PORT HARCOURT— Professor Vincent Idemyor, a professor of Clinical pharmacology in the faculty of pharmaceutical Sciences, has been announced as a recipient of the 2023 American Society of Health Donald E. Francke award.

The award was presented at the December 4, 2023 meeting of the ASHP, in Anaheim, California. 

The ASHP announcement of the award notes, “Dr. Idemyor has made sustained contributions to international pharmacy practice, particularly in improving outcomes for patients with HIV/AIDS. 

Throughout his career, he has led and collaborated on numerous projects that significantly improved healthcare access and outcomes for medically underserved populations in the United States, Nigeria, and other African countries.”

The Francke Medal is given to individuals for “significant international contributions that the nominee has made to advance pharmacy practice.”.  

Professor Vincent Idemyor has done extensive work for the last 15 years in Nigeria. 

Before that, he worked for 20 years at major hospitals/academic institutions in Chicago, Illinois. He is an authority on HIV/AIDS and the role science plays in the advancement of medical treatment.

Idemyor is a professor at the University of Port Harcourt in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

His dedication led to the appointment of John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation Visiting Senior Fellow at the University of Port Harcourt in 2009. 

This was made possible through one of the grants from the MacArthur Foundation to the University of Port Harcourt.

Professor Vincent Idemyor’s work includes being instrumental in starting a faculty of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Port Harcourt.

 In 2006, he was engaged by the United Nations Development Programme to evaluate providers of a nationwide program in Nigeria that delivered services related to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Idemyor is extensively published in peer-reviewed journals and is co-editor of the 3rd edition of Drug Discovery and Development. (CRC, 2020)

The Francke Medal Lecture, that Idemyor delivered is titled: “Translational Research and Implementation Science: Accelerating the Imperative.”The lecture was an intensive and scholarly look at the importance of the timely translation of what scientists observe in their research, into practical gains for humanity. For example, if we strongly suspect there will be widespread starvation from climate change, how do we most efficiently and effectively translate what we already know to design a plan to address famine? In addition, the climate effect may lead to an increased prevalence of water-borne illnesses and diseases.