The André Bédat Award was gven to Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom by the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FIP) at the 78th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Glasgow, UK.
Awarded every two years, the André Bédat Award is FIP’s highest honour for pharmaceutical practice.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates Professor Sansom who previously won the PSA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 for acting as a “guiding hand for many significant advances that have taken the profession forward”.
He received his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Adelaide in 1972, and his many achievements since include being made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2002 for outstanding service to Australia and humanity at large.
PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said Professor Sansom was recognised nationally and internationally as a visionary leader of the profession.
“Lloyd’s many achievements throughout his distinguished career make it clear he is one of pharmacy’s leading lights,” he said. “Lloyd has been a mentor to pharmacists in Australia and internationally, and a generation of pharmacists thank Lloyd for his pioneering work in the pharmacy profession, especially championing quality use of medicines.”
PSA NSW Branch Committee member and former NSW president and national president John Bell received the Fellowship of FIP award at the congress.
Mr Bell was honoured in recognition of his strong international leadership, contribution to the advancement of the practice of pharmacy and service to the FIP, including as former vice-president.
He has represented PSA as a member of the NHMRC Health Care Committee, the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee, the Poisons Advisory Committee of NSW, the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council and the Medication Continuity Expert Advisory Group of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
He is a board member of Diabetes NSW/ACT and the Australian MedicAlert Foundation, and a member of the Global Respiratory Infection Partnership, an international multidisciplinary group established to address antibiotic resistance.
“John has worked tirelessly for the profession both in Australia and on the international stage, from highlighting the role of pharmacists in our healthcare system to delivering continuing education and mentoring early career pharmacists,” Dr Jackson said.
“It’s hard to overstate the extent of his ongoing contribution not only to PSA but to the practice of pharmacy in Australia and overseas.”
Mr Bell says he was humbled by the recognition.
“I feel honoured to have joined an eminent group of Australian pharmacists who have been similarly honoured by FIP,” he said. “It’s been a privilege to have represented FIP as a vice-president for eight years and also to have worked internationally with the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, especially in the areas of pharmacist management of TB, malaria and HIV/AIDS.”
Mr Bell joins an exclusive group of Australian FIP Fellows including Dr Betty Chaa, Associate Professor Parisa Aslani, Professor Timothy Chen, Associate Professor Rebekah Moles, Professor Ross McKinnon, Professor Shalom (Charlie) Benrimoj, Dr Ross Holland and John Ware.
