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MPharm student Peter O’Sullivan wins prestigious International Essay Competition
Congratulations to fifth year pharmacy student Peter O’Sullivan after winning the annual Pharmacy Law and Ethics Association essay competition!
The Pharmacy Law and Ethics Association (PLEA) Essay is a competition open to all students in Pharmacy Schools across Britain and Ireland. PLEA is a non-profit association which brings together pharmacy professionals, lawyers and ethicists who have an interest in ethical and legal matters relevant to the practice of pharmacy.
Peter’s winning essay argued for a harmonised approach to legitimate online pharmacy at an EU level. It examined in detail the narrative emerging from the European Court of Justice’s jurisprudence in favour of a more liberalised internal market conducive to free movement between Member State’s pharmacies and patients alike. This is an ambition not yet realised in the current EU Falsified Medicines Directive, which still permits countries to adopt divergent approaches. It is hoped that current Member States with public health reservations will be encouraged and reassured, given the flourishing e-pharmacy prescription market seen in some EU countries (e.g. Germany and Holland), without compromising patient care. In fact, a myriad of benefits accrue to online patients, such as convenience, choice, competitive pricing and privacy. Regulators should embrace such advances, particularly as the digital population grows older and more forward thinking regarding their healthcare options.
Peter’s fellow MPharm students and indeed all staff and students of the Pharmacy School congratulate Peter on his great achievement!
You can read Peter’s winning essay by clicking HERE.