MEPS Annual Report 2010-2011

The aim of the Section is to establish close co-operation between military pharmaceutical services and other organisations that provide pharmaceutical services in a humanitarian aid or emergency relief situation. The members have as their mission the study of problems relating to the provision of these services in a difficult environment on an international basis and to co-ordinate pharmaceutical services in general. For its size MEPS is an active section, with quarterly newsletters, email correspondence and updates, diverse activities at the annual Congress and participation in two significant special projects.

Highlights

• The two special projects (Pictogram / Asthma projects) continue to advance the standard of practice in the MEPS environment. Refer to project reports for details.
• The discussion paper sent to the BPP was collaboratively developed with the Industry Section and meets to aims of the strategic plan under the need to "Enhance Pharmacy Practice: Fostering the Appropriate Utilization of Pharmacists in Health Care Systems to Perform Six Important Social Functions. What this paper does is focus the attention of the BPP on the effect of environment and becomes a tool to enable recognition of the diversity of that role.
• The Section held successful Congress in Lisbon, with a generous contribution of time and planning by the Portuguese hosts. The highlight is as always, the annual educational visit to the host nation during the Congress. It was a trip with many highlights from educational to gastronomic.
• Work has continued by a special project group in the development of the new practice guideline about the use of evidence based medicine in selection of product for the emergency environment. This is nearly ready for the consultation phase.
• Board members represented MEPS at other congresses: LCol Wendy Walker gave a presentation to the Pharmacy Australia Congress in Melbourne (Presentation attached) and LCol Susan Groves represented us at the US Joint Forces Symposium.