Computer technologies in pharmacy-Filling in the gaps in Ukrainian PharmD curriculum

Abstract

ObjectiveTo improve the teaching of under-represented medicinal chemistry components (in the field of drug discovery and development) in the PharmD curriculum in Ukraine. MethodsThe differences between Medicinal Chemistry (according to the “Western standards”) and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (in the post-soviet countries) were evaluated. The gaps in the Ukrainian PharmD curriculum within drug discovery and development were outlined. ResultsThe course “Computer Technologies in Pharmacy” has been introduced to fill in the gaps in training of the pharmacy students in Ukraine. It was designed to help students understand the depth and diversity of the drug design and development processes. The course includes the main principles related to a meaningful literature search, approaches to new drug-candidate design/development, and computerization of pharmaceutical industry. The overall idea is to familiarize students with a more holistic picture of the drug lifecycle: from idea to drug-candidate creation, getting a new drug onto the market, indication extension or withdrawal from the market, or restriction of the label claims. Conclusion“Computer Technologies in Pharmacy” course is a step toward unification the educational systems and reduce the gap between European, USA, and post-Soviet educational systems, in particular elimination the differences in the study of medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry in the spirit of modern drug design/development education.