The Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP) certification scheme

As with other professional disciplines there is a growing need from within industry as well as global regulatory authorities for implementation of a certification process in order to assure that appropriate expertise is developed and quality standards are identified for professionals involved in the practice of Safety Pharmacology (SP). In order to meet this need, the Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS) has developed the Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP) certification process. There are many benefits to certification including authentication of the discipline within the overall pharmaceutical community and with regulatory authorities. It also encourages participation in SPS activities by other professionals (toxicologists, clinicians, academics) who wish to broaden their professional expertise. It provides an opportunity for candidates to strengthen their fundamental scientific knowledge, and stimulates the sharing of data, methods and model development in the form of publications and presentations on relevant topics in SP. Accreditation in SP occurs after candidates successfully complete a written certification examination conducted at the annual SPS meeting. The DSP exam consists primarily of material pertinent to the conduct of SP vital function core battery studies (i.e., cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems), supplemental SP studies (i.e., renal/urinary, gastrointestinal, immunology, and hematology), Regulatory Guidelines (ICH Guidelines) as well as relevant cross-functional knowledge (e.g., physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacokinetics, dosing formulation, analytical methods, and statistics). Maintenance of the DSP certification results from the accrual of credits which are gained from a range of educational and scientific contributions. Eligibility requirements include a combination of at least a bachelor degree in science and two years of relevant professional SP experience and one poster presentation on a SP topic as first author at a recognized major scientific meeting.