During the last week of April, almost 1800 ACCP, ESCP, and PPAG members and nonmembers joined forces in Orlando, Florida, for 5 days of education and networking at the 2009 ACCP/ESCP International Congress on Clinical Pharmacy, ACCP Updates in Therapeutics: The Pharmacotherapy Preparatory Course, and PPAG International Pediatric Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology Symposium. Delegates from 52 countries participated in the meeting, including clinical pharmacists from Brazil, Egypt, Lebanon, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and most European countries.
Nick Barber, B.Pharm., Ph.D., MR.Pharm.S., FRSM, from the University of London, kicked off the International Congress with the keynote address, “Protecting Our Patients: Clinical Pharmacy’s Role in Safety and Error Prevention.” This theme of placing patients first to make medicine safer was woven throughout the sessions during the meeting week. Curricular tracks on technology and medication safety; complementary and alternative medications; pharmacogenomics and culture’s impact on medication use; and medication error assessment offered participants a chance to explore the latest data from a variety of perspectives, with faculty from around the globe presenting. In addition to more than 100 hours of educational programming, attendees enjoyed casual networking at the poolside Opening Reception, the PRN networking forums, and the Closing Reception at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
Handouts from meeting sessions are available online to all meeting registrants at www.accp.com, where they may also claim CE and evaluate the meeting sessions. If you were unable to make it to Orlando, Preparatory Course products are available for purchase through the ACCP Bookstore, www.accp.com/bookstore. Keep an eye on the ACCP Web site for information about your next opportunity for networking and education—the 2009 ACCP Annual Meeting, October 18–21, 2009, in Anaheim, California. Make plans to join ACCP at that meeting as we celebrate 30 years of excellence in clinical pharmacy practice, education, and research!