Educational programs on drug development are required for medical students and physicians to promote the involvement of medical stakeholders

Abstract

For the intense and rapid development of innovative drugs, the active participation of physicians familiar with diseases and treatments in clinical practice is highly important. To facilitate the involvement of physicians in drug development, we have started a practicum of drug development, especially for medical students, as part of a program by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to establish human resource training centers for future medical research. The practicum comprised lectures by experts involved in clinical development and regulatory science and adopted an active learning style centered on group work. Free descriptive reviews, which were provided by the trainees after completion of the practicum, revealed changes in their perception of pharmaceutical companies from stereotypical profit-pursuing entities to entities with an important role in drug development. Semi-structured analysis also indicated that this practicum allowed participants to recognize the importance of education that fosters collaboration among all healthcare professionals in drug development. Continued implementation of the present practicum is important to promote the involvement of physicians and the securement of experts in drug development, which will ultimately enable the intense and rapid development of innovative drugs.