iBulletin140731

1 Aug, 2014

reference:http://www.mps.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=37&action=view&retrieveid=3918

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

This is a special message from the Organizing Committee of the 25th FAPA Congress 2014.

After years of preparation, the Organizing Committee is entering the final 70 days before the Opening Ceremony of the 25th FAPA Congress 2014 to be held on 9/10/14 at 4.00pm in the Magellan Sutera Hotel, Kota Kinabalu Sabah. The Guest-of-Honor shall be YB Dato’ Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, Minister of Health, Malaysia and Dignitaries from the Health Ministry, State Chief Minister’s Department, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia, State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Universities, Captains of the Industry, Corporate Leaders will join delegates to witness the colorful Opening Ceremony.

Delegates from the 18 Member Countries will spend the next three days in a learning environment. Top-notch speakers have been invited including those from UK, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, China, Singapore, Taiwan, USA, Korea, Vietnam and proudly from Malaysia.

The Ministry of Health, Malaysia has spared no efforts to support the event by sending distinguished delegates to learn and share their knowledge.

In the private sector, delegates from the Private Sector in the States include:-

No	States	Private Sector Participants
1	Johor	0
2	Melaka	2
3	N.Sembilan	2
4	Selangor / KL	51
5	Perak	3
6	Penang	4
7	Kedah	2
8	Perlis	0
9	Pahang	1
10	Kelantan	1
11	Terengganu	0
12	Sarawak	9
13	Sabah	30
	Total	105

The Area Committee Chairpersons have worked hard to motivate their members to participate. We expect that the Area Committee Chairpersons are still hard at work to send a strong delegation from the respective States. Please visit www.fapa20p14.com to learn the latest programme and to register.

We are also happy to announce that 2 Institutions of higher learning had taken up the scholarship offered to the students for participation at the Congress. They are IMU and CUCMS. The offer dateline has been extended till 15th August 2014. So please hurry to submit names of students keen to learn.

The social programme are just as exciting with food, culture, sights and tours in the offering. For those who want to climb Mount Kinabalu, please find out more in the website. Golf can also be arranged. Morning exercise is part of the programme. Hence bring the right gear to “Relearn, Relax, Recharge and Rejuvenate”.

We look forward to welcome you. Meanwhile, the countdown continues…

With Warm Regards,
Yours in MPS

(Datuk Nancy Ho)
President Cum Organizing Chairman of 25th FAPA Congress 2014

TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The MMA- TPPA Committee held a round table discussion on TPPA .

Representing the MPS at this discussion is En Amrahi bin Buang, the Deputy Vice President.

The speakers for the day were Mr Lim Chin Wei who spoke on ” Issues of costs of Medicines & Other Health costs , Mr Fauwaz Abdul Aziz , “Liberalisation of the Health Services Sector ” Prof Lekhraj Rampal “Tobacco Control the TPPA” Datuk Khaw Lake Tee ” Human , Social Rights & the TPPA , YB Dr Jeyakumar ” Overview of the TPPA

The TPPA stands for Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement . It is a multilateral free trade agreement currently being negotiated by 11 countries led by the USA. Malaysia is one of the countries in negotiations on the terms of the TPPA . It aims further to liberalise the economies of the Asia -Pacific Region . It covers a broad spectrum of areas and has 29 chapters ( and still counting ) Some areas affect the public health environment, healthcare and practice . Though it is labelled as a Trade Agreement and there are 29 chapters , only 5 chapters are related to trade

WHY MALAYSIANS SHOULD BE CONCERNED

There is absolute secrecy in the discussions even after 19 rounds of negotiations
What we know is in bits and pieces provided by those who have attended these meetings and by whistle blowers .
The price of drugs , generics , ever-greening of patency , extension of patency , freedom for HMOs , entry of foreign players into the Health sector including stand alone clinics , and hospitals are some of the worries

MMA will hold further discussions, collate facts before meeting with MITI to raise our concerns and objections if needed

Dr NKS Tharmaseelan
Chiarman
MMA-TPPA Committee

PhAMA AWARDS 2014

The following message was received from PhAMA:-

The Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA) is an organization which represents multinational companies involved in the Research & Development, Manufacturing, Marketing and Sales and the Distribution of innovative medicines in Malaysia. The association was formed in 1972 and our members currently stand at 44. Our member’s activities are centered towards providing access of innovative medicines to improve the health and quality of life for all Malaysians.

PhAMA is pleased to announced that this year we will kick off our inaugural PhAMA Awards 2014 as an important initiative to encourage and recognize the innovation and research, and community impact that students, researches, members of the academia, health care professionals as well as members of the public has contributed to the society. The contest is divided into two categories i.e. the Minister of Health Innovation & Research Award and the PhAMA President’s Community Impact & Awareness Award.

