WSU professor awarded by United States Pharmacopeia

The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is proud to announce that Danial E. Baker, professor of pharmacotherapy, received the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Thomas S. Foster Award in recognition for his significant contributions to global public health. Dr. Baker is one of more than 800 experts who volunteer their time to ensuring the safety and quality standard of the nation’s formularies.

“I volunteer my time with the USP because I know that this time and our contributions will impact the health and safety of the general public. Many countries follow the USP standard so the impact is not just in the US, but around the world,” said Dr. Baker.

Each year, the USP develops and revises a drug classification system that Medicare Drug Benefit plans use to develop a list of medicines to reflect changes in therapeutic uses. Besides setting standards for medicines, food ingredients and dietary supplements, the USP develops a drug classification system used to assess the drug formularies offered by health care programs, especially for Medicare. Being the only independent, non-profit, non-governmental pharmacopeia in the world, the USP relies on volunteers like Dr. Baker, who come from academia, health care, and government agencies to lend their expertise to the organization. Members generously volunteer their time to ensure the medicines, food ingredients and supplements are held to a safe and high quality standard.

“I look forward to continuing my work with USP. It has been an honor to serve among the best in the field,” said Dr. Baker.

The USP’s award is only one of several acknowledgements which Dr. Baker has received. Earlier this year, Dr. Baker was named the J. Roberts and Marcia Fosberg Distinguished Professor in Pharmacy in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Department of Pharmacotherapy, the Drug Information Center and CPPS. Serving as the director of WSU’s Drug Information Center since 1983, Dr. Baker is internationally recognized for his expertise in gastrointestinal disorders, drug information and evidence-based medicine. WSU’s Drug Information Center serves as a reference resource for drug-related questions from health care providers and has a dedicated request line to respond to inquiries from pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other allied health care professionals regarding drug interactions, side effects and drug-related topics.