Health Minister Joe Cassar yesterday spoke of what he called “the most significant development in the department of pharmacy” during the past year – the commencement of a new degree course leading to the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Technology.

He was speaking at the annual pharmacy symposium when, welcoming the first-year students following this course, he said such graduates will not only fill the much-needed scientific positions in the pharmaceutical industry, but will also contribute to the health systems concerned with policy, acquisition and distribution of medicines both in the community and in hospital settings.

“I sincerely hope that such a new professional, associated to the area of pharmacy, will not only contribute as a fully-fledged scientist in health development, but will also enable the administration to release pharmacists from tasks involving the procurement and distribution of medicines. These pharmacists could then take up the more patient-oriented tasks, as clinical pharmacists, both in the hospital and in the evolvement of the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme. These clinical pharmacists will ensure a more rational and safe use of medicines,” he said.

Dr Cassar said there have been “dramatic developments” in pharmacy education over the past year. The evolved qualification now has to be followed by three semesters of post-graduate studies leading to a master of pharmacy degree. “Such a long preparation, which incidentally is a full semester longer than that of the medical course, should prepare pharmacists to take up positions of responsibility commensurate to such tertiary level of education,” he said.

Dr Cassar said he would see to it that the new professionals, the Bachelors of Pharmaceutical Technology will receive their due recognition as a new profession.

He said he would like to see a greater collaboration between the hospital authorities and the department of pharmacy of the University of Malta in a parallel way that there is collaboration between the professors and other academic staff in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and Mater Dei Hospital. “It would be a great pity if such an international recognised talent that exists in the department of pharmacy is only utilised by the pharmaceutical industry without a parallel collaboration and contribution to the great needs of Mater Dei Hospital in this field.”

He encouraged the aspiring M.Pharm graduates to consider joining the government health services.