V23e1 by EPSA

European Pharmaceutical Students' Association | www.epsa-online.org Bringing pharmacy knowledge and students together. Volume 23 | Edition 1 | October 2015

Annual Congress The congress from a new perspective

TWINNET A step by step guide

Training Project Maybe a trainer can help?

European Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

Table of contents Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words Presidential words New team

4 Dear readers, 6

Member of the year

Annual Congress report Summer University report

10 12

Science Day 14 Maybe a trainer can help? 16 Vaccination 18

Individual Mobility Project Organising a TWINNET

FIP Interview FIP Report Exernal opportunities Map of Europe Events Calendar EPSA Executive contacts

21 22

24 26 27 28 30 31

Here in EPSA we firmly believe in keeping our members updated about the association and its workings, this might be my first but it is the 67th EPSA Newsletter. This year we will keep the focus on bringing EPSA closer to our members, therefore we are aiming to visit as many member countries as possible, reporting and giving you insight into the European Pharmacy world. This is the first Newsletter of the EPSA Team 2015-2016, and when I say team, I really do mean team, almost every team member has been involved in this edition. Especially the Public Relations department who has worked so hard to make this become what it is. The first edition of each Newsletter really defines the PR department and shows how we will work together for the remainder of the mandate. Together we defined the topics and after the EPSA Editorial Board was established, articles were proofread and the final shape was given. Inside you will find the usual reports from our last events, articles about Science, Education and TWINNET. You can also find interviews with the winners of the Science Day, Member of the Year award and a member of the FIP board. I would like to thank all contributors to this Newsletter, EPSA Team, LSs, external authors and the Editorial board, for their great efforts. With that, I would like to wish you much enjoyment reading the first edition of the year.

Berzi Wasfy

EPSA Vice President of Public Relations

vp.pr@epsa-online.com

Special thanks to: Chuck van de Cappelle (Design and Editing), Joana Melo (Editing) Editorial Board: Claudia Ferreira, Filip Ilievski, Jasna Puh, Michael Champion, Noor Mujahid and Simran Buttar www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Presidential words

The past, present and future Dear EPSA friends, This October, for the 50th time in history, the members of EPSA will gather for the General Assembly in Malta during the 12th EPSA Autumn Assembly. EPSA’s highest decision-making body will meet again to discuss important matters and set the plan for the Association for the upcoming months. This anniversary makes me go back to the spring of 1978 when European pharmacy students gathered for the first time to discuss the issues related to the directives on the mutual recognition of Pharmacy diplomas within the European Community and to compare pharmacy studies between different countries. Pharmacy curriculum in the European Union is more unified by now, but there are other challenges that pharmacy still faces in this region of the world. Therefore, an association like EPSA needs to exist to represent the interests of pharmacy students and to collaborate on the development of the future of pharmacy and healthcare. Twelve years ago, in October 2004, EPSA introduced its second General Assembly of the year, the first EPSA Autumn Assembly, taking place in Prague, Czech Republic. Twelve years later, hosted in the marvelous country of Malta, 12th EPSA Autumn Assembly participants will have the chance to dive into a great educational programme prepared by the EPSA Team and into an amazing social programme thanks to the Reception Committee.

The EPSA Team 2015-2016, whom you can meet on the first pages of this Newsletter, had its 1st Team meeting in Belgrade, Serbia in July and has since made great efforts to move the Association forward and to prepare an outstanding Autumn Assembly together with the RC. This edition of the Newsletter highlights the EPSA events happening in the past months - the Annual Congress in Toulouse, hosted by Association nationale des Etudiants en Pharmacie de France (ANEPF France) and Summer University at Lisbon seashore, hosted by our Member of the Year, Associação de Estudantes da Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa (AEFFUL Portugal). What is more, the autumn season has started and EPSA was present at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress in Düsseldorf and participated in the Student Package, organised together with two other stakeholders - Bundesverband der Pharmaziestudierenden in Deutschland (BPhD Germany) and International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF). I would like to take this point to wish EPSA another fifty (and more!) General Assemblies full of productive discussions, great outcomes and engaging projects as a result of that. May the Association grow and develop even further! Yours in EPSA,

Katarzyna Świderek EPSA President president@epsa-online.org

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

Drug therapy for special patient groups

39th EPSA Annual Congress

Helsinki, Finland 18-24 April 2016

Ready to Finnish? epsaac2016.org @EPSA_AC2016 epsaac2016 /epsaac2016

Meet the new Team Svetlana Kolundžić

Črtomir Fleisinger

Catarina Nobre

President

Immediate Past President

Secretary General

Treasurer

Michiel van der Werf

Stefan Lukić

Lucie Svobodová

Parliamentarian

PC Member

Vincent Coltier

Danaja Rode

Eva Shannon Schiffrer

Committee member

Science

Jonathan Vella

Heidi Jäntti

Sara Torgal

Chairperson of the 12th Autumn Assembly

Chairperson of the 39th Annual Congress

Training

EPSA Congresses

Audit Committee

Parliamentary Council

Executive

Katarzyna Świderek

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

EPSA Team 2015-2016 Berzi Wasfy

Nikola Lazarevski

Maja Šerčić

Magnus Høie

VP of Education

VP of Public Relations

VP of Internal Affairs

VP of External Affairs

VP of Mobility

Elena Popa

Bao Luong

Charlotte Jacobs

Ana Marcelino

David Kološić

Social Services and Public Health

Information Technology

Events

Grant

Central IMP

Raluca Radu

Joana Melo

Jeanne Kern

Suvi Sivula

Educational Affairs

Publications

Alumni

Partnership

Clara Brandt

Chuck van de Cappelle

Professional Affairs

Design

Coordinators

Adéla Firlová

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Member of the Year 2014-2015 AEFFUL

