Principles and Practice of Pharmaceutical Medicine

Industry’ is listed as a postgraduate competence
(‘capacidade’).

Sweden

There is a 2-year diploma course in pharmaceutical
medicine given at the Karolinska Institute and the
Medical Products Agency, Stockholm, organized
for pharmaceutical physicians in conjunction with
the Swedish Board of Pharmaceutical Medicine.

Germany

There is a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine
in Germany which is provided by the DGPharMed
(German Society for Pharmaceutical Medicine).
Since 2005, the University of Essen-Duisburg
has offered a 2-year course leading to a Master of
Science in pharmaceutical medicine. The course
has 450 hours of teaching in 18 modules and a
further 1350 hours are planned for homework.
The last six months are needed for preparation of
a thesis, its presentation and oral examination.
Although only recently available, this course has
longer heritage, having being transferred from the
University of Witten-Herdecke, which since 1997
offered a course leading to a Diploma in Pharma-
ceutical Medicine.

Italy

In pharmaceutical medicine, efforts are being
made to establish a diploma course at the Univer-
sity of Pisa supported by the Italian Association of
Pharmaceutical Physicians (SSFA).

Non-European

Mexico

Mexico granted pharmaceutical medicine special-
ity status in 1999. There is a 2-year specialist
training programme organized by the National
Polytechnic Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Post-
graduate Studies Section, leading to a specialist

qualification in Pharmaceutical Medicine. There

is an entry examination to the programme, which

then includes 17 subjects (84 credits) over four

semesters. There are practical rotations through

pharmaceutical industry departments in the fourth

semester.

Argentina

The University of Buenos Aires offers a postgrad-

uate education programme in pharmaceutical med-

icine, comprising 420 teaching hours and 240

practice hours.

Brazil

The Federal University of Sao Paulo offers a

postgraduate course in pharmaceutical medicine

comprising 200 teaching hours and 160 practice

hours.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Gareth Hayes, Dr

Ibrahim Farr and Drs Herman Lahon and Juan

Lahuerta of the Council for Education in Pharma-

ceutical Medicine for their contributions and

advice.

References

Centre for Medicines Research. 1996.UK Pharmaceu-

tical R & D expenditure 1982– 1986. Monograph,

London.

Stonier PD, Hayes G. 2003. InCareers with the Phar-

maceutical Industry, Stonier PD (ed.). John Wiley &

Sons, Ltd: Chichester.

Taylor JB. 1993. InTextbook of Pharmaceutical Med-

icine, D’Arcy RF,et al. (eds.). Queen’s University:

Belfast.

Erast & Young. 2001.Biotechnology Annual Report:

http://www.ey.com.

Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Association.

1997.PhRMA Annual Report 1999–2000.Mono-

graph. Washington, DC: http://www.phrma.org.

REFERENCES 23