For the 7th time the Faculty of Pharmacy, Misr International University participated in the 27th Dubai International Pharmaceutical and Technologies Conference & Exhibition (DUPHAT) from 20 to 22 February 2022 which was held in Dubai. The Faculty of Pharmacy is always keen to annually engage its students in such an experience to enhance their competencies and keep them updated with latest news and insights in the pharmacy profession. Twenty-eight students represented the faculty with seven posters under the supervision of the faculty members from different departments to address different pharmacy domains.  Our student gained a lot of skills from the experience of publicly presenting their work and interacting with other students as well as academics and professionals.

Our students for the 7th time succeeded in winning distinguished awards after being judged by a panel of eminent international evaluators in the field of pharmacy. A multidisciplinary poster entitled “Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics evaluation of the antidiabetic activity of plant waste extract” demonstrating the teamwork of three departments: pharmaceutical technology, pharmacognosy, and pharmaceutical chemistry won the First Place Outstanding Poster Award. The winning poster was under the supervision of Dr. Manal Shaffek, Dr. Hany Mahmoued, Dr. Rasha Mahmoued, Dr. Lamiaa Bazan, Dr. Rania Farouk and Dr. Noha Ibrahim.

In cooperation with the Egyptian Ambulance Authority, the Faculty of Pharmacy organized a training workshop on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at MIU. The workshop introduced first aid education and highlighted the importance of learning some basic medical care for injured persons.

This medical support will help gain time until reaching specialized teams. Pharmacy students, mainly fifth-year students, actively participated in demonstrating the first aid basic skills that they had acquired during their studies. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Mohamed El-Anany, Director of Training at the Egyptian Ambulance Authority, who shed light on the definition of first aid, basic skills, and knowledge, as well as the extent of possible intervention in various emergencies. 

The workshop also discussed cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, choking, and change in the degree of consciousness as well as dealing with cases of fractures, wounds and bleeding. Dr. El-Anany clarified the importance of not intervening in emergency cases if you lack the necessary information or ability. He explained that acquiring the necessary skills could help the injured and prevent complications that pose a threat to their life.

In light of the constant care of the Faculty of Pharmacy Misr International University, to develop the capabilities of students and provide them with the necessary technical skills in the field of drug production and industry, the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology organized a scientific visit for fifth-year students to Al-Motahedoon Pharma Company for the manufacture of medicine, medical supplies and cosmetics in the Tenth of Ramadan City.

The students got acquainted with all the departments in the factory, including the production department, the packaging department, the storage, the marketing department, as well as the quality assurance laboratories to learn about the different methods of evaluating pharmaceutical products. They also received a detailed explanation from the specialists in the factory about the various stages of manufacturing different medical solutions (from the raw material to the final product). At the end of the visit students expressed gratitude for the knowledge they have gained, which will help them later in their practical life.

In the context of engaging the MIU pharmacy students in field activities related to pharmacovigilance and in an attempt to emphasize the importance of the inter-professional collaboration with Dentistry students who represent another sector of the health care profession, the faculty of Pharmacy Development and Training Committee, in collaboration with the International society of pharmacovigilance (ISOP)- Egypt Chapter, participated in the annual international campaign for medication safety entitled “Med Safety Week” .

The campaign was organized by the Uppsala Monitoring Center, a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating center, , from the 1st till 8th of November 2021. The aim of this campaign was raising awareness about reporting of the vaccine’s adverse effects in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic vaccination campaign in order to improve the safety profile of vaccines and reach better outcomes regarding patient health. Both Pharmacy & Dentistry students attended an orientation session on pharmacovigilance concepts and the steps of self-reporting before they participated effectively in the campaign activities which were held both on campus and in the outpatient clinics of hospitals and in community pharmacies.