate Student Research Award
Huy Hao Dao
Faculté de pharmacie
Université de Montréal
Montréal, QC H3C 3J7
Merck Frosst Postgraduate Pharmacy Fellowships
Julien Braun Award
Caroline Sirois
Faculté de Pharmacie
Université Laval
Sainte-Foy, QC G1K 7P4
James E. Frosst Awards
Judith Balfour
Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON M5S 2S2
Mathieu Legault
Faculté de Pharmacie
Université de Montréal
Montréal, QC H3C 3J7
Undergraduate Pharmacy Students from Canadian Pharmacy Schools that have been chosen for Merck Company Foundation National Summer Student Research Program for 2003. (Revised March 18th 2003)
Dr. Kishor M. Wasan, National Director
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia
1st Year Pharmacy
2nd Year Pharmacy
1st Year Pharmacy
1st Year Pharmacy
3rd Year Pharmacy
1st Year Pharmacy
1st Year Pharmacy
3rd Year Pharmacy
Faculty Spotlight: Dalhousie University
David Yung Appointed Professor Emeritus
We were very pleased and excited to learn that Dr. David Yung was appointed Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy effective July 1, 2002. In notifying him of his appointment, here is what Dalhousie President, Dr. Tom Traves, wrote in his letter to David:
“ I should say that I take particular delight in being able to advise you of this honour, given your many years of extraordinary service to teaching, administration, and research in the College of Pharmacy. Your association with Dalhousie brings credit to the University, and your participation in the work of the Faculty of Health Professions has been of enormous benefit to our students. We are truly grateful.”
Dr. Yung joins our other Professor Emeriti, Gordon Duff, appointed in 1990 and Michael Mezei, appointed in 1993.
PDW 2003
From January 22-26, over 500 pharmacy students and pharmacists gathered from across the country in Halifax, for PDW 2003. The idea of hosting PDW stemmed after students from this year’s graduating class attended PDW 2000 in Toronto. The hard work began then and three years later the conference became a reality. The PDW committee has been working hard this past Fall to finalize the details for the conference ensuring student pharmacists an unforgettable experience. Conference delegates left the conference with fresh pharmacy knowledge and more importantly a rejuvenated enthusiasm to practice innovative pharmacy!
The lineup of speakers was one the delegates will not forget. The conference schedule encompassed a variety of topics prudent to the future of pharmacy practice. Dr. Charles Hepler (a.k.a. the Father of Pharmaceutical Care) from the University of Florida, kick started the conference with his keynote speech entitled “What is Professional Practice”? Dr. Neil MacKinnon and Ann Nickerson addressed the subject of seamless care which showcased the very successful Seamless Care project run in conjunction with Dalhousie University and the Moncton Hospital. Drs James McCormack and Don Langille provided a dynamic interaction moderated by Dr. David Gardner looking at the impact of “evidence-based pharmacy practice” on individual patient health versus the health of the public population. The conference schedule was designed to be an educational experience second to none in Canada.
PDW 2003 is yet another example of what the students at the College of Pharmacy at Dalhousie University are capable of. The energy and enthusiasm conveyed by the students for PDW 2003 is similar to all student run activities. Student involvement continues to significantly contribute to “life at the College”.
Renovations at the College
Dr. Jessie I. MacKnight Skills Laboratory: The former “dispensing lab” was renovated during the summer of 2000. The renovated lab consists of updated computer technology, a counseling room, a home health care section and overhead cameras to film students as they practice communication skills. Three pictures of the Skills Lab can be seen on the homepage of the College’s website:
http://www.dal.ca/~pharmwww/index.html.
The Pharmacy Library: The library was also renovated during the Summer of 2000, the first time since Pharmacy moved into the renovated Burbidge Building way back in 1968. The old carpet was removed and a new one laid; walls, doors and woodwork were all freshly painted. New furniture was purchased including tables, chairs, computer work stations, portable study carrels and a circulation desk.
Thomas J. Cummings Lecture Hall: The former lecture room, known as “room 109” was renovated, renamed and officially opened in October 2001. It has been enlarged; expanded to accommodate 93 persons and has undergone a colour palette and technological facelift that took it from the 1960s to the 21st Century in just a few months during the Summer of 2001. All this was made possible by a generous donation from the family of the late Thomas J. Cummings, a 1974 Dalhousie pharmacy graduate.
