The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has announced a major recruitment initiative for pharmacist volunteers, seeking experts to help shape global public health standards for the organization's next five-year strategic cycle beginning July 1, 2025.
Critical Role of Expert Volunteers
Dr. Farah Towfic, Senior Director of Healthcare Quality and Safety Center of Excellence at USP, emphasized that the organization's more than 9,000 public quality standards are developed through collaborative efforts with expert volunteers. Applications for volunteer positions will be accepted through March 13, 2025, with opportunities ranging from expert advisors to panel members.
"For us to be successful, we've got to have a diverse expert volunteer base," explains Dr. Towfic. "This includes diversity in individuals, patient populations served, and expertise across different practice settings – from health system pharmacists to community pharmacists and rural health providers."
Addressing Health Literacy Challenges
A significant focus of USP's work involves tackling health literacy issues in healthcare delivery. Current statistics reveal that 47% of American adults – approximately 90 million people – have limited health literacy, putting them at higher risk for medication misuse and adverse events.
To address these challenges, USP has implemented several key initiatives:
- General Chapter <17> for prescription container labeling standardization
- General Chapter <1265> providing guidelines for written prescription drug information
- Transition to standardized milliliter measurements instead of teaspoons for liquid medications
- Integration of visual aids and pictograms in medication instructions
Strategic Focus for 2025-2030
The upcoming strategic cycle will concentrate on three primary areas:
- Strengthening supply chain resilience
- Ensuring consistent access to quality medicines
- Supporting innovation in emerging treatment modalities
"We know that for us to carry out this work, we've got to have expert volunteers in place," Dr. Towfic states. "Please join us as part of this new strategic cycle so that we can help continue to deliver solutions to mitigate drug shortages and ensure medicine quality and access for patients."
Volunteer Opportunities and Impact
The organization has established several expert committees for the new cycle, including:
- Healthcare Safety and Quality
- Nomenclature and Personalized Medicines
- Healthcare Information and Technology
- Compounding
These committees will play crucial roles in developing evidence-based, scientifically rigorous standards that are globally relevant and applicable across diverse healthcare settings.
