The Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association (PPhA) announced a collaboration with Health Hub, the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) for health and pharmaceuticals, to provide training on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and innovative technologies into pharmaceutical science and practice.
Maria Pournari (Health Hub), Konstantinos Demetzos (NKUA – Department of Pharmacy), Apostolos Valtas (Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association)
“Pharmacists will receive a certificate from two universities, the University of the Aegean and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and will acquire a uniform body of knowledge on cutting-edge topics that we have co-designed as courses together with the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association,” stated the programme lead, Konstantinos Demetzos, Professor at the Department of Pharmacy of the School of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).
What the training in digital transformation includes
The programme includes training in patient pharmaceutical care and first aid, with an emphasis on modern innovations and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It covers state-of-the-art thematic areas such as:
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Modern pharmaceutical care practices
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Injection therapies
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Prescribing
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Communication with patients
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Error prevention and management of therapeutic challenges
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Pharmacovigilance
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Compounding of galenic formulations
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Technology of modern vaccines
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Digital transformation of the pharmacy
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Point-of-care testing and digital developments
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Use of innovative diagnostics in the pharmacy
Without the use of Artificial Intelligence, pharmacies will fall behind
The educational content has been designed to meet the needs of the modern pharmacist, strengthening knowledge and skills through advanced tools and methodologies. “Combined with Artificial Intelligence, this is where the future and evolution of pharmacies will be decided”, stressed the President of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association, Apostolos Valtas. As he noted, while similar seminars on the market are priced at up to €500, this programme is not only free of charge but also more comprehensive, and “those who do not attend it risk falling behind developments.”
Mr Valtas referred to the digital transformation promoted by Europe in the pharmaceutical sector, pointing out that “without this change, pharmacies will not be able to meet the demands of the times… we do not have the luxury of staying behind.” He also emphasised that “technology is evolving rapidly. If it is not meaningfully connected with knowledge and continuous training, our sector will be left behind.”
From his side, Professor Stavros Stavrinidis of the Department of Physics at Democritus University of Thrace, who participates in the programme together with his research team, stated that “the seminars will provide participants with cutting-edge scientific tools related to the role of complexity and artificial intelligence both in pharmaceutical nanotechnology and in personalised therapy.”
Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association’s need for digital transformation
The memorandum signed with Health Hub is “the beginning of a collaboration on many other fronts as well,” said Mr Valtas, referring to the need for digital transformation of the Association itself. “Health Hub helps us continue to put our philosophy into practice, which is: vision and modernisation.”
Health Hub as a bridge between universities and the pharmaceutical market
Ms Maria Pournari, Chief Operations Officer of Health Hub, stated that “the collaboration between the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association and the two universities creates a bridge between academia and the market. Many stakeholders are working in this direction, and today this is achieved with Health Hub as a key enabler. It is a major success for us.”
She added that “this triangle will function very effectively in order to reach pharmacists not only in Attica, but across the entire country.” She also explained that Health Hub is coordinated by the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED). iED, and by extension Health Hub, headquartered in Larissa, operates beyond Attica in the Ionian Islands, the Aegean, Western Greece and Crete.
The Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association is expected to announce the launch of the educational programme in the autumn. The seminars will include a series of asynchronous scientific and professional training modules curated by the Pharmacy Department team of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, under the academic responsibility of Professor Konstantinos Demetzos and the scientific responsibility of Emeritus Professor Chrysi Vitsilaki. Participants will receive official certification from the Lifelong Learning. More information is available here.
About Health Hub
The European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) Health Hub is a one-stop shop providing digital transformation services to startups, SMEs and public organisations in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. Health Hub supports beneficiaries in strengthening their reach, accuracy, innovation capacity and networking efforts. It is co-funded by the European Union through the Competitiveness Programme (NSRF 2021–2027). More information is available on the Hub’s website: www.healthhub-edih.eu
The coordinator of Health Hub is the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED), whose mission is to empower organisations and businesses to achieve their innovation goals by offering specialised guidance, securing European funding and fostering a dynamic ecosystem for sustainable growth. You can learn more here.