New Master’s program in drug safety and pharmacovigilance: first cohort readying for practicum

The news is full of cases where the public is questioning the safety of therapeutics, yet often training programs leave gaps when it comes to teaching drug safety.A new professional Master’s program at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry hopes to fill those gaps.“This is a time when fears around drug safety are high in the public’s minds,” program director Dr. Michael Rieder, a professor in the departments of pediatrics, physiology and pharmacology and medicine, said in a university press release. “Our goal with the program is to provide a generation of professionals who can navigate this landscape.”“It is intended to help people transition into either industry, regulation, or government spheres in drug safety,” Dr. Rieder told Canadian Healthcare Network.There are currently six students enrolled in the year-long program; three physicians, one biomedical engineer with a doctorate and two who have finished their undergraduate degrees.The coursework touches on epidemiology, statistics, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacovigilance. There’s even a course on legal aspects of drug safety, developed with Western University’s faculty of law. Rounds, seminars and a major research project are also part of the program.All students must complete a four-month-long practicum. This year, starting in May, students will be in hospital-based drug safety clinics, pharmacy-related drug safety information clinics and in pharmaceutical companies. There may also be practicums with Health Canada.The Master's program is designed for 12 to 20 students, depending on how many practicums are available. It’s intended to be multi-disciplinary, with physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and people with non-professional degrees enrolling as students. “Ultimately, we hope to develop a hybrid model because people have expressed an interest in taking it virtually,” Dr. Rieder said. “For people in regulatory agencies or pharmaceutical companies who want to expand their knowledge but don’t want to quit their job.”The new program comes while the world is experiencing a “therapeutic revolution,” with scientists developing molecular therapies, biologics, protein therapies and more. Pharmacovigilance could be more important than ever. Dr. Rieder said the Master’s program is the only one of its kind in North America. More information about the program is available on Western University’s website.

New Master’s program in drug safety and pharmacovigilance: first cohort readying for practicum

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