The Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS) is a global scientific society that exists to promote 'the development and safe medical use of biologically active molecular entities"[1] for the discipline of safety pharmacology. The Society's mission statement declares that it will "lead the global safety pharmacology community in the development and safe medical use of biologically active molecular entities. We will achieve this vision by bridging across disciplines to predict, identify, characterize, monitor, and mitigate potentially undesirable pharmacodynamic activities in nonclinical studies and guiding their translation into clinical trials and beyond, to benefit all patients."[2] The Safety Pharmacology Society also supports the human safety of drugs and biologicals by fostering scientific research, education, and dissemination of scientific information through meetings and other scientific interactions.
The Safety Pharmacology Society was incorporated in 2000,[3] at the time when the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use was issuing ICH S7A,[4] a regulatory guidance covering safety pharmacology and drafting ICH S7B[5] which is more specific to potential effects of new drugs on cardiac repolarization. Prior to 2001 many of the same scientific experts met once a year in Philadelphia.[3] The historical birth of safety pharmacology is described by Alan Bass, Lewis Kinter, Patricia Williams.[6] Two of the authors, Alan Bass and Lewis Kinter, are past presidents of the Safety Pharmacology Society.[7]
The Safety Pharmacology Society is composed of members from across the globe and reaches out internationally through meetings, webinars and publications. The Society provides a number of resources that are available to members and nonmembers. The Safety Pharmacology Society also offers a certification exam, Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP).[8] The certification examination is offered online one time a year.
The key values of the SPS embrace scientific excellence, knowledge, improving human and animal life, collaboration and cooperation, integrity, quality, and respect for individual diversity, initiative, education and personal development.
The Safety Pharmacology Society organizes an annual meeting in the Fall, comprising invited speakers, posters,[9] continuing education courses and exhibits. This meeting has alternated between North America and Europe. Recent meetings have been held in:
^ICH Harmonised Tripartite Guideline for Safety Pharmacology Studies for Human Use. ICH S7A.
^ICH Harmonised Tripartite Guideline for Safety Pharmacology Studies for Human Use. ICH S7B. The nonclinical evaluation of the potential for delayed ventricular repolarisation (QT interval prolongation) by human pharmaceuticals.
^Alan Bass, Lewis Kinter, Patricia Williams (2004) Origins, practices and future of safety pharmacology. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, Volume 49, Issue 3, Pages 145-151.
^Safety Pharmacology Society (SPS). "History". Retrieved 17 August 2022.
^Authier S, Curtis MJ, Soloviev M, Redfern WS, Kallman MJ, Hamlin RL, Leishman DJ, Valentin JP, Koerner JE, Vargas HM, Botchway A, Correll K, Pugsley MK. The Diplomate in Safety Pharmacology (DSP) certification scheme. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods. 2015 Sep-Oct;75:1-4.
^Redfern WS, Valentin J-P (2011) Trends in safety pharmacology: Posters presented at the annual meetings of the Safety Pharmacology Society 2001–2010. J Pharmacol. Toxicol. Methods 64: 102–110.
