Mon 15 September 2025
Pharmacy students take lead on sustainability through research
The seventh edition of the world’s first peer-reviewed pharmacy student journal highlights emerging sustainability initiatives in pharmacy practice
The latest issue of the Australian Pharmacy Students’ Journal (APSJ) contains many highlights promoting sustainability within the pharmacy profession and the important and unique opportunity students have to lead and innovate in this space.
An initiative of the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA) supported by Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) – APSJ provides students with opportunities to publish research with this being the last issue for Editors-in-Chief Megan Potter and Olivia Pedretti before handing over to new APSJ Co-Editors-In-Chief for the 2025-26 term – Jessie Kristo and Zadid Syed.
This seventh edition holds special significance for departing editors Megan and Olivia who have remained dedicated to its development while navigating some challenges along the way.
‘We’re deeply grateful to our subcommittee and academic advisory board for their invaluable support in helping us shape a meaningful publication.
‘Sustainability in healthcare is obviously such an important issue for the times, and especially for our younger generation of students.
‘And as pharmacists, we have a powerful role to play in tackling waste and overuse in healthcare — from prescribing and medication use to disposal — and through education, we can drive meaningful change for a more sustainable future.
‘It has been a privilege to collaborate with the many students and industry professionals deeply committed to growing awareness for such a crucial and timely topic. Thank you and congratulations to all authors involved in this issue of the APSJ.'
AdPha President Tom Simpson says the theme of sustainability resonates strongly with the ethos of AdPha which earlier this year promoted the safe and sustainable use of medicines as part of its annual MedsAware: Deprescribing Action Week.
‘Sustainability must be embedded in every healthcare organisation — and the time to act is now.
‘Pharmacists have a vital role to play in making sustainability a priority in procurement, prescribing and medicines assessment. What is most inspiring is the leadership already being shown by our student community through research and innovation.
‘AdPha is proud of our long-standing partnership with NAPSA, and we will continue to champion the next generation of pharmacy professionals as they drive sustainable practice and enrich patient care, no matter their career stage or pathway.’
Feature pieces in the seventh edition of APSJ include:
- ‘Empowerment Through Reflection: Yindyamarra Winhanganha’ - written by Terence Yap, a third year pharmacy student at Charles Sturt University, highlighting the barriers faced by Indigenous Australians to healthcare services.
- ‘A Case Report Writing Guide for Pharmacy Students’ - written by Dylan Cunningham, a fourth year pharmacy student at Monash University and Associate Editor of the APSJ, outlining the key to writing a case report for the journal.
- ‘Do Mobile Genetic Elements Reduce the Risk of Antibiotic Resistance Compared to Fluorescent Marked Antibiotics: A Literature Review’ - written by Shristi Naicker, a third year pharmacy student at Charles Sturt University, discussing the role of mobile genetic elements in the role of antimicrobial resistance.