IMPART Offices: The area adjacent to the Cummings Lecture Hall was also renovated and now is the home for part of Ingrid Sketris’ and Neil MacKinnon’s Initiative for Medication Management, Policy Analysis, Research and Training (IMPART) team.
Additional Changes: The Faculty/Staff Lounge has also been renovated and can now accommodate small group meetings. There are a total of 17 seminar rooms in the College to accommodate our increased enrollment. The storage area in the basement was also renovated to create new offices and space for future graduate students.
Faculty News: University of Alberta
Awards and Grants
- Ed Knaus is the recipient of another five-year support from CIHR.
- Grant MacEwan College annually honors one instructor with their highest award, "Dare to Care Award". This year the recipient was Sharon Mitchell who was recognized at the beginning of the day-long "Dare to Care" conference on March 11, 2003 with 1700 attendees.
- Nancy Rae and Brendan Ihejirika are the recipients of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Excellence in Teaching.
- Ross Tsuyuki was nominated for the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation’s Health Services Researcher award by the members of the CPPRG.
Individual Faculty News
- John Bachynsky conducted a Program Review of the Pharmacy Program, University of the West Indies in Trinidad.
- Drs. McQuarrie, Mercer & Wiebe presented papers at the European Symposium on Radiopharmacy and Radiopharmaceuticals, in Innsbruck, Austria. They also participated in the March 2003 Partner's Meeting of VirRAD, held in Innsbruck. VirRAD is a consortium of 6 European Institutions, Purdue University and the University of Alberta. Its program, to develop a virtual training program based on the pedagogical concept of 'mindful learning', is funded through a European Union Framework Five grant and is managed through Cancer Research (UK).
- On behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Len Wiebe recently completed a technical review of Morocco's program to upgrade radiopharmaceutical practice through regulatory modernization.
Student News and Awards
- Congratulations to Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen whose fast-track application for an AHFMR Postdoctoral Fellowship was recently approved. Dr. Chen is an exceptionally talented, recent Ph.D. who currently has 21 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Dr. Chen will commence her studies under the supervision of Dr. E. Knaus starting May 1, 2003.
- AFPC Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Research Poster Award: Mr. Hai Wei was nominated for this award. Dr. Loebenberg is the supervisor of Mr. Hai Wei.
- Wu Hong Memorial Poster Award: Mr. Saeed Sattari (supervisor Dr. F. Jamali) was selected as the recipient of this year's award.
John D Clements - 2003 Graduate Student Teaching Award recipient. - Reem Elbekai (supervisor: Dr. A. El-Kadi) has received a two year NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (PGSA Award).
- Mr. Kelvin Leung (supervisor: Dr. M.R. Suresh) and Ms. Karen Tang (supervisor: Dr. John Mercer) have been selected for Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Summer Studentships for 2003. These studentships cover a period of four months with a value of $1,300.00 per month.
- Centennial Award winner for Alberta: Miss Andrea Tannas.
Faculty News: Université de Montréal
Individual Faculty News
Dr. Annick Bérard obtained her Research Scholarship (FRSQ Junior 1) for her project entitled «Médicaments et grossesse».
Dr. Céline Fiset obtained her Research Scholarship (FRSQ Junior 2) for her project entitled «Regulation des mécanismes ioniques et moléculaires responsables de la repolarisation cardiaque».
General Faculty News
From May 29-June 1, 2003, the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Université de Montréal will be the host of the AFPC/CCCP conference that will be held at the hotel Delta Centre-Ville in Montreal.
The conference, entitled “Student professionalism: bridging the gap between knowledge and ethics”, will be focused on this theme through animated workshops and conferences.
Briefly, the participants are invited to join the students for a continental breakfast and a poster session from 7h30 on Friday morning, May 30. At 8h30, the educational session «Student professionalism: raising awareness» will be conducted by Dr. Robert Beardsley, Professor and Associate Dean, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland and Dr. Dana P. Hammer., Director, Bracken Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington.
The educational session “Promoting civility in Pharmacy Education” will continue in the afternoon under the guidance of Bruce A. Berger, Ph.D., Head and Professor of Pharmacy Care Systems, School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, followed by a conference entitled «Academic Honesty and Disonesty in Canadian Pharmacy: Results of a pilot study by Dr. Zubin Austin, Assistant Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto.
