An introductory internship on pharmacovigilance and HTA for students of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Bogomolets National Medical University took place at the Center. The deepening of the theoretical and practical knowledge of the future personnel of the healthcare system was carried out under the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Center and the country’s leading medical university.
The students were welcomed at the start of the internship by the Director of the Center Mykhailo Babenko, Deputy Director for Registration of Medicinal Products and Pharmacovigilance Yevheniia Ishkova, Head of the Agency for Scientific and Practical Work of the Center, Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Oleksandr Hudzenko, Head of the Health Care Standards Directorate of the Center, Professor, Head of the Department of Organization and Economics of Pharmacy of O.O. Bogomolets NMU Kostiantyn Kosiachenko
Mykhailo Babenko introduced the students to the Center’s areas of work, main tasks and the importance of post-registration surveillance of medicinal products and health technology assessment in the healthcare system, and outlined international achievements in these areas. Yevheniia Ishkova emphasized the high expert potential of the Center’s specialists and the prospects for the development of pharmacovigilance and HTA in Ukraine. Oleksandr Hudzenko noted the importance of continuous deepening of knowledge and professional development of medical and pharmaceutical personnel in Ukraine, and spoke about the work of the Center as a provider of professional development. The Center’s management encouraged young people to continue to fulfill themselves successfully in the field of pharmacy and, if they wish, to join the Center’s team in the future.
“The knowledge and practical cases on pharmacovigilance and HTA that you will receive at the Center as an authorized body of the MoH of Ukraine are unique and important for you as specialists and Master's degree students in pharmacy, as well as for your further professional activity. Today the industry needs effective and qualified personnel, so we are glad to join and help deepen your knowledge,” emphasized Mykhailo Babenko.
During the one-day course, the students deepened the theoretical knowledge they had received at university and also learned the practical aspects of work in pharmacovigilance and state health technology assessment.
In the area of pharmacovigilance, they became familiar with:
- with the rights and obligations of medical and pharmaceutical workers regarding supervision of the safety of use of medicinal products;
- specifics of reporting adverse events and adverse reactions to medicinal products, AEFI;
- the tasks and functions of pharmacovigilance specialists
- the specifics of updating medicinal product safety information in the post-registration period.
During the practical part, participants learned, using specific examples, to determine whether a particular clinical picture resulting from the intake of medicinal products can be considered an adverse reaction, and to fill in report forms on detected adverse reactions using the AISF electronic system.
“Reporting adverse reactions/lack of efficacy of medicinal products is a duty, not a right, of medical and pharmaceutical workers,” emphasized Tetiana Bashkatova, Director of the Pharmacovigilance Department of the Center, during a meeting with students. A high-quality reporting system, in her words, helps us manage signals and respond promptly to any challenges related to medicine safety that may affect public health in Ukraine. Ukraine’s reporting system is recognized by the international WHO Center for Medicines Safety Monitoring in Uppsala as one of the best. Study, and let us jointly maintain this status and the safety of medicines in Ukraine,” she stressed.
Oresta Piniazhko, Director of the HTA Department of the Center, introduced future specialists to the areas of activity and the role of health technology assessment in the healthcare system for improving patients' access to clinically effective and cost-effective treatment. She outlined the basics of the procedure for expert evaluation of dossiers submitted for state HTA and the prospects for the development of the field in Ukraine. She answered students' questions.
Expert of the Division for Assessment of Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Medical Technologies Oleksandra Kiriianova shared success stories of pharmacist graduates who currently work in the team of the HTA Department, and explained why this field is popular among young specialists in medical and pharmaceutical specialties.
Specialists of the HTA Department urged students to develop, find themselves in this field, and join the Center team after graduating from university.
“We are grateful to the management and team of the Center for this in-depth practical and career-oriented meeting. The students left it incredibly motivated. Many of them are already starting their careers, so the knowledge gained is very valuable. Many became interested in working in the pharmacovigilance and HTA departments after graduating from university. Many want to work in the scientific field of HTA as part of their final qualification theses in year 5,” shared feedback about the meeting and the internship in general the supervisor of the students of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Associate Professor of the Department of Organization and Economics of Pharmacy at Bogomolets National Medical University, Iryna Kostiuk.
