Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit. One of the most common types of certification in modern society is professional certification, where a person is certified as being able to competently complete a job or task.

IFAPP is determined to consolidate the recognition of all disciplines encompassed by Pharmaceutical Medicine as part of the profession of Medicines Development. Three Certification initiatives are underway in collaboration with the IFAPP Academy, King’s College London and PharmaTrain:

Professional Certification in Medicines Development (CMD): coordinated by IFAPP Academy with the academic support of King’s College London.  Applicants should take a competency-based one-year online program and succeed in the modular assessment to receive this certification (more details at www.ifappacademy.org)

Global Fellow in Medicines Development (GFMD):  It is coordinated by this Working Group.  It is a recognition award which provides certification to the contributions made by biomedical professionals to advancing pharmaceutical medicine and its related disciplines serving in the industry, academia, research sites or regulatory agencies. The criteria for prospective applicants to receive this award will be informed soon.

Specialist in Medicines Development (SMD): coordinated by PharmaTrain in collaboration with IFAPP, National Member Associations and academic institutions from participating countries. It is a 2-4-year vocational program aimed to fully develop professional competence in selected domains. Pilot programs are underway in Japan and Italy.

Members of the Certification Group are charged with the review of standards for certification and provide recommendations to the granting institutions. The ultimate goal is to create the global need to achieving certification and ensuring patients and related stakeholders the drug development process is managed by competent professionals.