On May 31, we will listen to Dr. Thierry Karsenti, Faculty of Education, Université de Montréal talking on «The impact of information and communication technology on learning and achievement in higher education» and Dr. Evan Robinson, Director, Division of Technology in Education, School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University talking on «Applying technology to teaching and learning: experiences from Shenandoah University School of Pharmacy»
The AFPC award session will be held on the Saturday afternoon and the AFPC/CCCP banquet in the evening. Finally, the Evidence-Based Medicine workshop and the Pharmacy Practice Research Symposium will take place on Sunday morning.
Of note, the CSPS conference will be held at the same location from May 28-May 31. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Montreal!
New Grants
- Dr. Lucie Blais obtained a grant from the FRSQ for her project entitled «Médicaments et santé des populations».
- Dr. Pierre Borgeat and Sylvie Marleau obtained a grant for their project entitled «Leukotrienes, lipoxins and platelet-activating factor: Assessment of biological significance in neutrophils trafficking»
- Dr. Johanne Collin obtained a grant for her project entitled «Étude du medicament comme phénomène social et culturel».
- Dr. Jean-Christophe Leroux obtained a grant for his project entitled «PH-sensitive liposome-polymer complexes for the delivery of ara-C in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia».
- Dr. Pierre Moreau obtained a grant for his project entitled «Mechanisms of mineral loss in medial arterial calcifiation: Specific therapeutic opportunity for isolated systolic hypertension».
- Dr. Huy Ong, André Tremblay, Martin G. Sirois and Sylvie Marleau obtained a grant for their project entitled «Growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs): A new class of neuropeptides that function as negative modulators of atherosclerosis development».
Faculty News: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Appointments
New Director: Dr. Linda Hensman has been appointed as director of the School of Pharmacy. Dr. Hensman has served as interim director of Pharmacy since May 2002, and for the year prior to that she was acting director. Dr. Hensman earned her B.Sc. Pharm. at the University of British Columbia in 1974 and her Pharm.D. at State University of New York at Buffalo in 1978. In 1993 she completed a master of business administration at Memorial.
Dr. Deborah Kelly has been cross-appointed to the Discipline of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland effective Nov. 1, 2002.
Mr. Marc Bolli's position in the School of Pharmacy as research computing specialist has been changed from contractual to permanent effective Oct. 21, 2002.
Individual Faculty News
Dr. Chaomei Ma from the Beijing University, Beijing, China joined Dr. Mohsen Daneshtalab as a postdoctoral fellow in March, 2003. Dr. Ma will be working on the design and discovery of novel small heterocyclic molecules as potential chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of systemic and invasive fungal infections.
Major Curriculum Changes
Memorial's School of Pharmacy has undertaken a thorough curricular review during the past year. Proposed changes have recently been approved by the University's Senate. Major changes are as follows:
- The School currently requires two pre-requisite years and three pharmacy years (referred to as the 2+3 program) and is the only Pharmacy School in Canada structured as such. In September, 2004 the School will move to requiring one pre-requisite year and four pharmacy years (referred to as 1+4).
- In order to avoid a year in which there would be no graduates, the School will also take in its last class of the 2+3 program in September, 2004.
Although the School is still in the process of developing the 1+4 curriculum, a number of changes have been proposed to the 2+3 program in preparation for the change to the 1+4 program.
Faculty News: University of British Columbia
General Faculty News
Oana Chirila, a third year Pharmacy student, has been elected UBC AMS President for 2003-2004.
Michele Lawrence, Project Coordinator for CORxE, has resigned effective January 31st, to start a new job as the Drug Trials Coordinator with the UBC Alzheimers' Clinic. During her tenure with CORxE, Michele was of great assistance with the on-going bupropion project and the Community Pharmacist's Research Network, and helped launch a new CORxE project focusing on the effectiveness and safety of the bisphosphonates in osteoporosis, which will also use the pharmacists research network.
Stephen Shalansky was appointed Chair of the Providence Research Ethics Board effective January 2003. Stephen served as Associate Chair of the board for the previous 3 years.
