Uppsala to host international meeting for improved drug utilization

Tuesday 1 July, more than 300 representatives from academia, healthcare and several government agencies will arrive to Uppsala for the European Drug Utilization Conference 2025 where four intensive days will pave the way for more equal access to and improved use of drugs. The conference is hosted by Björn Wettermark, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology, who, together with his team, is looking forward to the largest meeting in the network's 30-year history.

“We are living in times characterized by a worldwide pandemic replaced by countless crises and conflicts. In many countries, poor access to effective drugs is an emergant problem, and all over the world, irrational use of drugs cause negative consequences. The fact that we in July will gather specialists from close to 40 countries and all continents shows the extent of the challenges we face, but also gives us the opportunity to find solutions when professionals from academia, healthcare and other stakeholders meet” states Björn Wettermark at Uppsala University's Department of Pharmacy.

The list of confirmed speakers includes both Swedish directors-general and numerous international leading experts, all of whom are coming to Uppsala to discuss a selection of important challenges. The topics that to date arouse the greatest interest include equal access to drugs, new methods to assess the effect and safety of drugs using real world data as well as the role of AI in improving use of drugs. Extra space in the scientific program is also given to pharmaceuticals environmental impact.

“Sweden is in many ways a pioneering country in sustainability issues, and at the Faculty of Pharmacy we are currently conducting research and providing a freestanding course focusing on Drugs in the Environment. Therefore, it is particularly inspiring that we both have assigned the subject time at the meeting and that the conference follows an environmental friendly line with, among many things, a vegetarian norm, refill bottles and digital posters,” says Johanna Villén, PhD student at the Department of Pharmacy.

The conference, which will be held in the Uppsala University Main Building, is another important step in the university's interdisciplinary investment in improving the use of drugs, where the Faculty of Pharmacy since 2020 has consolidated its research in pharmacoepidemiology, social pharmacy and clinical pharmacy. After a successful start, the environment is now set to expand its global networks, and the ambition is for the conference to open new doors to Europe and the world.

“Uppsala has all the prerequisites to become a leading international hub in the work to improve drug utilization. Our research environment is already engaged in collaborations with, among others, the Swedish Medical Products Agency, Uppsala University Hospital, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Uppsala Monitoring Centre. In July, the participation of so many key researchers from all over the world in Uppsala will enable both important knowledge exchanges and more far-reaching scientific collaborations,” says Marie Ekenberg, PhD student at the Department of Pharmacy.

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt m fl