[Introducing the Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan]

The Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan (APSTJ) has contributed to advances in pharmaceutical sciences and progress in formulation technologies. The APSTJ has some 2000 individual members including pharmacists, researchers, technologists, and representatives of regulatory authorities. Remarkably, more than 800 individual members are from the industry. The APSTJ holds an annual meeting and several conferences or seminars on pharmaceutical technologies and skills. It has also set up 13 focus groups (FGs), including some working energetically on medical pharmacy research. For example, the FG on "personalized formulations" aims to develop a suitable dosage form for each individual patient to confirm the concept of personalized medication. To provide opportunities to hear the voices of patients and understand their medical needs, another FG has started a hospital-based internship program for industrial researchers. Furthermore, as an activity of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, an industry-university joint consortium for "pediatric drug formulations" was organized within an FG to develop suitable formulations for pediatric use. The mission of the APSTJ is to provide safe, effective, user-friendly drug products based on pharmaceutical science and technology and cooperation with clinical researchers and medical staff.