Pharmacology & Toxicology

MISSION/VISION

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology aims to develop and equip students with concrete foundations in basic pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacootherapeutics so that ultimately they will practice rational prescribing as clinicians, actively participate in researches and provide extension services that will contribute to improvement in the quality of health care in the country.

Having realized the important role of the University as a public service institution, the Department aims to strengthen its extension services by engaging in projects and activities that have local, national and global impact.

Aside from extension services, the Department aims to produce quality researches whose output can be translated into policies as well as product development i.e. for safe, affordable, efficacious medicinal products. The Department also envisions being at par with current trends in molecular pharmacology and toxicology researches.

The Department envisions being a model academic unit in teaching pharmacology and toxicology utilizing modern methods of teaching such as blended and team-based approaches.

The Department envisions playing an active role in carving the nation’s drug policies, laws, and regulations, hence making a positive impact on our society.

The Philippine Medical School, the forerunner of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, was established by virtue of the Second Philippine Commission Act 1415 dated December 1, 1905, as a response to the urgent need for more doctors in the country. The school opened on June 10, 1907, occupying the old structure of the School for the Deaf and Blind on Bonifacio Drive (previously Malecon Drive) while its own building on Pedro Gil Street (previously Herran) was being constructed. On June 1, 1910, the school transferred to its present site.. Three months after the transfer of the College at Pedro Gil Street, the Philippine General Hospital was opened and that became the University’s teaching hospital.

During the first five years of existence of the Philippine Medical School, Pharmacology as a subject was taught by the Department of Physiology. Lectures in pharmacology and toxicology were given in the first semester of the second year of the medical course, while pharmacy materiamedica and therapeutics were taken up in the third year.

A functionally independent Department of Pharmacology was created in 1912 with the reorganization of the UP College of Medicine. Its first head was Alfred O. Shaklee, an American. After eight years, Filipino pharmacologists began heading the department. The first was Dr. Daniel de la Paz, an exemplary professor who served the longest (29 years) as department chairman. Dr. De la Paz is thus, regarded as the father of Pharmacology in the Philippines.

Through the years, the department has developed undergraduate and graduate academic programs in basic and clinical pharmacology & toxicology for medical, nursing and dentistry students. It also offers a Master of Science in Pharmacology for graduates of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, biochemistry and biology courses. The Department, through its faculty, has achieved benchmarks in innovative postgraduate courses in basic and clinical pharmacology, in good clinical practice and good prescribing, and in pedagogy or teaching of pharmacology.

The research thrusts of the Department focused on basic pharmacology studies involving mechanisms of action, pharmacologic effects and safety profile of various medicinal plants, as well as pharmacologic benefits of marine organisms. The output of the researches on medicinal plants eventually have been transformed into medicines that are effective, safe, affordable and available to majority of Filipinos. Examples of these drugs are the Lagundi for the relief of cough and asthma and Sambong as a diuretic and chemolysis of renal stones. The laboratory has also conducted clinical pharmacology and toxicology researches which led to the setting up of a biochemical laboratory for simple drug assays and toxicological studies. Other projects include the conduct of bioavailability/bioequivalence studies and drug evaluation which will help ensure the quality and safety of generic drugs in the country.

The research thrusts of the Department focused on basic pharmacology studies involving mechanisms of action, pharmacologic effects and safety profile of various medicinal plants, as well as pharmacologic benefits of marine organisms. The output of the researches on medicinal plants eventually have been transformed into medicines that are effective, safe, affordable and available to majority of Filipinos. Examples of these drugs are the Lagundi for the relief of cough and asthma and Sambong as a diuretic and chemolysis of renal stones. The laboratory has also conducted clinical pharmacology and toxicology researches which led to the setting up of a biochemical laboratory for simple drug assays and toxicological studies. Other projects include the conduct of bioavailability/bioequivalence studies and drug evaluation which will help ensure the quality and safety of generic drugs in the country.

Through partnerships with government and international agencies, the Department through its faculty, is able to contribute to the wealth of knowledge in pharmacology and toxicology. More so, the partnerships have paved the way to resource and grants generation. For instance, because of assistance that the Department provides the Department of Health, the agency provides funding support to some activities of the Department.

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology has won the coveted Silver Cup award for the most Outstanding Basic Science Department of the UP College of Medicine 8 times for the following academic years: 1993-1994, 1997-1998, 1999-2000, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2011-2012 (awarded during the 100th year anniversary of the department), AY 2016-2017 and the most recent 2017-2018.

Courses for Doctor of Medicine

MS Pharmacology

Jose Paciano Baltazar Reyes, MD
Chair

RESEARCH CONTENT

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
UP College of Medicine
Tel. No.: (+632) 0000-0000