Health Science Center Faculty Member Named to Council of Advisors On Geriatric Drug Therapy Research

For Immediate Release
November 25, 2003
Smith-ASCP Foundation
Contact: John Holder (979) 458-0669
Office of Communications
The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center
http://tamushsc.edu
Health Science Center Faculty Member Named to Council of Advisors On Geriatric Drug Therapy Research
David A. Smith, M.D., FAAFP, CMD, an assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine at The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine, was recently appointed to serve a two-year term on the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) Research and Education Foundation Geriatric Drug Therapy Research Institute’s Council of Advisors.
The ASCP Research and Education Foundation was established in 1982 in memory of Larry Niemerow, one of the Society’s early leaders and its president in 1976-77. The Foundation is the research and education affiliate of the ASCP. The ASCP is an international professional association that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to advance the practice of senior care pharmacy.
The mission of the ASCP Foundation Geriatric Drug Therapy Research Institute (GDTRI) is to improve the health and well-being of older persons through appropriate, effective, and safe medication use. The Institute’s objectives are to fund, coordinate, and conduct research that centers on geriatric pharmacotherapy; design, conduct, coordinate, and fund educational programs and initiatives that enhance appropriate, effective, and safe medication use in the senior population; and address the information and education needs of consumers, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the aging network regarding appropriate medication use in the senior population.
Dr. Smith said, in response to his appointment: “This appointment is much appreciated. I have a high regard for the work of the consultant pharmacist’s role in long-term care. I hope to further the collaboration between attending physicians and medical directors in improving the quality of medication management in the nation’s long-term care facilities and to promote research and education in geriatric pharmacology.”
The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research. Its five components located in communities throughout Texas are Baylor College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology and the School of Rural Public Health.
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