Dear EPSA Friends, It is my greatest honor to address you as Liaison Secretary of Associação dos Estudantes da Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa (AEFFUL), elected as EPSA Member of the Year at the 38th EPSA Annual Congress, in Toulouse, in the past month of April. Celebrating this year its 101st anniversary, AEFFUL is one of the oldest students’ associations in Portugal, proudly standing through all these years for the rights and interests of many generations of pharmacy students before us. During every mandate, AEFFUL inherits the responsibility of keeping its work and mission updated to the most recent reality, and all that comes with it. Circumstances change, new challenges arise, but the commitment remains: do better and give better to students. Provide them with opportunities to develop their skills, their personalities, their perspectives, their essence both as citizens and as future pharmacists. For many years now, though, one cannot really use key words such as “development” and “perspective”

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sticking only to the national plan. There’s a world out there; a Europe full of plans, with less boundaries, asking us to think broader. So we did, and that’s how we once crossed paths with EPSA and have been building such a fruitful relationship until today. In general, sense of proactivity among our student community has clearly increased over the last couple of years. More and more, students feel the need to do something different, productive, enriching, other than study and prepare for laboratory classes. They are eager to learn new things, defy their limits and step into new ground. As part of AEFFUL’s International Office, it is quite rewarding for me to see that they are increasingly turning their attention to a broader plan and realising how much one can benefit from an international experience or challenge.

great assets which undoubtedly provide students with a differentiating factor concerning non-formal education.

It changes your life, or at least the way you look at it. You end up having a little (or maybe not so little) spark in you always saying “Come on, get busy! Go on and improve yourself, show what you’re worth!”. This is, at least, the mindset with which we aim to keep on motivating more than 1200 students we represent nowadays. As for this year, we could not be more proud when looking at how great the involvement has been in the EPSA world, with more than sixty participants representing our association and living unique experiences throughout the four main events and many others taking part in all the different ongoing projects and platforms developed to make students richer in knowledge and vision; mostly the Training Project, has a great way to explore one’s potential to interact and achieve personal development on many different levels, but also Twinnet initiatives, Individual Mobility Project, the new but promising Mentoring Project, among others, all of them having

Inspiring and encouraging people to take a step further and absorb the best of EPSA, leading up to the level of influence it has today among our community, is not something we could have done over the course of a year, so this award also goes to all of those who, before us, set that goal and left their mark. And here it is not just about AEFFUL, but also about Portugal and we know that Portugal and its students have left important and valuable marks in EPSA’s history. Today, this recognition is proudly telling us that the Portuguese passion and dedication towards this Association remains strong.

As for the future, like some people usually say - it will come, one day at a time. And one day among EPSA is for sure a day spent in the right way/direction, for EPSA makes you different, makes you better, but most of all, makes you grow! Thank you! See you somewhere around Europe!

João Diogo LS for AEFFUL, Portugal ls@aefful.pt

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

38th EPSA Annual Congress 2015 The Slovenian way

Greetings EPSA friends! My name is Nejc Klopčič and I am currently finishing my 1st year of studies at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy. Earlier this year - in April to be exact - I had the privilege to attend the 38th EPSA Annual Congress held in Toulouse, France. A great opportunity was given to me and now I am able to share my first ever Congress experience with all of you! A suggestion came up in the Slovenian delegation, that we rent some vans and have a road trip to Toulouse. We all loved the idea, so we decided to do it. We started our three-day journey from Ljubljana on Friday night. After 8 hours of driving we reached Monaco just in time to catch the sunrise above the hills of Monte Carlo and it was majestic. Later in the afternoon we struggled in Nice with its narrow one-way streets, maybe a big van is not the best idea in this city. The departure came too soon, but we had to leave for the camp. We stayed near the Mediterranean Sea in a small city just a bit outside of Cannes. When you have the sea of Cote d’Azur at your sight, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, you have to take a swim. And that is what we did on one April evening, with the water not being as warm as one would like, it was still worth it. We spent most of Sunday on the road, but instead of the highway we took the coastal road. It gave us the view of one of the most beautiful beaches

we have ever seen. We reached Montpellier in late afternoon, but we ran into some trouble finding the auto camp. As a football fan I always wanted to visit Barcelona. When I saw a sign, which said Barcelona 350 km, I knew that it was my chance. So instead of going to the hotel we decided to visit Barcelona, even if it was just for a night. Since it was already Monday, we set off on our way towards Toulouse. There was a closed tunnel on the way, so we had to take a road that ran through a mountain pass in the Pyrenees. A road, like the ones you can see in Top Gear which lead to the top of the passage, 2000 meters above the sea level. There was still some snow and we could not resist it, but we had a lot of fun there. The “winter is coming” prediction really did come true! Imagine being at the Barcelona’s beach in the morning and then a couple of hours later on top of a mountain - it was an amazing experience. With a journey like that, the EPSA Annual Congress really had to be something special to top it and it definitely was! With its symposiums, workshops, trainings, social programme in the evenings and of course, meeting a lot of new people and improving your foreign language. The theme, “Pharmacist of the 21st century” was literally dedicated to us, because this is who we all are, or are striving to be.

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

At the ‘First Attendants’ meeting we got some information about the overall congress and how things were supposed to be happen. It was almost a Slovenian conference, because there was so many of us - including those from the now former, EPSA Team. During the morning symposium the first speaker blew us away with his charisma, stunning public speaking skills and interesting topic. Mr. John Chave spoke to us about Community Pharmacy and its future and I have to admit that his lecture was one of the best I’ve ever attended. Later in the afternoon, I applied for the workshop he hosted and we got deep into discussion. The main theme revolved around our internships in community pharmacies and doctor-pharmacist relationship. Later, in the 1st student session hosted by Slovenian students, Jernej and Stefan, we tried to create the perfect study programme for us. We saw that our ideas were not so different to the curriculums we already had, so maybe change will not come soon, but as we discussed, it has to in the future. The most memorable Wednesday event for me, was Mr. Dispenser’s lecture on Social Media in Pharmacy. We also won his pens for the longest trip to Toulouse; they came in handy during my exam period! He is a positive and lively person and gives a certain appeal to his performance. On the Cultural awareness training in the afternoon we came to the conclusion that Europeans are not so different. I have to say that we did not leave the training empty handed, thanks to Mija and Diogo (soon to be EPSA Trainers).

