BRI’s Barbara Farrell, PharmD, has been awarded the 2019 CIHR Betty Havens Prize for Knowledge Translation in Aging
09/17/2019
- Barbara Farrell, PharmD, has been awarded the 2019 CIHR Betty Havens Prize for Knowledge Translation in Aging.
- This award is given to researchers with outstanding achievements in knowledge translation.
- Barb was recognized for the widespread adoption of evidence-based Deprescribing guidelines and algorithms, as well as the impact of her work on aging Canadians.
Congratulations to Barbara Farrell, PharmD, who has been awarded the 2019 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Betty Havens Prize for Knowledge Translation in Aging!
The Betty Havens Prize is awarded to researchers for their outstanding achievements in knowledge translation in aging at a local or regional level.
Knowledge translation involves the conversion of research into clinical practice—something that Barb has excelled at through her work in deprescribing. Deprescribing is the planned and supervised process of stopping or reducing medications that may be causing harm or may no longer be of benefit. This practice is of particular benefit to aging Canadians. In 2019, two out of three Canadians over age 65 were prescribed five or more prescription medications. One out of four people in this age group were prescribed at least 10 prescription medications.
Since 2013, Barb and the Bruyère Deprescribing Research Team have worked tirelessly to address challenges related to polypharmacy and improving medication-related care for older adults. This includes the development and implementation of evidence-based deprescribing guidelines to help people safely reduce or stop potentially harmful or unnecessary medications. The team has created decision-support algorithms, patient pamphlets and infographics, whiteboard training videos, and a deprescribing channel on the IAM Medical Guidelines app. They also produced webinars, patient testimonials, e-newsletters, and media reports—all widely available on the deprescribing.org website and promoted through both their Twitter and Facebook channels. The deprescribing website receives an average of 6,000 visitors per month and social media has garnered over 9,000 followers. Through their efforts, Barb and her team have received local, regional, national, and international reach and uptake - including hosting the first-ever international deprescribing guidelines symposium in March, 2018. Deprescribing guidelines are now being used in practice around the globe to improve the quality of life in aging populations.
Please join us in congratulating Barbara Farrell, PharmD, for her award recognizing this vital work.
Barbara Farrell, PharmD, is currently a scientist with the Bruyère Health Research Institute (BRI) and the CT Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, an Assistant Professor with the Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo. She maintains a clinical practice in the Bruyère Geriatric Day Hospital. She is also a member of the Ontario Pharmacy Evidence Network and is co-founder of the Canadian Deprescribing Network.