Peter Synadinos resigned from his position as Manager, Technical Services, for the Faculty effective February 28, 2003. Peter worked with UBC for 20.5 years and was with the Faculty for 15.5 of those years.
Selena Santi has joined CORxE UBC as a Research Associate - Study Coordinator effective February 2003. Selena is a graduate of McMaster University with a combined BA in Gerontology and Sociology. In addition, she recently completed a M.A. in Gerontology with a specialization in Health Promotion from Simon Fraser University.
David Fielding and Wayne Riggs were named by the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society as co-recipients of the Just Desserts Award 2003 for their contributions to the pharmacy student body this past year.
Frank Abbott has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC)/Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada. Dr. Abbott will be take over the position currently held by Dr. Jim Blackburn at the AFPC Annual Meeting held in Montreal, May 30-June 1, 2003.
New Grants
Kishor Wasan has received a grant from Quest Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ActivBiotics) for his research project entitled “Determination of lipoprotein distribution of Rifalazil in human plasma.”
Faculty News: University of Manitoba
General Faculty News
- Dr Yuewen Gong has received a CHIR grant for 3 years for studying the mechanism of transforming growth factor beta and Smad signaling in liver fibrosis.
- Dr Anita Kozyrskyj has received a grant from the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation for the project entitled Health Care utilization in Manitoba children with seizures.
- Dr Anita Kozyrskyj has now been appointed as the Manitoba Director of the Western Regional Training Centre in Health Services Research.
- Dr Ruby Grymonpre is Coinvestigator for a CIHR grant for 1.25 million.
Faculty News: Dalhousie University
Individual Faculty News
MacKinnon N. A new book entitled "Seamless Care: A Pharmacist's Guide to Providing Continuous Care Programs" will be published in March by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA). Neil MacKinnon served as Editor for this book. The contact for ordering the book is Natalie Ouellette-Boucher, Manager, Customer Service at CPhA (1-800-917-9489, ext 202; NOuellet@pharmacists.ca).
Gardner D presented: Child and adolescent psychopharmacology, at the Psychiatric Patient Care-Level 1 Certificate Program. Ontario Pharmacists Association, Ottawa, ON. February 22, 2003.
Gardner D, MacCormack J, Langille D. presented: When is a 20% reduction in risk worth it? How can pharmacists serve patient wishes and public health simultaneously, at the CAPSI Professional Development Week Annual Conference, Halifax, NS. January 24, 2003.
Gardner D presented: Antidepressant issues in HIV infected patients, at the Infectious Diseases Team Education Rounds, QEII HSC, Halifax, NS. January 6, 2003.
Ingrid Sketris participated in 4 sessions sponsored by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation entitled “Post-Romanow Exchange”, Toronto, December 11, 2002; Regina, December 17, 2002; Halifax, February 11, 2003; and Toronto, February 20, 2003.
Ingrid Sketris presented lectures on pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics for the Masters in Hospital Pharmacy Program at the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman February 24-March 1, 2003.
Tannis Jurgens presented: Herbal Medications: the evidence/the effects and herbal/drug interactions: what's the clinical relevance? at the Continuing Medical Education Conference, Corner Brook NL Feb 21-22, 2003.
Tannis Jurgens presented: Herbal medicines in chronic disease-what are the clinically important effects? at the 7th Annual Reginal Nutrition and Food Science Conference, Edmonton, AB Mar 22, 2003.
New Grants
Neil MacKinnon, Volodko Bakowsky and Priti Flanagan received a research grant from Merck Frosst Canada for "Adoption and Appropriateness of Drug Therapy Interventions by Physicians: The Coxibs Model for Nova Scotia".
Major Visitors
Dr. Pierre-Gerlier Forest, Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Laval University and former Director of Research of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada visited the College of Pharmacy and Faculty of Health Professions on February 10th.
Education Corner
David Gardner is pleased to announce a new consumer-oriented program titled: Keeping a Mind Healthy. Facilitators for this program include: David Gardner, Pharm.D. and Adil Virani, Pharm.D. The program is directed at 8-10 self-referred consumers per 3 week program interested in learning more about medications for depression and anxiety. One to two community pharmacists also invited to participate in each program.