Minister of Health Innovation & Research Award – [ Details ]
Grand prize winner will receive RM 12,000; and the first runner-up will receive RM 6,000.
The objective of this award is to celebrate the innovation and research of individuals or team efforts with significant contribution to healthcare and / or standards of care in Malaysia.
PhAMA President’s Community Impact & Awareness Award – [ Details ]
Grand prize winner will receive RM 8,000; and the first runner-up will receive RM 4,000.
The objective of this award is to celebrate the impactful efforts or initiatives contributing towards improving an aspect of community health, wellbeing, awareness or standards of care within Malaysia. The scope of the projects can be from articles, campaigns or corporate service responsibility in which efforts are not profit oriented.

Closing date for submission is 15th October 2014

All submissions shall be made online through the website www.phama.org.my

PHARMACISTS AND DOCTORS: SEPARATION OF ROLES VITAL TO PREVENT MISHAPS

The following article appeared in the NST on 11th Jul, in response to an article on “Docs’ right to dispense medicine” by the Association of Specialists in Medical Practice.

FROM time immemorial, the dispensing of medicines is considered a professional obligation of the pharmacists. The Arabs separated the art of apothecary and physicians in the 8th century and the Europeans followed through with the edict of Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1240.

Thus, for many centuries, in most countries in the world, other health professionals are not allowed to dispense medication. In Malaysia, in 1985, doctors and pharmacists had a formal understanding to recognise dispensing as the professional role of pharmacists.

However, because of the severe shortage of pharmacists, doctors, especially general practitioners (GPs), are legally allowed to dispense medications.

Now, with at least 2,000 new pharmacy graduates here every year and more than 19 local universities offering pharmacy degree programmes, pharmacists are now ready to do what they have been trained for.

While dispensing medicines, the pharmacists come in contact with the patients and thus enhancing several professional roles that go beyond dispensing. Dispensing of medicine now involves intricate knowledge and skills in pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, pharmacoeconomic, pharmaceutical technology, physiology and forensic pharmacy in order to ensure the right medicine is given to the right patient at the right time. These are the basic ingredients of a pharmacy degree programme

However, a formal separation between prescribing and dispensing medicines is an enormous task as it involves various stakeholders.

It is not only confined to community pharmacists and GPs. Among the issues that need to be addressed:

CONVENIENCE.
COST.
SAFETY.
RESCHEDULING the current poisons’ list.
ESTABLISHING a generic substitution policy.
ESTABLISHING pharmacist-physician patient referral.

One of the problems in Malaysia is that doctors and pharmacists do not really appreciate each other’s roles.

Pharmacists are highly trained professionals in the rational use of medicines.

With the changes in the curriculum of pharmacy schools across the globe, pharmacist undergraduate training becomes more patient than drug oriented.

Written by: Associate Prof Dr Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali,deputy dean, (Student Affairs & Networking), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Universiti Sains Malaysia

>> For the detail write up

SURVEY ON SMOKING CESSATION SERVICES

A survey is being conducted to identify the perceptions on barriers encountered by pharmacists in Klang Valley in providing smoking cessation services. This is part of the research being conducted by a third year Bachelor of Pharmacy student of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) and supervised by Madam Shairyzah Ahmad Hisham and co-supervised by Mr. Masro Mohamad.

Your participation in this research will help as a guide for possible interventions to improve smoking cessation services and increase the cessation rate.

The questionnaire will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All data collected in this study will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Agreeing to participate in this study is taken as your consent.

To participate please fill out the form Perception on Barriers in Conducting Smoking Cessation Counselling Among Practising Pharmacists in Klang Valley at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MdLwmiC1FdUl48kBECjdsqqIzDXvydftfM5_P26dLSQ/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link

For any enquiries, please contact Huong Siew Ching at 017- 4361110.

KARNIVAL MESRA UBAT (KaMU) WORKSHOP

On the 12th April 2014, a workshop on medication related issues and handling was given by the Pharmaceutical Services Division (PSD), Ministry of Health Malaysia (MoH). This workshop was organized by KaMU (Karnival Mesra Ubat) committees and was coordinated by Datin Mariani Ahmad Nizaruddin. It was held from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. at Al-Razi of CUCMS.

The main purpose of the workshop was to train and prepare for Karnival Mesra Ubat (KaMU) as well as all pharmacy students who are interested to join. Facilitators from the PSD include Mr. Mohd Dziehan Mustapa, the Principal Assistant Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Division (PSD), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Miss Leow Chuan Ying (pharmacist of Pejabat KesihatanTitiwangsa Kuala Lumpur), Mr Kamarul Azhar Bin Dato’Kamaruddin, Senior Assistant Director (JabatanKesihatan WP Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya).

Activities include Mood Meter, identifying fake and genuine drugs. There were presentations on “What Is a Drug?” “Important Aspects in Use of Drug”

This workshop has received tremendous support from the participants with a new and great style in presentation. The Organisers were indeed grateful that the respected facilitators and Datin Mariani have given full support and sacrificed their precious time to the workshop. The day ended with knowledge, creative and joy. We sincerely hope that more workshops or trainings may be organized in the future.

Prepared by,
Chen Mei Fei

>> For a detail report

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