EUFEPS: Mission and Strategy

Introduction

In 2002, the Council of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) approved its third Strategic Plan, 2002-2006. This document provides an outline of the fourth Strategic Plan of EUFEPS, covering the years 2006-2010. It will be open for discussion, at the EUFEPS 16th Council, which will be held on September 24, 2006, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Preamble

The EUFEPS Strategic Plan for the period 2006-2010 foresees an evolutionary rather than revolutionary adjustment of the course of EUFEPS, as given in the Strategic Plan 2002-2006 and midterm progress report in a number of areas. Therefore, in the following summary plan the focus will be mainly on new undertakings and activities to be stopped or adjusted.
The basis for the performance of EUFEPS in the plan period will be to find a proper balance between academic-industrial-regulatory interests and to give representatives from all EUFEPS members a proper voice.

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Pharmaceutical Sciences and Scientists in Excellence

The pharmaceutical sciences have undergone many and even dramatic changes, in the last decades. Many new concepts, technologies and disciplines were introduced and keep on emerging. EUFEPS is striving to integrate these new disciplines into its scope of activities, and by this securing that the pharmaceutical sciences will cover all relevant aspects of drug research. This goal can be successfully achieved only by aiming for excellence.

EUFEPS’ Mission

The mission of EUFEPS as updated in 2002 shall stand. It reads:

The mission of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) is to serve and advance excellence in the pharmaceutical sciences and innovative drug research in Europe, including in training and education, and to represent the interests of scientists engaged in drug research and development, drug regulation, drug utilisation, and drug policy making.

European Scientific Community

EUFEPS is an organisation for and run by scientists. It will therefore do its best to draw in the best and most eminent scientists from academia, industry and regulatory to actively support the organisation in achieving its mission. The recruitment of younger generations of pharmaceutical scientists for EUFEPS activities is another prime goal.

It is a main objective of EUFEPS to contribute actively to the ideals of the European pharmaceutical scientific community. The (direct and indirect) members of EUFEPS are spread over the whole of Europe, by this forming a wide-range network. In addition to learned societies and individual members, EUFEPS will work on new categories of members, including supporters from industry and supporters from the European universities, in particular those with major programmes in pharmaceutical sciences. Amendments to Statutes are foreseen and initiated. Whether there will also be a special category for regulatory scientists introduced is an open question at the beginning of the plan period.

The Learned Societies

In the globalised world “learned societies” increasingly grow into a new role, by being platforms for discussions and a voice to the public on scientific matters with a high degree of independence. EUFEPS as a federation of learned societies feels a strong commitment to play a pivotal role in strengthening a sound and strong “voice of sciences and scientists”, also to the public. The EUFEPS President’s Conference (made up of the Presidents of the Member Societies of EUFEPS) is a first step towards this. A second step has also been taken. Presidents of other European (sister) organisations have been invited to start discussing how to work together to strengthen European scientific communities. It will, hopefully, lead to a strong European “forum” and leadership of relevant organisations, representing directly or indirectly more than 100,000 member scientists.

Meeting Platforms and Communication Tools

Attractive PharmSciFair
Focus will be on activities in the framework of PharmSciFair events; the next (second) PharmSci Fair – Pharmaceutical Sciences Fair and Exhibition – coming up in 2009. Due to the success of the PharmSciFair concept, the biennial meetings of the EUFEPS Congress will not be re-installed but replaced by the PharmSciFair.

Attractive Meetings
EUFEPS will continue to strive to run and expand its meeting activities, including joint ones with its Member Societies. There will be regular conferences or other events on specific topics. In addition, EUFEPS will continue to co-sponsor meetings, set up by other organisations.

Attractive Networks
EUFEPS will continue to establish networks under the aegis of EUFEPS such as the

Some administrative support will be provided.

Attractive Website
The website, the EUFEPS Online, will be the centre of EUFEPS communication with its membership. Additional electronic interactions with its members and services have been established.

Attractive Membership Journal
EUFEPS will evaluate the concept of a truly European Membership Journal.

Attractive Books
A strategy for publishing books will be discussed.

Attractive In-silico Activities
The dramatic development of in-silico sciences has already been taken up by EUFEPS by engaging in scientific “in silico” activities, such as the BioSim (biosimulation) Network of Excellence. EUFEPS will also consider making “e-learning” programmes accessible through EUFEPS Online, aiming at providing top quality educational material for pharmaceutical scientists.

Recognition and Policymaking

General Approach
EUFEPS’ task is first of all to promote pharmaceutical sciences in Europe and to be there for scientists in Europe. This task will not prevent EUFEPS to engage in global discussions and address global challenges for the pharmaceutical scientific community. Efforts to strengthen the relationships/collaboration with regulatory drug agencies will be continued.

EUFEPS and EU
The efforts to establish a strong pharmaceutical sciences presence in the EU and to keep the pharmaceutical sciences at the forefront in e.g. the 7th Framework Programme will be continued and stepped up if support can be secured. Tight connections will be kept with relevant EU directorate/s and continuous involvement in running relevant EU activities like the IMI technological platform is foreseen.

EUFEPS and Other Organisations in the Region
EUFEPS will continue to be in good contact and to co-operate with other regional organisations engaged in the pharmaceutical sciences. This will include running joint activities and to speak with one voice on the global scene.