Patricia Conrad, Research Associate working with Ingrid Sketris attended the Community Campus Partnerships for Health 3rd Annual Advanced Service-Learning Institute “Fostering Leadership for Service-Learning Sustainability” - February 1-4, 2003. This workshop was held in San Jose, California. Pat was in a group with pharmacy faculty from the United States. She presented information on Dalhousie’s Drug Use Management and Policy Residency. For further information please see the website www.ccph.info
Ingrid Sketris and Murray Brown of Initiative for Medication Management, Policy Analysis, Research and Training (IMPART) presented at a workshop entitled: “The Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of New Multiple Sclerosis Drugs in the 'Real World'”, on Tuesday April 1st, 2003 in Quebec City. The meeting introduced health care decision makers to the methodology of the Health Canada funded study and potential policy implications. It was held in conjunction with the Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics meeting. For further information contact Karen Stadynk: karen.stadynk@cdha.nshealth.ca
David Gardner is a facilitator for the Workshop on the Practice of Evidence-Based Mental Health from April 8th – 10th, 2003 at Oxford University, England. This 3-day workshop, chaired by Prof. John Geddes, Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Mental Health, aims to equip participants with the basic skills necessary to apply the principles of Evidence-Based Mental Health. This event has taken place at Merton College annually since 1997 (http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk), and many leading world figures in Evidence-Based Health Care have tutored and attended the workshop. For further details please visit http://www.cebmh.com
Faculty News: University of Toronto
<p><strong>Appointments<br />
</strong>Prof. Heather Boon has been appointed to the Ontario Advisory Committee on the Regulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (TCM/A) by Tony Clement, Minister, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.</p>
<p><strong>Graduate Student Awards<br />
</strong>Winnie Jeng was selected as a finalist for a Doctoral Fellowship awarded by the American Society of Toxicology (SOT). Six finalists are awarded a travel grant of US$1,000 to attend the March 2003 SOT annual meeting, where they are interviewed by the Selection Committee for determination of the three winners of a Doctoral Fellowship.</p>
<p><strong>Publications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li> Parman T and Wells PG. Embryonic Prostaglandin H Synthase-2 (PHS-2) Expression and Benzo[a]Pyrene Teratogenicity in PHS-2 Knockout Mice. FASEB Journal 16: 1001-1009, 2002. </li>
<li> Winn LM and Wells PG. Evidence for Ras-dependent Signal Transduction in Phenytoin teratogenicity. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 184: 144-152, 2002. </li>
<li> Boon H, Verhoef M, and Leis A. "Complementary / Alternative Medicine (CAM): Identifying Canadian Research Priorities" Annals of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada 2002; 35(8): 517-519(CIHR workshop grant). </li>
<li> Verhoef M, Findlay B, Yeomans T, Boon H, "Evaluating integrated healthcare delivery models: a holistic approach" Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies 2002;7(4):330-333. </li>
<li> Weiger WA, Smith M, Boon H, Richardson MA, Kaptchuk TJ and Eisenberg DM, "Advising Patients Who Seek Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Cancer" Annals of Internal Medicine 2002;137(11):889-903. </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Presentations<br />
Prof. Peter Wells was invited to present:</strong><br />
<em>May 2002 </em>- Symposium on Biological Responses to Changes in Redox State, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. “Free radical determinants of birth defects and neurodegenerative diseases”.</p>
<p><em>May 2002</em> - Korean Society of Toxicology, Symposium on Developmental Toxicology, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, Korea. “Oxidative damage, DNA repair and signal transduction in chemical teratogenesis”.</p>
<p><em>July 2002</em> - IUPHAR XIVth World Congress of Pharmacology, Symposium on Molecular Mechanisms of Chemical Teratogenesis, San Francisco, CA. ”Reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage and DNA repair in chemical teratogenesis”.</p>
<p><em>Sept 2002</em> - Workshop on Anticonvulsant Drugs and Pregnancy, Epilepsy Research Foundation, Oxford University, England. “Oxidative damage, DNA repair and signal transduction in chemical teratogenesis”.</p>
<p><em>Oct 2002</em> – International Congress on Environmental Factors and Reproductive Health, Italian National Institutes of Health, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy. “Reactive oxygen species in teratogenesis”.</p>
