This year celebrates 10 years of ACCP. The original idea of ACCP came from Asian pharmacists who were looking for a platform to exchange and share ideas on the concept of clinical pharmacy.
In 1996, representatives from China, Korea, Japan, and the USA met in Korea to plan for the first conference and this resulted in the 1st East Asia Conference on Developing Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy Education (EACDCPPE). This was held in the USA in 1997 and there were only 36 delegates. These pioneers decided to have a bi-annual meeting and in 1999, the 2nd EACDCPPE was held in Shanghai, China, where more delegates from the Asian countries participated.
Since the 3rd conference held in Japan in 2001, the conference title was, “Asian Conference on Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)”. Many other countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore participated. At the 5th conference in 2005, a decision was made among the member countries to hold the conference annually.
Many renowned international speakers have been invited to these conferences and shared on the various education and practices of clinical pharmacy. This has significantly contributed to the development of pharmacy education around the region such as the construction of Pharm D programmes in Thailand, Japan and South Korea and a 6-year Masters in Clinical Pharmacy degree in China. Countries like the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have expanded their community pharmacy services to include patient consultation and education, regulation of medication recording, screening of irrational medication use and adverse drug reaction monitoring. In Japan, the provision of pharmaceutical care by pharmacists is now paid by a medical insurance scheme.
The theme of the 7th Asian Conference on Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) was, ”Education, Development and Challenge: For the Future Success” and this year the conference was hosted by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association. There were approximately 300 delegates and experts from the countries around the region and the USA, Canada and Australia, who spoke on a variety of topics. Singapore sent 6 delegates (the largest number ever). They were Mr Ng Cheng Tiang (President, PSS), Dr Camilla Wong (Immediate Past President, PSS), Dr Lou Huei-xin (Council Member, PSS), Dr Alex Chan (Council Member, PSS), Mr Kong Ming Chai (Principal Clinical Pharmacist, SGH) and Mr Kevin Yap (Postgraduate student, Department of Pharmacy, NUS). In all, Singapore presented 4 oral presentations and 2 posters.
Amidst a packed scientific programme was the welcome dinner party, farewell ceremony and field trips to hospitals in Shanghai. The 7th ACCP was a good platform to network with fellow clinical pharmacists. It was truly a good experience to share with and learn from our regional and international colleagues.
Dr Camilla Wong
Immediate Past President, PSS
Senior Principal Clinical Pharmacist, SGH
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