Center for Research in Pharmaceutical Care was created in 1993 to advance appropriate, safe, effective, and accessible use of medicines. It encourages interdisciplinary research, service and scientifically based education regarding drug therapy.

Focus areas are:

• the appropriate use and avoidance of medicines
• the cost, quality and accessibility of drug therapy
• the activities and relationships of people with business, professional and consumer interests in medicines use

Since the Center's inception, Center faculty have carried out major educational and research projects in Florida, Denmark, British Columbia, Iceland and Spain. These projects have included:

• implementing and evaluating medicines use systems to improve patient outcomes
• educating the executive directors of Community Health Purchasing Alliances (CHPAs) on how a health insurance network can promote the safe and effective use of medicines
• educating pharmacists on ways to optimize choice of therapeutic agents for formularies;
• developing process and performance indicators for medcines use

The Center facilitates collaboration among the faculty and graduate students in various departments of the College of Pharmacy, the UF Health Campus and related disciplines within the University of Florida.

The Center is not endowed. It supports itself through grants and contracts. It is housed in the College of Pharmacy and receives a certain amount of faculty effort. In return, it supports a part-time clerical position in the Department of Pharmacy Health Care Administration. It has sponsored postdoctoral research fellows and a graduate student (predoctoral fellow). It also supports books, travel, computer software and equipment for the use of graduate students and faculty.

Faculty of the Center

• Charles D. Hepler, Ph.D.
• Earlene E. Lipowski, Ph.D.
• Richard Segal, Ph.D.
• David B. Brushwood, J.D., R.Ph.
• L. Douglas Ried, Ph.D.
• Randell Doty, PharmD., Department of Pharmacy Practice  

Ex-Officio Faculty

• William H. Riffee, Ph.D., Dean, College of Pharmacy
• Larry Lopez, Ph.D., Chairman, Department of Pharmacy Practice