<p><em>Oct 2002</em> - International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX), Annual North American Meeting, Symposium on Biotransformation Enzymes in Developmental Toxicology, Orlando, FL. “Developmental formation and detoxification of reactive oxygen species and repair of oxidative DNA damage”. </p>
<p><strong>Prof. Peter O’Brien was invited to present:<br />
</strong><em>Nov. 22-23, 2002</em> - 3rd International Conference on Coenzyme Q10, London, England, “Coenzyme Q antioxidant strategies”.<br />
<em>Dec. 2-5, 2002 </em>- 1st International Drug Discovery and Development Summit, Honolulu, Hawaii, “A critical evaluation of in vitro toxicology/metabolism testing for prioritising novel therapeutic agents”.<br />
<em>Dec. 10-13, 2002</em> - BC’s Drug-Drug Interactions and Metabolism Conference, Philadelphia, “In vitro predictive toxicity and drug-drug interactions using hepatocytes”.</p>
<p><strong>Prof. Jilian Cohen was invited to present:<br />
</strong><em>Nov. 2002</em> – Ontario Medical Student Association Annual Conference, Toronto, “Intellectual Property Rights and Pharmaceuticals in Developing Countries”.<br />
<em>Nov. 2002 </em>- World Bank Health Nutrition and Population Sector Board, Washington, DC "Improving Transparency in the Pharmaceutical System in Costa Rica". </p>
<p><strong>Prof. Tom Einerson:<br />
</strong><em>Nov. 2002</em> - Rotterdam, Netherlands, participated in the European meeting of International Society for Pharmacoeconomic Outcomes and Research (ISPOR). He was a member of an international panel discussing "Efficacy to Effectiveness: Issues and Viewpoints".</p>
<p><strong>Upcoming<br />
</strong>The CSPS 6th Annual Symposium on Pharmaceutical Sciences will be held May 28-31, 2003, in Montreal, Quebec. The theme is "The Science of Drug Discovery & Development", and a list of tentative topics has been posted on the website. The CSPS conference will run jointly with the AFPC/CCCP conference. Further information for delegates, exhibitors, and sponsorships, is posted on the website at: <br />
<a href="http://www.ualberta.ca/%7Ecsps/symposium2003/home.htm" target="_blank">http://www.ualberta.ca/~csps/symposium2003/home.htm</a></p>
Taking Note: CPhA Report
CPhA’s Board of Directors met on February 15-16, 2003. This communication will report on the meeting and recent CPhA activities.
National Health Accord Opens Doors for Pharmacists
Since the tabling of the Report of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow Report) in late November 2002, CPhA has made significant progress. In mid-December, a national workshop was hosted to review the implications of the Romanow Report and discuss pharmacy’s priorities and approaches to respond to the Report. This workshop - attended by a number of Board members and presidents and chief executive officers of national and provincial pharmacy organizations - produced agreement on many issues and a commitment to work together.
As well, CPhA has worked with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA) to put forward a strong voice to government on the need to act on the recommendations of Romanow and Kirby. Meetings were held with federal and provincial deputy ministers of health, focusing on health human resources, expansion of services along the continuum of care, accountability, and funding to ensure sustainability. The 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal included much of what was presented to the ministers, including significant emphasis on optimizing the use of pharmaceuticals.
With the Accord, which includes provisions for primary health care, home care and expanded drug coverage, and the subsequent federal budget, opportunities now exist for pharmacists. CPhA will implement its post-Romanow strategy to expand the role of pharmacists and ensure their recognition as the medication experts on the health care team.
CPhA Vancouver Conference, Westin Bayshore Hotel - May 31 to June 3, 2003
http://www.pharmacists.ca/content/aboutcpha/whoweare/eventsconference/annualconference.cfm
Registration forms are available for printing and mailing, or you can register for the conference online.
CPhA’s annual general meeting (AGM) will be held Monday, June 2 at 9:45 am in the Westin Bayshore Hotel. Among business at the AGM will be a report from the Board and presentation of any Bylaw changes and resolutions from the membership. Resolutions are a means of bringing your concerns to the floor of the AGM for discussion. A successful resolution may also influence the future direction of CPhA. Resolutions should be in the hands of the Association Affairs Committee by May 12, 2003. To obtain guidelines on how to submit a resolution, please contact Nancy Shurtleff, Manager, Board Affairs at nshurtleff@pharmacists.ca.
