The Faculty of Pharmacy of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) successfully organized an International Guest Lecture featuring Professor Rajeev P. Thomas from Kerala, India on 20 May 2026. The academic forum brought together lecturers, researchers, healthcare practitioners, and students to discuss contemporary developments in pharmacoeconomics and its critical role in improving healthcare quality and patient outcomes.
Delivering a lecture entitled “Pharmacoeconomics: Evaluating Value and Optimizing Health Outcomes,” Prof. Thomas emphasized the growing importance of economic evaluation in healthcare decision-making, particularly in ensuring the rational, effective, and efficient use of medicines within increasingly complex healthcare systems. He explained how pharmacoeconomic approaches contribute significantly to healthcare sustainability by balancing clinical effectiveness, treatment costs, and quality-of-life outcomes.
During the session, Prof. Thomas discussed major pharmacoeconomic methodologies, including cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and budget impact analysis. He highlighted the relevance of these approaches in guiding formulary management, policy development, reimbursement decisions, and evidence-based pharmaceutical care. The lecture also explored the expanding role of pharmacists in health technology assessment, medication therapy evaluation, and healthcare resource optimization.
Participants engaged in scholarly discussions regarding the challenges of implementing pharmacoeconomic principles in developing healthcare systems, particularly in relation to access to essential medicines, healthcare financing, and the increasing burden of chronic diseases. The forum further examined the importance of integrating pharmacoeconomic evidence into clinical practice and pharmaceutical education to support value-based healthcare delivery.
As an academic and researcher in pharmacy practice and healthcare management, Prof. Thomas has actively contributed to the advancement of pharmaceutical education, clinical pharmacy services, and research development through teaching, scientific publication, and institutional leadership at KMCT College of Pharmacy India. His presence in this international academic forum strengthened global scholarly engagement while providing participants with broader insights into contemporary healthcare economics and pharmaceutical policy.
