Peter H. Vlasses, PharmD, DSc(Hon), FCCP is Executive Director Emeritus, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. He retired from ACPE, the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education and the evaluation and certification of professional degree programs internationally, in 2019 after 20 years of service.
Dr. Vlasses received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS) and served a residency in hospital pharmacy at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. PA.
Prior to his position at ACPE, his professional experience included service as a clinical faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and PCPS as well as a research associate professor of medicine and pharmacology, Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. He served as associate director, Clinical Practice Advancement Center, and director, Clinical Research & Investigator Services, University HealthSystem Consortium, Oak Brook, IL. In each of his positions, Dr. Vlasses was involved in innovative interprofessional education, practice and research initiatives.
Dr. Vlasses is a founding member, fellow and past president of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP). His awards include the Russell R. Miller Award from ACCP in recognition of sustained and outstanding contributions to the biomedical literature, the 2020 National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Pioneer Award, to recognize interprofessional practice and education pioneers for the foundational role that they have played in advancing the field, the 2022 Remington Honor Medal, the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) highest honor, and an honorary doctor of science degree from Mercer University, Atlanta, GA. In 2019, he was co-recipient of the Warren E. Weaver/Richard P. Penna Award from the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, the Inaugural Esteemed Collaborator Award from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, and the Board of Directors Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
During his tenure, ACPE developed a collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and the American Nurses Credentialing Center in initiating Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education to support health care team-focused continuing education that improves patient care and streamlines the accreditation processes. Also during his tenure, ACPE was a founding member of the Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative (HPAC), which now has 25 accreditation agencies as members. HPAC partnered with the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education to provide the field in February 2019 with Guidance on Developing Quality Interprofessional Education for the Health Professions. In retirement, Dr. Vlasses continues to serve as volunteer Convener of HPAC.