Pharmacy Human Resources
The management group and steering committee for the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) pharmacy sector study have met frequently since fall 2002 to put together terms of reference, a budget and governance details for the pharmacy manpower study. The Board approved CPhA as a signatory organization for the study, CPhA’s cash contribution of $50,000 over three years, the terms of reference in principle, and a memo of understanding that establishes roles, responsibilities and governance for the study.
This manpower study will look at the pharmacist’s role in health care reform and will help forecast the system’s needs and provide strategies for dealing with shortages in the short and long-term. We expect that the application for the study will be submitted to HRDC soon and that funding of approximately $1.75 million will be approved.
Review of CPhA Policy and Position Statements
CPhA’s policies and positions are posted on our website http://www.pharmacists.ca/content/aboutcpha/whoweare/policy_position/index.cfm. These statements are under review by the Board, staff and committees to ensure they are current and meaningful. With recent controversial activities in this area, CPhA’s Internet Pharmacy Statement is being reviewed. A draft of the revised Internet Pharmacy Statement will be sent to other organizations for comment, once it is approved for distribution by the Board.
The Board also confirmed CPhA’s policy statement and reviewed CMA’s policy statement on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). It is expected that a common DTCA statement will be published with logos of a number of supporting organizations and will be used with government to support a joint position opposing DTCA and supporting the provision of objective, evidence-based, reliable, plain-language information for the public about prescription drugs.
In preparation for the anticipated removal of the Plan B emergency contraceptive pills (levonorgestrel 0.75 mg) from Schedule F, CPhA has developed an online training program and a number of documents to help pharmacists develop emergency contraception services. Among these are guidelines for the provision of Plan B as a Schedule II Product. The guidelines were approved by the Board at its February 2003 meeting. These guidelines are not designed as standards of practice but rather for pharmacists to use or adapt as a model with other training and support materials to help them address specific issues with each woman to assure the timely, safe and appropriate supply of emergency contraceptive pills. The guidelines will be part of the online training program.
Financial Update
Annually at its February meeting, the Board reviews the financial statements from the previous year and approves the budget for the year ahead. Although past years have yielded substantial surpluses, CPhA faced a deficit of $313,000 at 2002 year-end. The Board has reviewed the reasons for the deficit and will address a number of areas of concern to prevent a recurrence in 2003.
In 2003, one area of expenditure will be for the development of e-publications. We expect an e-CPS to be available later this year, and we are looking at the market for other digital products and services. However, with significant financial investment associated with these initiatives, we are taking careful steps ensure a level of comfort in taking on any financial risk.
Another area of expenditure is for renovations to the CPhA building. Our building, which opened in 1984, is now undergoing renovation and modernization. Work is progressing on schedule with minimal disruption to staff. Renovations began in December 2002 and will be completed by June 2003. We look forward to seeing the new setting for our staff at our next meeting in Ottawa.
I hope that you find this report both interesting and useful. If you have any questions or concerns on these or other issues, please feel free to contact me at linda.suveges@usask.ca. The next meeting of the CPhA Board will be held May 30-31, 2003 in Vancouver.
— Linda Suveges
Newsletter Contributors and Editor
Contributors
Lavern Vercaigne, President
vercaig@ms.Umanitoba.ca
AFPC Councillors:
Yvonne Shevchuk, U of S
Yvonne.Shevchuk@usask.ca
Jean Lefebvre, U Laval
Jean.Lefebvre@crchul.ulaval.ca
Sheila Kelcher, U of A
skelcher@pharmacy.ualberta.ca
Simon Albon, UBC
trout@unixg.ubc.ca
Zubin Austin, U of T
zubin.austin@utoronto.ca
Anne Marie Whelan, Dalhousie U
anne.marie.whelan@dal.ca
Sylvie Marleau, U de Montréal
sylvie.marleau@umontreal.ca
M.P. Namaka, U of M
namakamp@ms.umanitoba.ca
Lili Wang, Memorial U
lwang@pharm.mun.ca
Jim Blackburn, Executive Director
afpc@sasktel.net
Frank Abbott, Incoming Executive Director
fabbott@interchange.ubc.ca
Linda Suveges, AFPC Representative, CPhA Board of Directors
linda.suveges@usask.ca
Editor
Rebecca M. Law, Memorial U of Newfoundland
rlaw@pharm.mun.ca