International Congress on Clinical Pharmacy

To help commemorate the 20th anniversaries of the founding of both the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the two organizations are holding an International Congress. Scheduled for 11 - 14 April 1999 in Orlando, Florida, the main theme of the Congress will be Documenting the Value of Clinical Pharmacy Services.

For further information contact: Theda Mansholtstraat 5b, 2331 JE Leiden, the Netherlands. Tel: + 31 71 572 24 30, fax: + 31 71 572 24 31, e-mail: secretariat@escp.nl

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

With the theme of “Practice Excellence through Technology”, the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association Conference and the Pharmacy Australia Congress will be held from 11 - 15 March 1999. The occasion will provide an opportunity to hear a variety of speakers on the application of technology in all areas of pharmacy practice, and to network with colleagues from around the world.

For further information contact the Secretariat at: ICMS Pty Ltd, 84 Queenbridge Street, Southbank, 3006 Victoria, Australia. Tel: + 61 3 9682 0244, fax: + 61 3 9682 0288, e-mail: cpapac@icms.com.au

Efficient drug management

The Robert Gordon University’s tenth postgraduate certificate course, “Efficient Drug Management and Rational Drug Use”, will be held from 17 May to 16 July 1999. Run in collaboration with the Action Programme on Essential Drugs, the course is intended for health care professionals, especially pharmacists, who are involved in the management and control of pharmaceuticals at national, institutional and programme levels. Fees are £3,300, including course books/materials and accommodation.

For further information contact: Marthe Everard, Course Tutor, School of Pharmacy, The Robert Gordon University, Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR, Scotland, UK. Tel: + 44 1224 626559, fax: + 44 1224 262555, e-mail: edmrdu@rgu.ac.uk

Problem-based pharmacotherapy teaching course

This course introduces a logical, step-by-step approach to patient problems: setting therapeutic objectives, selecting appropriate (pharmaco)therapy, and monitoring the response to therapy. It also emphasises the importance of correct prescribing and good patient-doctor communication. Intended for teachers of pharmacology and therapeutics, the course (developed at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands) is now available in a growing number of countries.

The next course based at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, will be held from 29 November to 8 December 1999. For further information contact: Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa. Tel: + 27 21 406 6355, fax: + 27 21 448 0886.

And make a note...

Course dates for the University of Groningen course are 19 to 30 July 1999. For further information contact: Dr Wessel Sloof, WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmacotherapy Teaching and Training, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, the Netherlands. Tel: + 31 50 363 2810, fax: + 31 50 363 2812, e-mail: summer.course.pharmaco@med.rug.nl, web site: http://www.indepth.org/courses

The problem-based pharmacotherapy teaching course will be held in the Philippines, in 1999. For further information contact: Professor Tony Smith, WHO Collaborating Centre on Pharmacotherapy Teaching and Training, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia. Fax: + 61 6 289 8846, e-mail: smith@mail.newcastlr.edu.au

La Plata, Argentina, will be the venue for the first South American course (this will be held in Spanish), in either July or November 1999. For further information contact: Professor Hector Buschiazzo, School of Medicine, National University of La Plata, 60 & 120 (1900) La Plata, Argentina. Tel/fax: + 54 21 820117.