I spent Thursday at the General Assembly as the most important day for the candidates involved the EPSA elections. I did not know how the GA worked, but I was told that I had to attend at least once to understand how EPSA manages its affairs. I heard some great presentations and a new EPSA Team was formed during the GA. I enjoyed listening to the debate before the vote and witnessing everyone’s happiness as each person was elected. Time flew and it was already Saturday, our last whole day at the Annual Congress. The end of trainings, workshops and the GA. EPSA Team 2014/2015 got a huge applause from the Official Delegates and a tear or two came down their faces, but I believe that they were tears of excitement and happiness as they all put so much of themselves into the last year to make EPSA even better. Final night of the Congress was the classiest and everyone looked stunning in their gala dresses. I have to compliment the female portion of the participants for looking as beautiful as movie stars on the red carpet. Gala Night was one of my favourites of the week! You could easily talk to new friends, say words of farewell, and maybe get some xoxo, the perfect way to finish an event like that. During EPSA AC I gained so much experience I’d never done before, connected and discussed pharmacy with students from other countries and it was easier than I ever expected. I had this fear inside of me as I was one of the youngest pupils, but it disappeared after the first day. New friendships were formed and I got renewed motivation to continue what I started this year - to be active outside of faculty walls. It was the best event in my life, thus far. Till the next Congress!

Nejc Klopčič Participant of the 38th EPSA Annual Congress

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

17th EPSA Summer University The Belgian experience

Educational programme

The event started with a visit to the Pharmacy Museum, which I found very interesting. The museum host talked about the history of pharmacy and its evolution and told us special anecdotes. His presentation was both original and entertaining!

This summer, students and graduates from more than 26 countries came together in Lisbon, Portugal, to participate in the 17th EPSA Summer University.

Europe as playground professional mobility

for

This was my first EPSA event ever! Two months before the Summer University, I had no idea what EPSA was. How did I get to know EPSA? Our local student association, Farmaceutica, organises a ‘gala party’ at the end of each year and it was there I met the current EPSA Events Coordinator, Charlotte Jacobs. We started talking and she explained what EPSA was, how it worked and also much about the events they organise. Based on this information I decided to register for the Summer University. The nice thing about Summer University is that you have two programmes - the educational and social. The educational programme is not as prominent as in other EPSA events as you only have workshops and trainings in the forenoon. This makes the Summer University a perfect event for first-time attendees!

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

After the visit to the museum, the opening ceremony started. The chairperson, Teresa Dominguez, gave a speech as did Pedro Barroca - the representative of the Portuguese Association of Pharmacies (ANF) - André Torres, the President of the students association in Lisbon (AEFFUL) and Nikola Lazarevski - the EPSA Vice President of Internal Affairs. During the opening ceremony traditional food and drinks were served, like Portuguese refreshments and the codfish cake ‘Pastéis de bacalhau’. To finish that night we went to a venue with a great view.

On the second day in the morning, I attended two workshops; a workshop about pharmaceutical industry and a workshop about EPSA. The most interesting workshop for me was the one regarding pharmaceutical industry. Two speakers from Roche, Dr. Vanda de Sousa and Dr. rer. pol. Jörg Holzing, came to talk about the healthcare industry. They spoke about the company Roche itself and gave us tips on how to prepare for an interview. In addition, they spoke about a 2 year multicultural programme. The multicultural programme is a sort of internship in the company where you do assignments in four

Europe’, as every country had its own traditional twist for the event. Later in the week we also had a Gender Bender theme night, a clubbing evening and of course - the Gala evening!

Sightseeing different countries and every 6 months you change of country and project. The workshop about EPSA was also very interesting as it was my very first EPSA event. They spoke about the structure of EPSA, their events and opportunities you have through EPSA projects.

On the second day we did a little bit of sightseeing in Lisbon. We also tried a special Portuguese liqueur called ‘Ginjinha’, made by infusing ginja berries. On the last day, we went to Belém in the morning and to Sintra during the afternoon. In Belém, I tried the delicious ‘Pastel de nata’ pastry with cinnamon and sugar. In the afternoon we all went to visit the domain called ‘Quinta da Regaleira’. The estate is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the cultural landscape of Sintra.

I also attended a few other training events but I felt I learned the most from negotiation training.

Social programme

Each day ended with a ‘theme night’. The second night was the ‘Portuguese Night’ and this was by far my favorite! In the evening I met many lovely Portuguese students from the group ‘Tuna’ - who had their own costume and dances! We had plenty of fun that night and in my opinion everyone was very friendly and open. The international night was very special to me. Everyone had previously spoken about it, mentioning it was one of the best nights of the event and so it was! I loved the fact that you could ‘tour around

The Summer University was a great experience for me. I will definitely attend another congress in the future and for those who have never attended an EPSA event I strongly encourage you to participate in at least one! Greetings from Belgium!

Loís Dewaele Participant of the 17th EPSA Summer University

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Who said Science was boring? Something for everyone

It is a project that is planned to be held at all major EPSA events. The upcoming excursion will be held during the Autumn Assembly in the restored oldest pharmacy in the Santo Spirito Hospital in Malta. Participants will visit the pharmacy museum and witness a compounding demonstration.

