| 27 Views 13 April 2026 |
During 13–16 April 2026 in Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Assoc. Prof. Surakit Nathisuwan, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, participated as a representative of the ASEAN PharmNET Secretariat Office in the opening ceremony of the 1st ASEAN PharmNET Capacity Building Program. The program represents a key collaborative initiative among leading faculties of pharmacy across ASEAN, aiming to advance pharmacy education and strengthen the role of pharmacists in the region toward international excellence.
This program is supported by a three-year grant from Prof. Alan Lau of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Retzky College of Pharmacy, United States, with official endorsement from Prof. Glen Schumock, Dean of the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy, who also attended the opening ceremony.
The ASEAN PharmNET Capacity Building Program focuses on transferring advanced knowledge, professional competencies, and pharmaceutical technologies from the United States to ASEAN member countries. The Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, serves as the principal coordinating institution to maximize regional impact. For its inaugural session, the Hanoi University of Pharmacy (HUP) graciously hosted and co-organized the program at its campus in Hanoi. The training was conducted under the theme “Antithrombotic Stewardship,” emphasizing the development of safe and systematic use of anticoagulant therapy across healthcare institutions and public health systems—an essential component of global healthcare accreditation standards.
The program featured distinguished international experts as speakers, including:
1. Clin. Prof. Nancy L. Shapiro, FCCP, BCACP, CACP, Associate Head for Education, Department of Pharmacy Practice, and Coordinator of the Antithrombosis Clinic, University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System
2. Keri S. Kim, PharmD, MS, BCPS, Clinical Pharmacist, Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and Member of the Anticoagulation Quality Improvement Committee
3. Nina Sivanawin Huynh, PharmD, BCPS, CACP, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, and Member of the Anticoagulation Steering Committee
In addition to the U.S. experts, Assoc. Prof. Surakit Nathisuwan—recognized as a national expert in anticoagulant therapy in Thailand and serving as Governor of Thailand for the International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (ISCP)—also delivered a lecture and shared Thailand’s experience in advancing patient care for anticoagulant therapy with both international experts and participants from Vietnam.
The program attracted over 100 physicians and pharmacists from across Vietnam. It marks a strong foundation for the ASEAN PharmNET Capacity Building Program, which will continue to be implemented across multiple ASEAN countries over the next three years.
In parallel with the training program, the U.S. experts and Assoc. Prof. Surakit Nathisuwan were invited to visit the pharmacy departments of three leading hospitals in Hanoi—108 Military Hospital, St. Paul Hospital, and Friendship Hospital—where they provided professional consultations and recommendations to hospital executives and pharmacy leaders on advancing pharmacy practice toward international standards.
This initiative aligns with the mission of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, to strengthen international academic collaboration and promote the exchange of knowledge and innovation in pharmaceutical and health sciences. It also contributes to enhancing educational quality in line with global standards and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
