The ACCP strives to close the 10/90 gap between rich and poor nations

Thousand Oaks, CA (September 28, 2005) Medical need in poor nations is a widely discussed issue in the medical and science communities. They refer to an arguable disparity in resources applied as the 10/90 gap, i.e., 10 percent of global health resources are applied to health problems that account for 90 percent of the world's disease burden. The American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) took on the challenge to improve world health by making clinical pharmacology education more readily available in developing economies and has succeeded by developing and implementing a novel pricing approach, according to an article published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

In the article, 'Extending Worldwide Clinical Pharmacology Education Through a Pricing Approach', authored by Barbara Ameer, PharmD, MBA, of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Department of Medicine in New Jersey, we see that approximately 4 percent of ACCP's current membership base is located in low-income economies. In an effort to reach out to these communities, ACCP implemented an alternative pricing approach that allowed the professional organization to lower the membership fees for international members based on the economic need of their countries. The ACCP adopted the economic country classifications set by the World Bank, which are based on gross national income per capita. The ACCP then put into action a tiered-membership fee policy that reduced fees for citizens residing in low income or lower-middle income countries. The financial burden to the organization was offset by offering electronic access to ACCP publications in place of surface mailing print copies.

Chair of the recently established International Development Committee, Barbara Ameer states the working goal of the group is "to strengthen the capacity of clinical pharmacologists worldwide in pursuit of the College's mission of improving health by optimizing therapeutics."

The ACCP has taken a leadership role among its peer organizations in being responsive to professional colleagues in developing economies. Ameer notes, "The published paper signals to its constituents and other stakeholders that the ACCP is poised to make important contributions to world health through its educational programs, publications and international professional network."

The American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) is a nonprofit membership organization which provides educational resources on advances in clinical pharmacology to health professionals. For more information about ACCP, please see http://www.accp1.org/.

About The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (JCP):
For more than 45 years, The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology has published original research, special reviews, commentaries, and case reports on all phases of drug development from absorption, disposition, metabolism, excretion interactions, and preferred uses through post-marketing evaluations. It is the official publication of The American College of Clinical Pharmacology. http://jcp.sagepub.com

About SAGE:
SAGE Publications (www.sagepublications.com) is a leading international publisher of journals, books, and electronic media for academic, educational, and professional markets. Since 1965, SAGE has helped inform and educate a global community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students. SAGE Publications, a privately owned corporation, has principal offices in Thousand Oaks, California, London, United Kingdom, and in New Delhi, India.

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