Science Day The Science Day is an annual educational event that takes place during the EPSA Annual Congress and is dedicated to students’ scientific work. Participants are given the opportunity to present the scientific research they have conducted orally and through a poster exhibition. This year fourteen students in total participated in one or two parts of the event. A jury, consisting of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences, EUFEPS representative, a Pierre Fabre Lab. Representative and the EPSA Science Coordinator Successor, assessed the presentations. Since the competition this year was extremely tough, the jury agreed on two winners for the oral presentation.

EPSA Students’ Publication (ESSP)

Science

The ESSP is a publication that allows students who have performed research work to publish their outcomes in the abstract form. Participating students gain insight into professional scientific publishing as all of the submitted abstracts are reviewed by experts from the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS).

Science Excursion The idea of the Science Excursion is to bring students closer to science and to broaden the Congress experience to an interactive and local surrounding.

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

Eva Shannon Schiffrer EPSA Science Coordinator science@epsa-online.org

Winners of the EPSA Science Day Interview with the winners Winner poster presentation: Lucie Svobodová Scientific research topic: Tacrine-Benzothiazole Hybrids: Novel Multitarget Agents to Combat Alzheimer’s Disease During your academic course, what were the main outcomes of working on scientific research? I learned how to work in a lab and with other colleagues there. It also gave me knowledge about pharmaceutical research and about the long way from the lab to the patient. How can the Science Day competition improve your skills as a future pharmacist? As this was my first scientific presentation, it helped me improve my presentation skills in front of the professional audience. Answering the judges’ questions made me realise that I am capable of quick and constructive thinking.

Lucie Svobodová Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Prague

Winner oral presentation: Hesther NG Scientific research topic: Nuclear Translocation of HIF-1 and β-cells Death Associated with Hypoxia During your academic course, what were the main outcomes of working on scientific research? Different countries have a slightly different syllabus in the pharmacy course. While majority of the European countries focus on the industrial aspect in pharmacy,

in UK we focus more on the clinical outcomes. Being a minority and doing laboratory-based research for my final year project, I was grateful for the support that I got from the Diabetes Research Group at the university. My project was studying the relationship between the activation of hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and the survival of the β-cells under hypoxia. The significance of this relationship contributes to the cause of the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Currently, there are no cures for T1DM besides pancreatic allotransplantation. Investigating the cause of T1DM will eventually allow us to develop a non-surgical treatment for these patients and greatly enhance their quality of life. Even though my project only played a small part in the whole diabetes research we are doing at the university, I believe everything has its use and what I did was of importance to the progress of the research. How can the Science Day competition improve your skills as a future pharmacist? The world of pharmacy is changing. Pharmacists are moving from the back of the dispensary, pouring cough syrup, to the front; we are researching or simply explaining patients when they do not need to get antibiotics from the doctor because it is just a cold and paracetamol will do the job. Participating in the EPSA Science Day competition does not only give us the opportunity to exchange pharmacy knowledge between different European countries, but it also helps us develop our soft skills such as presentation and discussion skills. These are vitally important for pharmacists of the new generation that we are, standing in front of our patients, advising them on the best medication treatment that we can offer.

Hesther NG University of Brighton, United Kingdom

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Training project

Maybe a trainer can help? Everyday you meet and greet dozens, maybe hundreds of people. You may smile, say hello, hug, ask how everything is going, or sometimes you are just submerged on your own thoughts. Whether you are studying or working, you will probably have to work with several different people and be able to understand and respect their differences, manage your own time and projects, be innovative and creative amongst many other things. You see, without even realizing, soft-skills are a major part of our daily lives. They are everywhere: from the moment you thank the cafeteria lady for your morning coffee to the moment when you plan your weekly schedule, you are paying attention to sounds, words, reactions, and opinions.

manage your stress, projects and conflicts. It will provide you with new tools, theories, methods and simple implementation techniques. It will also provide you with some valuable extra help: a Trainer will facilitate the process and lead you to reach your own conclusions and motivate you to implement them in your daily life! But watch out: nothing works unless you do! This means that your daily effort and will on implementing everything you have learned are crucial during the process. Only you can lead the path of your own growth and development!

But as we are all human beings, with all our richnesses and flaws, sensibility and objectivity, this may not be an easy process. Sometimes we struggle to manage our time efficiently and feel overwhelmed, and other times we find it difficult to work with someone in particular and do not envision how we are going to sort it out…

Well, maybe Training can help! By exploring a whole variety of topics, soft-skills’ Training can be a powerful tool for self-reflection and improvement. It will make you reflect on your communication and feedback tools, your emotional intelligence usage, your leadership skills, how you

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

Sounds tough? You will find out soon that it is more joyful than hard! With the initial efforts come early results, and with them even more motivation and will to keep going and improving yourself! And do not think change will be unnoticed: you’ll start realizing that you see things differently, with different perspectives and new insights. You’ll even find yourself thinking about body language tricks while making a presentation to your colleagues!

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Ex cellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitu de.” – Ch arles R. Swindoll

What changed in me since I went to my first training? I can not say that I clearly remember my first training. What I can say is a lot has changed since then. Training is odd at the beginning, you may feel that you have not learned that much after one session but you sure start questioning yourself: if I knew that already, why have not I done it like that my whole life? And then out of a sudden you realise you do not know that much. You only know the tip of the iceberg and you probably ignore what is beneath! You feel overwhelmed with your thirst for knowledge and you want to learn more and more, to try new topics, even the ones you have already tried. All because you are finally aware that you may know a lot but there is so much to learn. What changed since my first training? Well, now I know that the iceberg is huge and I am constantly trying to see if I can reach a little deeper. In the meantime, I started to try and make others see that they only know the tip that is in sight while also trying to learn with them!

