Evaluating the importance of teaching environmental toxicology to postgraduate pharmacists.

The pharmaceutical industry is demanding professionals with knowledge in environmental toxicology due to increasing public concern about protecting the environment. However, the study of toxicology within the pharmacy degrees is limited to the study of general toxicology and toxicology of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the availability of subjects, modules or training on environmental toxicology is very scarce in Europe, a fact that may have an impact in the potential income of future professionals in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Our group is providing a highly specialised workshop and training in environmental toxicology for pharmacists studying the MSc “Specialist in Industrial Pharmacy and Galenicals”, University of Alcalá (Spain) since 2013/14. Students need to complete a practical exercise using different tools and resources developed in different countries (e.g. the risk assessment methodology designed by the US Environmental Protection Agency) to carry out a small risk assessment study and select techniques and strategies to protect and decontaminate an environment impacted by pharmaceuticals. The practical exercise, although limited by time, has been effective for training future pharmacists in basic skills in environmental toxicology. Students’ satisfaction has been recorded since 2013/14 until this year (2015/16) revealing an increase of satisfaction & participation from 88% to 100%. The success of this training initiative highlights the relevance of creating training courses on environmental toxicology in the European Higher Education Area to satisfy the current demand for professionals with skills in environmental toxicology in the pharmaceutical sector.