Speech By SPS At The 22nd Federation Of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations (FAPA) Congress

07 Nov 2008

By Hawazi Daipi

Dr Soo Ja Nam

President,

Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations (FAPA)

Ms M K Fatimah

President,

Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore

Dr Camilla Wong

Chairperson,

22nd FAPA Congress Organising Committee

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

1. It gives me great pleasure to be here with you this evening for the opening of the 22nd FAPA Congress. To our overseas delegates, I extend a very warm welcome to Singapore.

Demand for Quality Healthcare Services

2. The demand for quality healthcare services is increasing. Our patients want this to be affordable as well.

3. The changing demographic profiles and shifts in disease patterns and the increasing number of drugs entering the market has made it a daunting task for regulators and governments to manage healthcare, and its issues of safety, accessibility and cost-effective use of drugs.  For the healthcare professionals, it has also become increasingly challenging to keep abreast of current trends and knowledge.

4. With more medical evidence arising especially in the areas of pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics, it is inevitable that personalised medicine will be the trend of the future.  It is possible now to choose the right drug for the individual patient, and tailoring the precise dosage to be delivered to the individual for optimal therapeutic effect and minimal side effects.

Integral Role of Pharmacists

5. Drug therapy is the mainstay in disease management. Healthcare professionals play a role in ensuring the quality and appropriate use of the medicines in patients.  Pharmacists, by virtue of their professional training, play an integral role in the healthcare team in contributing towards the provision of pharmaceutical services.  In the biomedical community they help in the advancement of pharmaceutical and medical sciences.

6. Pharmacists possess a broad pharmacology knowledge base - they have expertise in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenetics, pharmacotherapy, and pharmaco-economics, as well as a strong understanding of therapeutic interventions.   As drug experts, pharmacists play a pivotal role in the lifecycle of drugs, from the research & discovery stage to the clinical trial phases, manufacturing, quality assurance, registration approval process, commercialisation, and finally supply and usage in patients. In short, pharmacists work in diverse environments, covering the whole spectra of drug development and accessibility to its final use in the patient.

7. With their rigorous professional training and expertise, pharmacists are able to assess appropriateness of medicines prescribed to patients and, intervene and make recommendations to prescribers as necessary, thus acting as gatekeepers for the proper use of medication. This check and balance is important to ensure that medications are appropriately used in our healthcare system and best patient outcome is achieved.

8. Today, almost 500 million people are age 65 and above, accounting for 8% of the world’s population.  By 2030, this figure will go up to 1 billion, accounting for 13% of its population. Singapore is no exception; it is one of the fastest greying population.  We will need to prepare now for the future; sufficient funding, good infrastructure, build capacities and capabilities, and develop pragmatic policies that would guide the efficient use of healthcare products and services for the ageing and elderly.  I cannot overemphasise the importance of health promotion and disease prevention and right siting of care of minor ailments and chronic diseases at community level.  Community pharmacists are suitably placed in direct public access, to contribute their knowledge and skills on drug therapy and providing sound advice and counselling to patients and the public.

Specialist Pharmacists

9. There is now a need for pharmacists to move into specialised care as medication management has become more complex due to the wider range of drugs and treatment regimes. Complex health care issues will continue to be managed using a multidisciplinary approach with specialist pharmacists being in the best position to optimise a patient’s drug therapy and reduce drug-related complications and injuries.  The overall result is improved patient outcome.

10. In Singapore, specialist pharmacist registers will be set up soon. This will serve to identify the scope and practice for the various pharmacy specialty areas.  Stringent standards for specialist registration and recognition will be set to ensure that only competent pharmacists provide specialised pharmaceutical care in areas such as Cardiology, Critical Care, Geriatric Medicine, Infectious Disease, Oncology and Psychiatry. For the local pharmacy profession, this would lead to excellence in pharmacy practice and increased contribution to the care of patients.

Pharmacists in Research

11. We are now in the era of rapid developments in pharmaceutical and biomedical research, and a wealth of medical evidence is produced on a daily basis.

12. Pharmacists, with the ability to envision translational end points through their extensive knowledge of both basic science concepts and clinical application, would be valuable members of pharmaceutical and biomedical research teams. Pharmacists are well positioned to effectively contribute in the areas of bench, translational and clinical (bedside) research. They are able to introduce and integrate pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, or pharmacogenomic approaches and methods into clinical trials.

13. Research should ultimately lead to the development of evidence-based protocols, decision support systems or policies that would lead to the provision of standardised good quality healthcare.

14. The current move towards individualised and targeted drug therapy, and the increasing interest in translational and clinical research related to drug development, therapeutics and drug safety augurs well for the pharmacy profession.

15. I am pleased to note the impressive diversity and depth of research topics from across the region, that would be presented and discussed at this congress; from the development and testing of new drug dosage forms, drug therapy comparisons,  behavioural research on the use of medicine, to quality improvements in health services.

16. The theme for this 22nd FAPA Congress, “Translational Research: The Approach to Quality Healthcare” cannot be more relevant. I would like to congratulate the organising committee for their foresight and putting together a comprehensive programme.

Conclusion

17. On this note, I would like to wish you all a stimulating and successful Congress.

18. Thank you.