The current pharmaceutical industry, whose origins date from the early 20th century, and the biotechnology industry, which emerged in the 1980s both have foundations built on the modern scientific method and share a mission to develop new drugs for humans and animals. At the same time, they are also made distinct by size (small biotechs versus…

Biotechnology, usually commercialized in collaboration with the private sector, has been among the most fruitful university-based research endeavors, for the public as well as universities. Biological medications have made possible crucial advances in the treatment of life-threatening illnesses and yielded significant royalty streams for the…

Observations on ethics in pharmacy practice address the growing professionalization of pharmacy, change in professional prerogative, conflict within the medical professions, conflict with factors outside medicine, patient-centered vs. socially centered pharmacy, patient benefits vs. patient rights, different concepts of ethics, and what the future…

Development of the pharmaceutical industry in China depends on research and development of new drugs. The development of high-quality education for potential pharmaceutical practitioners is central to the development of this industry in China. (JM)

Research needs for pharmacy administration and clinical pharmacy include study of the relationship of pharmacists and society, management methods for providing health care services, pharmacist training and socialization, competence evaluation, formative and summative research on drug use control, and organizational decision making. (MSE)

Issues in the debate over intellectual property are discussed by a former pharmacy professor who entered the pharmacy industry. Issues include patents and patent barriers, patent coverage, the academic misconception that industry has unlimited resources, and attitudes that defeat collaboration between industry and academe. (MSE)

This paper describes the training of first-year students in technical skills by students in the second year of a laboratory course. The authors conclude that peer teaching is a very useful teaching method for reinforcing technical skills and providing better instructor-student ratios in the laboratory. (Author)

The emergence of bioactive peptides and proteins as new drug species poses formidable problems for the pharmaceutical scientist. Implications for revision or change in undergraduate and graduate pharmaceutics curricula derive from the biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic, and physiochemical aspects of the new drug species, which differ from…

It is time to make pharmaceutical education more humanistic. There are established techniques, syllabi, and courses for imparting human values to learners. One or two faculty members integrating human values into courses can make a significant impact on students, even if the goal is simply to create awareness or increase sensitivity. (MSE)

Describes how one professor makes his physics course relevant to pharmacy majors. The course emphasizes the relation of basic physics concepts (like forces and thermodynamics) to the human body and uses problems drawn from the medical profession. Student course evaluations show a favorable view of content learned and its relevance. (DB)

Pathography is defined as a personal account of illness written by the patient, a friend or relative. The authors advocate the use of patient pathography as an additional or alternative teaching tool for the medical history record. (Author/JM)

The pharmacist as a provider of "pharmaceutical care" is examined both as a notion and as a new example for training practitioners. It is concluded that the example will require more from the pharmacist of the future and a reordering of perceptions about the nature of the pharmacy profession. (MSE)

The report of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy's Bylaws and Policy Development Committee addresses policy statements of several other committees, resolutions received from association units, and a specific charge from the association's president concerning policy formation procedures. (MSE)

Possible ways to influence the future practice of pharmacy include more shared responsibility with the pharmaceutical industry, increased attention to changes in disease patterns, attention to differential skills needed by different kinds of pharmacists, increased specialization, and emphasis on administrative and other business skills. (MSE)

The recent shift in pharmacy practice from product to information orientation, patients' desires to know more about medications, computerized access to records, and increased third-party payments may result in serious ethical dilemmas for pharmacists. Pharmacy schools must provide background in the responsibilities of health care professionals to…