Arjen Veldt
Two UK academic pharmacists received awards at the opening ceremony of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) 2015 annual congress in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 29 September 2015.
Theo Raynor, professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Leeds, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Pharmacy Practice Award. University of Nottingham professor of social pharmacy Claire Anderson, who is vice-chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s English Pharmacy Board, received an FIP Fellowship.
The FIP lifetime achievement award recognises an individual who has contributed over many years to the development of pharmacy practice. Raynor moved into academia after 20 years in hospital pharmacy where he also undertook research. He now specialises in research into the use of medicines in primary care, particularly the effective provision of consumer medicines information.
Theo Raynor, professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Leeds, was given the Lifetime Achievement in Pharmacy Practice Award
Speaking to The Pharmaceutical Journal, Raynor, who was unable to collect the award in person, said he was “delighted” to receive the award and thanked FIP, which he said had been “instrumental” in allowing him to collaborate with colleagues around the world to conduct his research.
“It’s definitely a high point [of my career],” he says. “Getting a lifetime achievement award sort of suggests that’s it. So I’m hoping this is more of a comma rather than a full stop in my work. I see it as an encouragement to do more.”
Raynor encouraged young pharmacists interested in research to engage with colleagues internationally at an early stage.
An FIP Fellowship recognises distinguished FIP members who have showed strong leadership internationally, contributed to the advancement of practice and who have served FIP.
Presenting Anderson with her Fellowship, the organisation praised her contribution to the FIP Education Initiative and the planning committee of its global pharmacy education conference.
“I was absolutely delighted to receive it and felt really privileged: it means an awful lot to me,” says Anderson. “It’s very nice to be recognised for what one’s done, because when you do it you don’t set out to get recognition, you do it because you want to and for the greater good of the profession, and particularly for me for developing education in the profession — it’s something I’m passionate about.”
Anderson is one of only eight UK pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists to be awarded an FIP Fellowship. The federation has awarded a total of 80 Fellowships since these were introduced in 2005.
A total of 16 pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists received honours at the ceremony. The André Bédat Award for a significant contribution to pharmacy at an international level was presented to Thomas Lönngren from Sweden, and the Høst Madsen Medal for distinguished contribution to pharmaceutical research was awarded to Hans Junginger from Germany.
The Distinguished Practice Award was presented to Régis Vaillancourt of Canada and the Joseph A Oddis Award for Exceptional Service to FIP was given to Henri Manasse, Jr.
