Pharmacy research takes centre stage at AFPC/CFP symposium

CFP Executive Director Linda Prytula welcomes delegates for the AFPC/CFP Symposium.

From innovations in primary care to digital health and the business realities of expanded scope in practice, this year’s Pharmacy Practice Research Symposium co-hosted by the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) and the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy (CFP) showcased the breadth of pharmacy practice research underway across the country.

Held June 19 in Edmonton, Alberta, alongside the Canadian Pharmacy Education and Research Conference (CPERC) 2026, the one-day symposium brought together researchers, educators, pharmacists, students and healthcare leaders to share emerging evidence, exchange ideas and explore how research can continue to advance pharmacy practice and improve patient care.

“Events like this remind us that meaningful advances in pharmacy practice happen when researchers, educators and practitioners come together to exchange ideas and learn from one another,” says CFP Executive Director Linda Prytula.

The program opened with a session about primary care innovation in Alberta, followed by oral presentations on topics ranging from the community pharmacists’ role in organ donation conversations to opioid prescriptions by pharmacists under Health Canada’s temporary exemption for pharmacists for controlled substances.

A panel discussion examined the business considerations surrounding expanded scope services, with speakers sharing perspectives on sustaining innovative practice models while meeting the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system.

Interactive conversation tables encouraged attendees to engage directly on topics including research with Indigenous communities, medication safety and digital health research. Afternoon sessions turned to emerging technologies and new models of care, featuring research on pharmacogenetic testing, communication between community pharmacy and family physicians, and technology-enabled strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk.

The symposium concluded with an interactive World Café, where participants discussed priorities for strengthening pharmacy practice research in Canada and ways to improve collaboration and meeting formats in the future.