Bayer Consumer Health Announces Major Partnership

Important Collaboration from Bayer Consumer Health Bayer Consumer Health's "Tavsiyen Eczanede" certificate program, developed in collaboration with Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Pharmacy, continues with new content. The training program aims to support pharmacists with objectives of protecting public health, improving health literacy, and directing consumers correctly on dietary supplements. Bayer Consumer Health has launched the second phase of the "Tavsiyen Eczanede" certificate program, developed in collaboration with Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Pharmacy, to guide consumers correctly on dietary supplements. The program's second phase began in April, having reached approximately 3,000 pharmacists through training conducted so far.

Training Program Will Last 40 Hours

The "Tavsiyen Eczanede 2" certificate program is being conducted through Istanbul Medipol University Continuing Education Center (SEM) distance learning system (https://sem.medipol.edu.tr/). Pharmacists will be able to access the training program online. The content of the 40-hour training program was determined by a team of experts in the field to cover the most needed topics in dietary supplements. The content of the new program was prepared by Op. Dr. Burcu Akdağ Özkök, Prof. Dr. Demirhan Dıraçoğlu, Prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk, Dr. Emin Paçacı, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Yanaral, Phusion Co-Founder Fikret Küçükkoyuncu, Istanbul Medipol University Psychology Department Chair Prof. Dr. Gökhan Malkoç, Specialist Pharmacist Levent Gökgünneç, Istanbul Medipol University Lecturer Dr. Muhammet Davut Arpa, Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Pharmacy Lecturer Dr. Neda Taner, Specialist Pharmacist Taner Döven and Specialist Nutritionist Yeşim Temel Özcan. Pharmacists who complete the program will be eligible to receive the "Tavsiyen Eczanede" certificate prepared by Istanbul Medipol University and Bayer Consumer Health. Bayer Consumer Health Turkey Country Manager Erdem Kumcu: "Consumers, particularly with the pandemic period, have begun showing greater interest in dietary supplement products. According to research conducted by the Dietary Supplement and Nutrition Association, whose fifth event was held in July of last year, dietary supplement usage rates continue to show an increase. Based on findings from the research, with the pandemic's impact, 1 out of every 2 people wanting to strengthen their immunity began using dietary supplements. According to the same research, consumers trust health professionals most for consultancy in order to use the correct dietary supplements according to their needs. In this direction, we focused on pharmacists, who are among the most important actors in directing consumers correctly specifically on supplementary foods and protecting public health. Through this project we launched to bring Turkey's health literacy rate to the highest levels, we want to come together with our greatest collaborators, the pharmacists, and direct consumers correctly on dietary supplements. In order to reach more pharmacists, we are proceeding with a broad perspective and proper planning and carrying our project to its second phase." he said. Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Prof. Dr. Gülden Zehra Omurtag stated that pharmacists are among the most important health advisors and have a significant role in protecting public health. For this reason, she said that collaborating with Istanbul Medipol University Continuing Education Center and organizing these programs under the guidance of expert instructors for pharmacists to access current information is very important. Omurtag noted that they have successfully conducted programs such as "Pharmacy Academy", "Sports Pharmacy", "Pharmaceutical Industry Product Management Training", and "Professional Pharmacy Management Certificate Program" for pharmacists for many years. Omurtag stated that the Tavsiyen Eczanede program is a project that directly concerns consumer health and includes in its content the topic of consumers using dietary supplement products consciously, and she expressed that she views the collaboration as a matter of social responsibility.