Diogo Piedade Trainers Board Training Events Member

My Trainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motto? Sharing is caring!

But how can I find a Training opportunitiy or a Trainer to help me? Every EPSA event has a huge variety of Training opportunities prepared specially for you, having of course the bonus of great intercultural interaction throughout the week! Also, your Liaison Secretary (your local/national representative in EPSA) will most

certainly be happy to take on your interest and help you reach the closest Trainer or organising training opportunities for you and your colleagues. Curious about the EPSA Training Project? You can find more info on the EPSA website or by contacting us to training@epsa-online.org We are waiting for you! :)

Sara Torgal EPSA Training Coordinator training@epsa-online.org

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Pharmacist-delivered vaccination Dream or Reality?

As the years go passing by, society develops and the same goes with our profession. Demands are higher, technologies develop and from the times when pharmacists were considered firstly as pharmacognostics and then chemists, we got to the age when we shifted our scope to patient. Patient in the centre of a healthcare, latest trend, the path we want to follow. EPSA Annual Congress 2015 held in Toulouse, France, has been dealing with the issue of pharmacists of near future â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pharmacists of the 21st century. During the symposium, participants discussed the topic of patient in the centre of healthcare, pharmacist as a member of healthcare team, inter-professional collaboration and how we can work together. In 2009, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) together with World Health Organisation (WHO) released the Guideline for good pharmacy practice: Standards for quality of pharmacy services. Within this guideline, pharmacists are asked to consider the following roles: 1. Prepare, obtain, store, secure, distribute, administer, dispense and dispose of medical products. 2. Provide effective medication therapy management. 3. Maintain and improve professional performance. 4. Contribute to improve effectiveness of the health-care system and public health. Under the point number 1, administration of medicines, vaccines and other injectable medications is included. Pharmacists are asked to educate public, prepare medication and administer vaccines and minimum national standards should be established for these activities. Pharmacists need to help, raising the level of vaccination to improve the general public health and life expectancy, especially when it comes to the illnesses preventable by vaccination. Common flu or influenza is an infection caused by a

European Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

virus that is transmitted easily from person to person via droplets and small particles produced when infected people cough or sneeze. Influenza tends to spread rapidly during seasonal epidemics. Most infected people recover within one to two weeks without requiring medical treatment. In the most serious cases, influenza is associated with possible fatal complications, such as bacterial pneumonia and dehydration. Flu accounts for 40,000 recorded premature deaths in Europe each year. Based on this information, a Recommendation on seasonal influenza vaccination was adopted by the European Council in 2009. This Recommendation encouraged the increase of the vaccination coverage of older age groups, preferably to reach a target of 75% coverage by the winter of 2014-2015. It recommended that the target should, if possible, be extended to the risk groups of people with various chronic conditions. Member States of the European Union were also encouraged to improve vaccination coverage amongst healthcare workers. 18 countries were able to provide vaccination coverage data for the older age groups for the 2011â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012 influenza season. From all the countries, only the Netherlands met 75% threshold included in the Recommendation for the cohort of older age groups. The United Kingdom was close to the threshold, reaching 74%. Amongst other countries reporting coverage data, the percentages ranged from 1.7% to 64.1%. The trend data on this population shows no discernible momentum

towards increasing coverage rates in most countries. In a number of countries, there have actually been declines in coverage amongst this population since the 2009 pandemic. To support the demand of European council, pharmacists can help spreading the vaccination, decrease the workload of the doctors and reduce the waiting time of the patients. According to the NHS Sheffield Community Pharmacy Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme for hard to reach at risk groups, pharmacist-delivered vaccination was considered more convenient, mainly because there is no need for an appointment and the waiting time is decreased and 99% of the patients were satisfied with the service. Of course, vaccination in the pharmacy brings certain risks – the professional community is mostly concerned by the potential anaphylactic response from the patient where immediate medical help is necessary. Because of this, pharmacists who administer the vaccines in the pharmacies are very well educated on the matter and also on the first aid. So far, pharmacists are allowed to vaccinate in several European countries, these are the United Kingdom (since 2002), Portugal (since 2007), Ireland (since 2011), and also outside Europe, examples being United States (1995 – generalised in 2009) and Australia (2014). According to the NHS Sheffield Community Pharmacy Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme, 20 – 23% of patients receiving pharmacist-delivered vaccination were vaccinated for the first time and 19% of patients said they would not take the vaccination if it was not delivered by a pharmacist. From these numbers, we can see

that pharmacist-delivered vaccination is not only beneficial but also well perceived and welcomed by patients. Pharmacy students, as future professionals, were asked for the input and by the end of the mandate 2014-2015, a position paper on Pharmacistdelivered vaccination was introduced by EPSA Professional Affairs Coordinator 2014-2015, Anže Vasle. According to the position paper, European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (EPSA) encourages the pharmacist-delivered vaccination. As future healthcare professionals, we believe that such activity would help to increase the immunisation coverage and to reduce the number of deaths. Based on the epidemiological data and positive experience from some countries, EPSA supports expanding the practice in other European countries, as it is in line with the EC (European Commission), ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) and FIP/WHO recommendations. Our main goal is to increase the immunisation coverage and access to vaccination. We believe, however, that such activity would only be beneficial for the patients if it is done in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. It is our common objective to ensure the well-being of the patients and we should strive for it together. Pharmacists providing vaccination should nevertheless undergo an appropriate training to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of the service. Read whole position paper at www.epsa-online.org in the section Publications under the tab EPSA Statements and Position Papers!

Adéla Firlová Vice President of Education vp.education@epsa-online.org

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Bayer & Society

Responsibility. We value your health and well-being, which drives us to perform at our best â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is our commitment.

European Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association Bayer Consumer

Care AG, Peter Merian-Strasse 84, CH-4002 Basel www.healthcare.basel.bayer.com

Individual Mobility Project (IMP) Introduction to the project The Individual Mobility Project (IMP) is a flagship EPSA project, founded in 2005 with a mission to provide new opportunities for mobility and professional training of European Pharmacy students abroad. It is a long-term project that aims to give the opportunity to students and recent graduates from all the European countries (members of EPSA) to gain an additional real-time work and research experience in any field of the pharmacy profession. Additionally, the IMP represents a unique opportunity for students and recent graduates to also gain a valuable experience in foreign European countries, get to know their customs and cultures, as well as learn and get to know the European diversity, which are the attributes often encouraged by the European Commission. David Kološić Central IMP Coordinator central.imp@epsa-online.org

My IMP experience in London I would have never thought that my life would change in such a significant way – coming into a big pharmaceutical company, living abroad. All of this was possible thanks to EPSA, an organisation that connects all pharmacy students throughout Europe. The Individual Mobility Project (IMP) is one of the many projects EPSA offers students in order for

them to expand their horizons and to get experience in the areas they desire to work after their graduation. There was a call for a new placement at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in November last year. As a recent graduate, I was unemployed at the time and thought it would be a great opportunity to develop myself both professionally and personally. After a couple of interviews I was fortunate enough to be offered a position. What exciting news that was! I joined the Expert Sales Team at GSK Consumer Healthcare at the beginning of February 2015. I have been experiencing this great company spirit ever since I entered the premises of GSK House. My very first day was nothing short of amazing. I had a feeling that I had been with this company for several years! I received a warm welcome from every team member and I have been receiving their support ever since. The position enables me to communicate with 86 markets, which my team supports on a daily basis. This has been a perfect way to further improve my communication skills and become more confident. I have also done a couple of field visits to get a flavour of how the work I do is being put into practice. I have also had a chance to represent the company at various events, such as TWINNET programme at Kingston University London and EPSA Annual Congress in Toulouse, France. I would strongly encourage every student to search unique opportunities like this and to take part in them, if they have a chance. An opportunity to work with different professionals and gain invaluable experience will make you a stronger person while taking you out of your comfort zone. That will ultimately promote your personal and professional growth and help you discover your potential and other interests in order for you to build your future career accordingly. Luka Tehovnik, MPharm IMP Intern GSK London

How to organise a TWINNET A step by step guide

Contact the EPSA VicePresident of Mobility

Find a TWINNET Organizing Committee

The first step is to contact the EPSA Vice-President of Mobility. He is prepared to give you all the information you need to start your own TWINNET.

Having the right group is essential when organizing a TWINNET. It should be a small group (consisting of 2 to 4 students) truly motivated and committed to this project. It takes a lot of effort and hard work to put everything together.

Select a TWINNET Coordinator

This person will be responsible for all the communication that will follow with your TWINNET partners, the EPSA Team and your TWINNET Organizing Committee.

Decide number participants

A TWINNET is often a small to medium size event, where participants can get the most out of their exchange experience. The number of participants is usually 8-15 per country (average is 8). The number of participants will also affect costs of the TWINNET event.

Find a TWINNET Partner There are always other students around Europe who wish to organize one. You can just contact a friend that you met at an EPSA congress or ask your Liaison secretary to help you. EPSA can help you to promote yourself as host and will guide you through all the organisation process of the event.

European Pharmaceutical Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

Decide on the dates of the exchange It is important to start setting the dates right from the start. It will ease the upcoming stages of organizing a TWINNET and it will give you a better time frame.

Promotion After setting the number of participants, it is time to promote the event and open application for participants.

Decide the TWINNET Topic

Set up the Logistics

The topic can be chosen based on the projects developed in your faculty, any topic that one of your professors is a specialist on, a public health problem or any other topic you wish.

You need to realistically think about the expenses at this point. This is an event where you wish to do the most, but with the least expenses possible.

Solutions for this can be to host the visiting students at the homes of the hosting students, cook yourself, and ask the faculty for support in regards to materials and rooms for the educational program. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget that the visitors must not paying for accommodation, food or the educational program.

Fundraising To have some monetary support for this project, you can ask the pharmaceutical companies, university, faculty, student council, general stores or any other places you can think of. Remember you can also apply for different types of grants on local, national and international level.

EPSA can also help you in choosing the topic and provide you with the materials you would need.

Final Programme Once everything is ready, it is time to set the final programme of the event. This final programme must gather all the information about the location and plans. To get most out of the exchange, it should include a social program, where the students can get to know each other on a more personal level.

For help and more information about your options, contact EPSA.

Interview with FIP Professional Secretary Ema Paulino Ms. Ema Paulino, you have an impressive background. When you look back at this moment in the pharmacy field, what do you hope to leave, as your legacy, in the pharmaceutical world? First and foremost, let me thank you for the opportunity to share some of my experience and ideas. I am deeply honoured by this invitation, and I hope I will be able to convey the great passion I have for the profession and the role it exhibits in society. I believe in the concept of 360º leadership, and this is what I have tried to apply in every role I have taken on. This concept tells us that we can (and should) lead, no matter where we are in the organisation hierarchy. When we realise this, we cease feeling powerless and start realising that even small incremental changes can be vital to help us reach our vision, both individually and collectively. Otherwise, we feel overwhelmed by what we cannot change or control, and eventually end up not moving at all. What I hope to achieve is to pass on the message that we can make a difference, and that we should feel accountable for closing the gap between what we do as a profession, and what the society needs us to do. As a student, at what point have you realised that a degree itself was not enough and you wanted to go above and beyond it? I have always been involved in students’ associations, even since highschool, because I believe in the strength of the collective. We may not wake up motivated every morning, but someone from our group will, and that will help us move along. So it just seemed natural to continue to be involved in students’ organisations in college, and subsequently in professional organisations, after I graduated. It just seemed to me as a natural transition. Having been an EPSA Secretary General, was this experience in line with your expectations? What impact did it have on your career?