Initiatives have been taken by EUFEPS to create a “European Scientific Communities Leadership Group”, comprising European sister federations and associations and their Presidents. Further discussions on vision, aims and goals etc. are in progress.

EUFEPS and FIP
EUFEPS recognises and actively supports FIP/BPS (Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences) as the organisation best suited to represent pharmaceutical sciences on a global level. EUFEPS, at the same time, expects to be recognised by FIP as the organisation representing the European region. EUFEPS aims at arriving at a mutual agreement with FIP/BPS describing mid- and long-term perspectives of co-operation in regional and global matters.

EUFEPS also plans to actively engage in the existing and new outreach programmes of FIP/BPS in geographical areas where the pharmaceutical sciences basis is underdeveloped (together with AAPS and APSTJ).

The Organisation of EUFEPS

Council - President - Executive Committee
Search committee/s for nomination of EUFEPS officers have been called for and will be established.

Presidents and Executive Board
To secure both consistency and flexibility in implementation, the President, the Past-President, the President-Elect and the Executive Director will jointly execute decisions in upcoming matters, requiring fast action, along lines set by the Executive Committee.

Fellowship, Academy or Senate
To effectively identify and integrate competences in the pharmaceutical sciences, EUFEPS will map out promising fields in the pharmaceutical sciences, along the path of drug discovery, development and evaluation, including preclinical, clinical and translational approaches. Eminent scientists, from one or more of the fields, will be invited to join an active pharmaceutical sciences “fellowship”, “academy” or a “senate“ of EUFEPS, to provide a strong and firm scientific base for future EUFEPS initiatives and activities.

The exact terms of reference of this body, and its relationship with existing EUFEPS’ committees, will have to be discussed and established.

Committees
Current committees include:

in addition to numerous scientific and organising committees for meetings engaging EUFEPS.

The CAP should spearhead EUFEPS’ recognition programme for outstanding scientific contributions. As think-tanks, CARR and CIRR advise on existing and new needs in whatever area of pharmaceutical research where EUFEPS involvement is required. They will help to monitor and stimulate regional and global efforts to further streamline and develop relevant processes, disciplines and coordinating efforts, including those relating to the (USA) “critical-path initiative” and (European) “innovative medicines” approaches.

Similarly, the possibility to establish a Committee on “Regulatory Research Relations” (CRRR) will be explored.

EUFEPS would also need a Committee for Public Policy (CPP), to prepare policy statements. The Executive Committee will work out the details of the terms of reference and operating procedure, including how to involve Council. As such statements will often have a general character and/or may not only be relevant to the European region, EUFEPS may seek to collaborate with the FIP/BPS Committee on Public Policy.

The Committee on Training and Education (CTE), EUFEPS will continue to coordinate education and training programmes in Europe, primarily at the PhD and post-doc level. It will also assess and address unmet needs. Possibilities offered via the IMI technological platform will be exploited.

The membership of all committees should reflect their tasks, representing all pharma, i.e., emerging, small and medium size enterprises as well as ‘big pharma’, different size academic institutions, regulatory bodies and organisations – and patient organisations, as appropriate.

Central Office and Branch Offices
As a consequence of earlier very generous support of the Swedish Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SAPS), at present, all organisational activities of EUFEPS are carried out in the EUFEPS Secretariat at the central office in Stockholm, Sweden. Meanwhile, activities of EUFEPS have reached dimensions, at which other operational models should be considered. Branch offices, at selected sites (e.g. near to EU administrative centres, near to the President etc.) could facilitate operations, particularly, if office space would be made available and funding is provided for supporting personnel.

Consequently, EUFEPS will accept offers to set up branch offices, exploring a “hub model”, following, firstly, criteria of efficiency and quality of administration and, secondly, criteria of financial support by institutions at the site of the branch office. Stockholm will remain the central office, though, as long as the new concept will not have proven to be superior to the current one.

The current EUFEPS Executive Director will retire in the period 2006-2010. His retirement will have major consequences for the daily operations and overall performance of EUFEPS. Hence, any new model of operation should be considered and implemented over time with this in mind.

Finance

Limited Funds
With respect to the activities carried out, EUFEPS is an organisation with a tremendous productivity and efficiency. At present, EUFEPS is funded to a limited degree by membership fees. The major part of the income comes from conferences, workshops and EU grants (after successful applications). The uncertainty of the income by this congress/grant-dependent income structure is, at present, a major limiting factor for long term planning and implementation of EUFEPS’ activities. To increase sustainability of activities and stability of financing, the dependence from contributions from conferences has to be decreased. A number of measures will be taken.

Member Societies
Currently, EUFEPS has 24 Member Societies, in as many countries. Efforts will be made to increase the number of Member Societies in the currently represented countries and Member Societies in additional countries.

Individual Members
The attractiveness of Individual Membership, including for students, will be increased by specific measures. A recruitment initiative will be started along lines such as: bonus system for conference participation; extended website information; access to training and education databases (courses and e-learning options). Establishing an informative and attractive “membership journal” would provide additional benefits.

Member Institutions
EUFEPS has announced and also started establishing a new category of membership: Member Institutions, comprising universities and research institutions. The Executive Committee submitted amendments to the EUFEPS Statutes to the Council to formalise this initiative.

EUFEPS Funds
Efforts to create a “EUFEPS Funds for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Scientists” will be revitalised, and a working party installed for it.

EUFEPS Strategic Plan 2006-2010