Happy New Year 2016

Wish You A...

Great, Prosperous, 

Healthy, Bright, Delightful, 

Terrific & Extremely ...happy, 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016

Third European Conference of Oncology Pharmacy (ECOP)

The European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP), founded in 2000 in Prague, is the largest organisation of oncology pharmacists in the world with almost 3000 members from 46 countries.

The aim of ESOP is to support optimal treatment for cancer patients, to develop and promote clinical and oncology pharmacy practice through education and training, safe handling and administration of drugs, quality management, research and development and pharmaceutical care.

The announcement for the 3rd European Conference of Oncology Pharmacy has been posted in the website of ESOP and here is the welcome from the President.

Recommendations on medication errors from EMA - European Medicines Agency

In the European Union (EU), national competent authorities and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) play a key role in identifying and reducing the risk of medication errors before and after the authorisation of a medicine. EMA applies a consistent approach to communicating to patients and healthcare professionals on any additional measures recommended by the Agency to reduce the risk of medication errors with a specific medicine. 

A medication error is a mistake in the use of a medicine that can be harmful for a patient. Medication errors occur at the time of prescribing, dispensing, storing, preparing and administering of a medicine. While the overall number of medication errors leading to harm is small, the impact on patients and health care systems can be high.

European Medicines Shortages Research Network - addressing supply problems to patients (Medicines Shortages)

The problems created by supply shortages of medicines have been widely reported by healthcare professionals and patients over recent years, and acknowledged at the European level by the European Medicines Agency and European Commission. The cited causes are multifaceted ranging from production disruptions, natural disasters, discontinuations as well as difficulties created by various legal, trade and pricing frameworks.

Healthcare professionals require access to reliable and up-to-date information about the unavailability of a medicine in order that they can treat the patient in the best way possible. The significant patient impact because of the lack of medication, in terms of safety and management of their condition, will be researched. In addition the forced substitution to an alternative product or requirement to produce a medicine may increase the risk of error, stress and overall cost to the healthcare system. According to the largest pan-European survey of healthcare professionals yet conducted on the topic, the products mainly affected in the European hospital sector are antimicrobials and oncology products used for large populations.