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Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who are experts in medicines, with a detailed understanding of the scientific basis of therapy. The MPharm programme integrates pharmaceutical science into the practice of clinical pharmacy, providing an education that equips graduates with the competencies and knowledge to provide safe and effective patient care. This module builds upon the fundamentals of pharmaceutical science and clinical pharmacy in Year 2 of the MPharm and runs in parallel with the Year 3 Clinical Therapeutics and the Scientific Basis of Practice D: Cancer, Advanced Formulation and Therapeutics module. Together, they introduce students to the concept of clinical therapeutics and demonstrate how drug utilisation is firmly grounded in the pharmaceutical sciences. The Clinical Therapeutics and the Scientific Basis of Practice C: Immunology, Inflammation and Infectious Diseases module is focused on the physiology of the immune system, microbiology, and the pathophysiology and aetiology of infectious and inflammatory diseases, the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and formulation of the drugs used to treat those diseases, and the clinical considerations in the prevention and management of those diseases in patients. There is a strong emphasis on application and integration of knowledge and understanding, unconstrained by traditional subject boundaries, and the scientific rationale behind relevant therapeutic interventions. Throughout all aspects of the module, there is a strong focus on development of the diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills that are required to underpin safe and effective prescribing.

At the end of the module, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes and will be able to:

• Describe in detail the physiology and function of the immune system in health and disease, including the cascade of events in the inflammatory response process
• Describe the aetiology, epidemiology and diagnosis of common infections, inflammatory conditions and diseases of the immune system
• Discuss the mechanisms of action, development, medicinal chemistry and formulation of drugs/drug classes used to prevent, treat and manage common infections, inflammatory conditions and diseases of the immune system, including vaccination strategies and challenges and transplantation
• Discuss the mechanisms of action, development and formulation of biologics, therapeutic proteins and peptides used to prevent, treat and manage diseases
• Describe the causes and clinical therapeutic management of common infections, inflammatory conditions and diseases of the immune system, in light of specific patient factors and national guidelinesÌý
• Describe the more complex legal, ethical and professional aspects of pharmacy practice
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of public health issues, policies and interventions in the UK and worldwide and the role of pharmacy in health promotion and the prevention and management of disease
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of medicines safety issues and potential solutions to enhance safe medicines use
• Demonstrate appropriate professionalism and communication skills in a variety of simple and complex settings with patients, the public, health care professionals and the academic community
• Describe the current and future specialist areas of interest within pharmacy including current and future issues, and how such areas could or are influencing the practice of pharmacy now or in the future
• Demonstrate diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, within the context of the module content and level of study, that are required to underpin safe and effective prescribing