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

I believe that being EPSA Secretary General had a great influence in my subsequent path. Specifically because at the time I was required to move to the Netherlands for the role of Permanent Officer. During that 1-year term, I became involved in the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), as its headquarters are in The Hague, and I also started doing pharmacy practice research, as it was one of the prerequisites for the accommodation support I was receiving. So in fact, I think that the experience exceeded my expectations, as it opened new doors for me, and allowed me to get acquainted with areas and organisations previously unknown to me. You have been working on several positions in FIP. One of them was the Project Coordinator of the Young Pharmacists’ Group. How do you plan to involve more students and recent graduates in FIP activities? I assumed my position as Project Coordinator of the Young Pharmacists Group when this group was relaunched within FIP, in 2001. At that time, it was acknowledged by the FIP leadership that there was often a period in the life of pharmacists when there was incipient participation within the organisation. Students often participated in FIP congresses, but as recent graduates, this participation decreased significantly, and these individuals would only

You are the Professional Secretary of FIP. What are the main challenges of this position?

eventually “come back” many years later. This resulted in an ageing organisation, which lead to concerns both regarding its sustainability, because a lot of the work is done through volunteer individual pharmacists, as well as its capacity to reflect the evolving workforce and societal needs. Now, when looking at the organisation, it is possible to conclude that the YPG is serving its purpose. We can now observe much more involvement of recent graduates not only in congresses, but also in different sections, boards and working groups within the organisation. I believe there is still work to be done, but the outcome is already quite impressive. I would say that the conditions are now in place to allow for further students and recent graduates involvement, but that it is now up to these groups to grab these opportunities and add value through their inputs at (the) various levels. Do you see the potential in strengthening the link between FIP and EPSA? Yes, definitely. There are always improvement areas and opportunities to seize. FIP is a global organisation, so there is already a strong working relationship between FIP and the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF). However, there are regional specificities, and that is why FIP has been welcoming regional organisations as observer members. In addition, our Education initiative, FIPEd, must have inputs from the pharmacy students as well, so it would be important to ensure that there are communication channels that allow for constant feedback to be given.

As Professional Secretary of FIP, I handle the organisation of FIP’s professional activities. There is a Board of Pharmaceutical Practice, to which I am the liaison within the Executive Committee, and this Board is responsible for the preparation of the professional programmes of the Congress and, where applicable, other conferences of FIP. It also maintains contact with the relevant interested parties and may assist in the coordination of professional activities of the Sections. Furthermore, it coordinates the professional activities of FIP in the latter’s relations with other professional organisations, and is entitled to formulate policy and mission statements within the realms of its responsibilities. Obviously it works in close relationship and coordination with both the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Bureau. I would say that the main challenges of this position are related to the multiplicity of practice areas that exist within the pharmaceutical profession, and its relationship with our scientific background. In addition, we have recently been working on making sure that the workforce is prepared in a way that it can add value to the society, based on current needs, and that is why we have launched the FIP Education initiative. The interaction between practice, science and education is therefore our main focus at the moment, making sure that we prepare pharmacists to provide better care, which is science-based, and evidence-driven. Do you have any advice to share with EPSA members? Maybe not advice, but a suggestion. Make every day, your favorite day. If you do just that, you will most probably help build a brighter future for you and for all.

Ema Paulino Professional Secretary of FIP

www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Students’ Package FIP World Congress 2015 Involving more students in FIP opportunities Over 3100 pharmacists gathered from all over the world in Düsseldorf, Germany for the 75th FIP World Congress on Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The programme was set around the topic “Better practice – Science based, evidence driven”. FIP stands for the International Pharmaceutical Federation, representing pharmacists from different areas of work - ranging from as diverse as community pharmacists, industrial pharmacists to the more exotic military and emergency pharmacy & social and administrative pharmacy. Covering a variety of different fields resulted in a very diverse programme which really highlighted the interesting nature of our profession. Meeting participants from different countries made us realise how different the problems we are faced with can be, yet at the same time one could see that the biggest challenge – no matter whether you are a practitioner from Nigeria, Korea or Denmark – is how to reach the patient and better contribute to the positive outcome of the treatment. Maja Šerčić Vice President of External Affairs vp.ea@epsa-online.org

My FIP Experience as a First Timer Attending a Congress which brings together pharmacy practitioners, researchers and academics from all over the world into the best possible pharmacy practice is more than an exciting experience. This year the FIP, IPSF, EPSA and the German Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPhD) worked together to provide a unique FIP opportunity by creating a Students’ Package. It is implied that FIP is where students and recent graduates head to next. As a graduate for only four days from the first day of the Congress,

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

this experience gave me the chance to expand my knowledge and grow. The Students’ Package was the best guide throughout this amazing World Congress and had an excellent balance between the educational and social parts. From all the activities and sessions about the different pharmacy fields, sharing was the key word. I can particularly highlight the networking session; representatives from each FIP section and the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences were face-to-face with the participants. The aim was to promote activities and put questions forward, on a rotating basis. I left this session fulfilled, with excitement and new ideas for my very first steps as a pharmacist. Putting everything I learnt from the event into practice is going to be hard, but not an impossible task. As a first timer, the Congress passed by in a flash. The FIP World Congress relies on novelty around the pharmacy field, and without the Students’ Package it would be much harder to follow. I really recommend that you experience and get the opportunity to learn as much as I did at next year’s FIP World Congress. Here is to all the inspiring people that made my FIP experience memorable as a first timer! Joana Melo Publications Coordinator publications@epsa-online.org

External opportunities Get your research recognised Are you conducting some research? Get it recognised! Most of pharmacy students are involved in research work during their studies. Present it at the professional event and get that something extra in your CV that will put you ahead of the competition on the job market. Take this opportunity to attend a professional event for free and create a network of pharmacy professionals all around Europe!

