Aims of European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
(published in British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 1993; 36: 183-184)
European Association of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) has progressively developed as an academic discipline across Europe, although its impact on healthcare systems has been uneven. While some countries have established strong CPT frameworks, others have shown more limited development.
A European initiative supported by the World Health Organisation helped to consolidate and update key concepts in CPT, leading to several publications addressing areas such as primary care, education and the organisation of the discipline across different countries.
As CPT expanded further across Europe, including emerging scientific communities in Eastern Europe, collaboration between clinical pharmacologists intensified. This momentum, together with broader European integration and the need for a coordinated scientific platform, led to the creation of the European Association of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT). Its statutes and objectives were formally defined following a meeting in Verona, establishing a unified framework to promote CPT across Europe:
- Promoting the use of clinical pharmacological services in healthcare delivery
- Improving and harmonising the teaching of the rational use of drugs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels
- Contributing with clinical pharmacological expertise to state policy decisions regarding the regulation of drugs in Europe
- Arranging scientific meetings, workshops and courses in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in Europe
- Utilizing the skills of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in counteracting misuse of prescriptions drugs and other chemical substances
- Promoting problem and patient-orientated drug information about medicines for physicians and other health professionals
- Increasing the input of clinical pharmacological skills in the evaluation of drugs;
- Promoting high professional standards in the prescribing of drugs
- Promoting high ethical standards in clinical drug research
- Promoting the exchange of opinions in individual countries with regards to existing differences in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
- Encouraging collaboration with other agencies interested in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics e.g. WHO, European Regulatory Network, IUPHAR
The Association has as its members, national societies or sections of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in the European Region. In this context, Europe is defined as by the WHO to include Russia (to the Urals), Turkey and Israel. The Association will have the power to co-opt individual members where no national society or section exits.
We hope the Association will lead to further development of CPT in all European countries. Anyone wishing to have further information or to offer help is invited to contact any of the above named.