Muscat: The Oman International Pharmacy Congress and Exhibition (OIPCX) Regional Forum, organized by the Directorate General of Medical Supplies under the Ministry of Health, commenced on Monday.
This year's theme is "From Cost to Value Based Health Care: Integrating Clinical Audits and Pharmacoeconomic Evidence for Healthcare Optimization."
The opening ceremony was graced by Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, the Minister of Health.
In his address, Pharmacist Ibrahim Nasser Al Rashdi, Director General of Medical Supplies and Chair of the Congress, emphasized the importance of the event as a leading scientific gathering in the region.
The forum unites experts and speakers from diverse fields, aiming to advance the pharmacy profession and foster the sharing of experiences among countries in the region.
Al Rashdi noted that this edition of the congress has broadened its focus to encompass critical areas such as the application of artificial intelligence in pharmacy, the digital transformation of pharmaceutical care services, drug economics, health technology assessment, clinical auditing, clinical pharmacy, the development of pharmaceutical education, and the enhancement of drug safety, particularly in critical situations, to ensure patient safety.
He highlighted that a key aspect of the forum is the sharing of experiences in health economics. Presentations included the Sultanate of Oman’s initiatives, led by the Ministry of Health, in creating methodological guidelines for health technology assessment and evaluating high-cost drug approval requests; Saudi Arabia’s approach to managing medications for rare diseases and implementing value-based healthcare; and Jordan’s Hospital-Based HTA Program at the King Hussein Cancer Center.
At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, the event's patron toured the exhibition, which highlighted displays from international pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, as well as notable pharmacies in the Sultanate of Oman.
The exhibition also showcased leading firms from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
This three-day forum gathers more than 600 healthcare professionals and features 46 distinguished speakers from international, Gulf, and local backgrounds.
Additionally, the event will present 43 scientific papers, including 13 from Oman, that delve into the latest developments in pharmaceutical practices and drug research.
Moreover, the program includes five general workshops and four specialized workshops centered on health economics, creating a robust platform for knowledge exchange and professional growth.