Research in the field of hospital pharmacy? Submit your abstract for the EAHP-EPSA Student Award until 15th November to intern@eahp.eu and win: • Free fee for 21st EAHP Congress in Vienna • €500 to cover your accommodation and travel expenses • Your article to be published in the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) All final-round participants will receive feedback on their work from a professional editor of a peer-reviewed pharmaceutical journal. More information: http://www.eahp.eu/congresses/abstract

Conducting research in other fields? The Student Poster Programme is an opportunity for you to present your research results to a diverse group of scientific professionals who are actively involved in the discovery, development and life cycle management of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and healthcare related products. The selected Student Poster Presenters will receive: • One complimentary meeting registration to attend the DIA EuroMeeting 2016 • €300 towards travel and accommodation • One year complimentary DIA Student Membership • Accepted abstracts will be printed in the EuroMeeting final programme and posted on the DIA website prior to the EuroMeeting • Prizes for three winning posters Deadline to submit an abstract is: 30 November 2015 Please contact EMEA.students@DIAglobal.org for further information

Don’t hesitate, this is your time to shine! www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

Map of Europe

K.N.P.S.V., The Netherlands In October we went with 38 Dutch students to Geneva for a TWINNET. We had a traditional Fondue de Cremont with a beautiful view on the Genevian lake and afterwards we went to a underground club. The next day we played a city game and had an interesting symposium. We closed the weekend with a gala dinner and of course an afterparty! We’re looking forward to meet the Swiss students in Leiden in November.

ANEPF, France Ça va? Our dear French garçons invite you to TWO Twinnets next year. Come and taste the French baguettes, crepes and wine - only the best smelliest cheese here in Europe’s cultural capital! Certificates awarded by French accent.

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

BPhD, Germany This autumn BPhD will be hosting Bundesverbandstagung, which is Germany’s own Autumn Assembly. All the faculties representatives will meet and discuss important topics, attend workshops and social events over a weekend. FASFR, Romania This winter FASFR is hosting its 6th National Gala, which is FASFR’s smaller congress where students will meet and discuss important topics, attend Teddy Bear Hospital, workshops and learn more about Clinical Skills and Patient Counselling.

AFÖP, Austria Have you ever wondered how it is to party in palace? Here is your chance! You are hereby invited to The Ball of Pharmacy in Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria on the 16th of January. Meet national and international students, dance through majestic ballrooms, and experience an unforgettable evening.

EMSA, Turkey Ever witnessed a live surgery during a Twinnet? We have opened the call for the greatly anticipated, next interprofessional Twinnet with our fellow medicinal gurus in EMSA!

Events Calendar

See what is coming up in the next months Pharmacy Days When? 5th - 6th November 2015 Where? Oslo, Norway What? Norway’s largest meeting area for pharmacists. Interesting and extensive conference program and exhibitions from pharmaceutical companies and other suppliers to the industry. How much? €45 More info? http://www.nfs.no/ Farmasidagene-2015/

21th EAHP Congress When? 16th - 18th March 2016 Where? Vienna, Austria What? 4000 hospital pharmacists, students and young professionals. Session tailored at students and developed together with EPSA will have a topic: ‘A systematic approach to pharmaceutical care – what is this all about and how can it be implemented by the hospital pharmacist?’ How much? Students €110, Young professionals €300 More info? www.eahp.eu/congresses

6th WHSS When? 17th - 22th November 2015 Where? Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM) What? The biggest international event for healthcare students.It involves 350 students of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, chiropractic, dentistry, veterinary and other healthcare professions spending 5 days together in a congress from all around the world. How much? €200 More info? http://whss2015.com/

Ball of Pharmacy When? 16th January 2016 Where? Vienna, Austria What? A traditional ball of Austrian pharmaceutical students, full of waltz, salsa and disco fox in a luxurious palace in Vienna. How much? Students €32 More info? www.pharmacieball.at

28th DIA Euromeeting When? 13th - 15th April 2016 Where? Hamburg, Germany What? Annual meeting of more than 3000 healthcare professionals, with exhibitions, sessions for students and young professionals and an award for the best student poster. How much? Students €200 (two days) or €350 (three days) More info? www.diahome.org/EM2016

Get to know more about these events via Event Calender on www.epsa-online.org. Would you like for your event to appear here? Write us to: events@epsa-online.org

European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association

EPSA Executive contacts Don’t hesitate to contact us EPSA President Katarzyna Świderek president@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Internal Affairs Nikola Lazarevski vp.ia@epsa-online.org

EPSA Secretary General Črtomir Fleisinger secgen@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Education Adéla Firlová vp.education@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Public Relations Berzi Wasfy vp.pr@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of External Affairs Maja Šerčić vp.ea@epsa-online.org

EPSA VP of Mobility Magnus Høie vp.mobility@epsa-online.org EPSA Immediate Past President Svetlana Kolundžić ipp@epsa-online.org

EPSA Treasurer Catarina Nobre treasurer@epsa-online.org EPSA Office Rue du Luxembourg 19 bte. 6 B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Did you enjoy reading the EPSA Newsletter?

Don’t miss the future editions of this publication by becoming an Individual Member in EPSA.

How?

Go to www.epsa-online.org, “Members” and check out the page about the Individual Membership. Fill in the application form and send it to the EPSA VP of Internal Affairs (vp.ia@epsa-online.org). This newsletter is produced by EPSA and is distributed to all EPSA members, national pharmaceutical students’ organisations, faculties, official bodies and partners. www.epsa-online.org | @EPSA_Online

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