Kickoff Symposium and Celebration Held to Commemorate the Establishment of the Sato Pharmaceutical Endowed Course, the Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Course

Publish: July 03, 2024

Faculty of Pharmacy/Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences

For Prospective Undergraduate Students, Prospective Graduate Students, Current Students, Companies and Researchers | Science Topics | July 3, 2024

In recent years, the importance of preventive medicine and self-medication has been growing. There is a need to promote the proper use of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, build evidence to support health from a consumer's perspective, and develop the necessary systems and tools.

With a donation from Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., the Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy established the Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Course in April 2024, aiming to solve these societal issues.

To commemorate the establishment of this course, the "Kickoff Symposium Commemorating the Establishment of the Sato Pharmaceutical Endowed Course, the Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Course" was held on Wednesday, June 26, in the Nakakodo (auditorium) at the Shiba-Kyoritsu Campus.

The symposium was attended by over 100 people, including students and faculty from the Faculty of Pharmacy and the School of Medicine, as well as representatives from related companies.

The event began with opening remarks by Makoto Arita, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, and an explanation of its purpose by the chairs, Hidemi Misawa, Dean of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Professor Satoko Hori of the Faculty of Pharmacy. This was followed by lectures from five speakers on the following topics.

"The New Role of Pharmacists and Community Pharmacies: Future Prospects and Expectations for Healthcare Promotion"

Ms. Miki Ota (Director, Department of Safety Information and Planning Management, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA))

"Pioneering Near-Future Preventive Medicine: From the Forefront of Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) Development"

Tashiro Kishimoto, Project Professor, School of Medicine (Hills Joint Research Laboratory for Future Preventive Medicine and Wellness, School of Medicine)

"Healthcare DX: Corporate Trends in Digital Transformation"

Mr. Shuta Mitomo (Principal, Consulting And Navigation (CAN) Unit, CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.)

"Support for Oral Self-Care in Pharmacies and Future Prospects"

Katsunori Yamaura, Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy (Division of Social Pharmacy, Center for Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy) and Director, University Community Pharmacy

"Prospects for Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Research"

Ayako Furukata, Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy (Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Course, Faculty of Pharmacy)

The attendees listened intently, and a lively Q&A session followed the lectures. Afterward, the event concluded with closing remarks from Dean Misawa of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, bringing the successful symposium to a close.

After the symposium, a celebration was held in a lounge with a view of Tokyo Tower.

The celebration began with congratulatory remarks from Mr. Seiichi Sato, President and CEO of Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., followed by speeches from Yuko Kitagawa, Vice-President of Keio University, and Hideko Kanazawa, former Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy (now Professor Emeritus at Keio University), who laid the foundation for the course. Many people attended, including the symposium speakers, representatives from Sato Pharmaceutical and other related companies, and faculty members from the Faculty of Pharmacy, providing a venue for lively information exchange.

For details on the day's program, see Sato Pharmaceutical Endowed Course, Healthcare Innovation Pharmacy Course Kickoff Symposium/Celebration.pdf