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Background: Early career pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientist groups (ECPGs) can make valuable contributions to addressing global health challenges and policy development. There is limited information describing their contribution to this topic. This study describes initiatives and activities related to global health and policy development led by ECPGs., Methods: An online questionnaire was disseminated between July and October 2020 through the International Pharmaceutical Federation Young Pharmacists Group (FIP YPG) mailing list and its social media network. The survey consisted of questions about ECPGs' involvement in global health and policy development activities. In addition to groups or organisations, the FIP YPG also invited individual pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists to explore their needs and views on the role of the ECPGs, and themselves as individuals in global health. Data were analysed descriptively., Results: Thirty national ECPGs across six regions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) participated in the survey. Most of the initiatives led by ECPGs focused on health and wellbeing, quality of education and partnership. The most common activities were webinars, social events and partnerships with other organisations. In terms of global health challenges listed by the WHO, the most common initiatives led by ECPGs were related to medicines access and medicines safety. There was some involvement of early career pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, and ECPGs in the policy and regulation in their countries across various topics., Conclusion: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first global study exploring initiatives conducted by ECPGs. This study informed initiatives that have been implemented across regions, which could be useful for other ECPGs to initiate in their country according to their needs and priorities. Fostering engagement and collaboration between ECPGs is encouraged to provide opportunities and share learning across ECPGs, which could accelerate progress towards tackling global health challenges., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study evaluated the toxicity associated with a short course dose-escalated hypofractionated radiation therapy (HFRT) using image guided RT with or without androgen suppression therapy in patients with prostate cancer., Methods and Materials: This single-center prospective observational study included 132 patients with prostate cancer from 2016 to 2020. Patients received HFRT using image guided RT (84%) with 3-dimensional (91%) or intensity modulated RT (9%). Total prescribed doses were 66 Gy (63%), 63 Gy (12%), and 60 Gy (24%) in 22, 21, or 20 daily fractions depending on organ-at-risk dose constraints. Acute toxicity was scored using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria and the international prostate symptom index. The expanded prostate cancer index composite questionnaire was used to collect quality of life data (ranging from 0-100)., Results: The study population consisted of 111 patients who completed RT during a period of 3 years. The risk groups were as follows: low risk (12%), intermediate (32%), and high (56%). None of the patients had suspicious lymph nodes. Ninety percent received androgen suppression therapy. Maximum acute genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity peaked at grade 3 in 4 of 111 evaluated patients (4%) and at grade 2 in 7 of 111 evaluated patients (8%), respectively. The average international prostate symptom score increased from 4.8 at pretreatment to 14.0 during week 4 and normalized (5.7) 3 months after treatment completion., Conclusions: The current HFRT dose-escalation trial has demonstrated the feasibility of administering 66 Gy in 22 fractions with low acute gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicities. Further follow-up will report late toxicities and outcomes., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)