KU pharmacy dean joins FDA committee on nonprescription drugs

LAWRENCE -- Jack E. Fincham, dean of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, has been appointed to the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"I am appreciative of the opportunity to serve on this important committee that provides input on the type of drugs available for consumers in our country to use for self-medication," Fincham said. "This committee's activities are not without controversy, so I will look forward to helping all involved in my capacity as a member."

The 14-member committee provides input to the FDA on the suitability of switching drugs from prescriptions-only status to over-the-counter status.

Among other responsibilities, the committee also conducts peer reviews of agency-sponsored scientific biomedical programs in support of the FDA's mission and regulatory responsibilities.

Committee members serve four-year terms, and meetings are conducted four times a year.

Since coming to KU in 1994 as dean and professor, Fincham has led the KU School of Pharmacy through a smooth transition from a five-year to a new six-year entry-level professional doctor of pharmacy degree program. The new six-year PharmD program prepares graduates for the technologies and demands of pharmacy practice in the 21st century.

This spring the KU pharmacy school ranked third among all 85 schools of pharmacy nationwide in research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The third-place ranking was the highest the program has achieved in NIH funding, and in the previous five years, the school consecutively ranked in the top 10. This year's ranking was based on more than $10 million in funding received in the 2001-02 fiscal year.