Biography

Ms. V.M Pathiraja is a senior lecturer attached to the department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences of University of Ruhuna. She obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy four-year special degree and Master of Philosophy in Clinical Pharmacology degree from University of Perdeniya, Sri Lanka. Her current undergraduate level teaching areas include Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmacotherapeutics, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutics. She has engaged in many research studies and presented her findings in local and foreign conferences.

Qualifications

M.Phil in Clinical Pharmacology (Peradeniya) B. Pharm (Peradeniya)

Course/Modules Teaching for undergraduates

• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Pharmacotherapeutics
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Biopharmaceutics
• Pharmaceutics

Research and publications

Present research interests

Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy, Toxicology

Special awards and prizes

• EUROTOX travel bursary to attend the 54th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology, Brussels, Belgium, 2018 from European Societies of Toxicology
• European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists Congress attendance award for non-European countries to assist the 37th International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. 2017,Basel, Switzerland
• National Science Foundation travel grant to assist the 37th International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centre and Clinical Toxicologists. 2017, Basel, Switzerland
• Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology travel award to attend the 14th International Scientific Congress of the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology in December 2015 at Perth, Australia
• Client Delight award 2015 for highest accuracy in pharmacovigilance survey, Global Delivery Center of IMS Health, Connecticut, United States
• Client Delight award 2014 highest accuracy in pharmacovigilance survey, Global Delivery Center of IMS Health, Connecticut, United States
• Spot award 2014 for highest level of accuracy in pharmacovigilance survey, Global Delivery Center of IMS Health, Connecticut, United States
• Scholarship to conduct the M.Phil degree with South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration, Faculty of medicine, University of Peradeniya

Research publications (full paper)

• Pathiraja VM,Karunarayhne WS, Thevanesam V,Ekanayaka EWMA, Wickramarathne DBM, Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Alocasiaplumbea, The Pharmaceutiacal journal of Sri Lanka ,Vol. 2 , issue 2, pp 10-17, Jul 2013
• Shanika, L.G.T., Wijekoon, C.N., Jayamanne, S., Coombes,J., Perera, D., Pathiraja, V.M., Mamunuwa, N., Mohamed, F.,Coombes, I., Lynch, C., De Silva, H.A. and Dawson, A.H., 2018.Opportunities for medication review and reconciliation by a clinical pharmacist to prevent drug-related hospital re-admissions: evidence from a case series in Sri Lanka. Pharmaceutical Journal of SriLanka, 8(1), pp.61–64.

Published abstracts of oral presentations

• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed, SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, "Can we do better with paracetamol poisoning in rural Asia? - A model based approach to reduce cost of management of paracetamol poisoning in Sri Lanka,54th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology, Brussels,Belgium, 2018
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed , SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Cost model for management of paracetamol poisoning in Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 17th International Scientific Conference 2018, Bali, Indonesia 2018
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed , SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Adherence to Guidelines of Paracetamol Poisoning in Rural Hospitals of Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 17th International Scientific Conference 2018, Bali, Indonesia 2018
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed, SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Management of paracetamol overdose in primary hospitals in Sri Lanka – are all the transfers justifiable? 131 st International Anniversary Medical Congress of the Sri Lankan Medical Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2018
• Vindya M Pathiraja, Indika B Gawarammana, Nicholas A Buckley, Fahim Mohamed, Shaluka F Jayamanna, Nicholas Osborne, Andrew H Dawson, Palatability in tablets and capsule forms of N-Acetylcysteine and methionine and associated adverse events with in Srilankan healthy volunteers, 37th International Congress of the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists, Basel, Switzerland, 2017
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed , SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Accuracy of referral hospital data to calculate the incident rate of paracetamol poisoning in Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 16th International Scientific Conference 2017, Kandy, Sri Lanka 2017
• HKJ Dhanarisi, IB Gawarammana, S Shahmy, VM Pathiraja, F Mohamed, M Eddleston, Association between coingested alcohol and deliberate self-poisonings, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 16th International Scientific Conference 2017, Kandy, Sri Lanka 2017
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, AH Dawson, Choice of antidote methionine usage on patients with acute paracetamol poisoning in the specialized toxicology unit in Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 14th International Scientific Conference 2015, Perth, Australia, 2015
• Shanika LGT, Jayamanne S ,Wijekoon N , Coombes J,Coombes I, Perera D, Mamunuwa N, Pathiraja V, Dawson A , De Silva H A, Usefulness of a ward- based clinical pharmacist in detecting and managing drug related problems: experience from a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. 74th FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014, Bangkok, Thailand, August 2014
• Shanika LGT, Wijekoon N, Jayamanne S, Coombes J, Coombes I, Perera D, Pathiraja V, Dawson A, De Silva HA, Impact of a ward-based clinical pharmacist on improving medication knowledge and adherence in patients with chronic noncommunicable diseases, 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Book of Abstracts of the 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, pp 209-210, 2015
• Pathiraja VM, Jayamanne SF ,Lynch CB, Coombes J, Perera DMP, Mamunuwa AMVGN, Shanika LGT, Mohamed F, Dawson AH, Communicating medication changes to patients at hospital discharge: the need and a mode , Annual scientific Sessions, Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka, Program book, pp 25, 2017
• Pathiraja VM, Karunaratne WS, Thevanesam V, Wickramarathne DBM, Ekanayaka EWMA, Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Alocasiaplambea, 2nd annual Conference and Scientific Sessions of Sri Lankan Society for Microbialogy, Book of Abstracts of the Second Annual Conference and Scientific Sessions of SSM vol.1, 2013

Published abstracts of poster presentations

• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed, SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson Paracetamol Self-poisoning Epidemiology of Selected Districts of Sri Lanka, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 18th International Scientific Conference 2018, Putrajaya, Malaysia 2019
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed , SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Treatment of paracetamol poisoning based on reported dose of ingestion- challenges of antidote choice and patient outcome in resource poor settings, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 17th International Scientific Conference 2018, Bali, Indonesia 2018
• VM Pathiraja, HKJ Dhanarisi, F Mohamed, IB Gawarammana, A systematic review of antidotes for treatment of paracetamol overdose: oral and intravenous N-Acetylcysteine compared to methionine, Peradeniya University Research Sessions PURSE - 2017, Book of Abstracts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Nov. 24. 2017
• VM Pathiraja, IB Gawarammana, NA Buckley, F Mohamed , SF Jayamanna, AH Dawson, Vomiting associated with acute paracetamol poisoning and treatment with paracetamol antidotes, Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology 15th International Scientific Conference 2016, Singapore, 2016
• Pathiraja VM, Jayamanne SF ,Lynch CB, Coombes J, Perera DMP, Mamunuwa AMVGN, Shanika LGT, Mohamed F, Dawson AH, Importance of communicating medication changes to patients at discharge -a prospective case study, 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Book of Abstracts of the 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, pp 217, 2015
• Mamunuwa AMVGN, Jayamanne SF, Coombes J, Lynch CB, Perera DMP, Pathiraja VM , Shanika LGT, Mohamed F, Dawson AH, A case series of duplication errors due to brand name confusion - experience from a Sri Lankan Teaching Hospital, 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Book of Abstracts of the 128th Anniversary International Medical Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association, pp 217-218, 2015
• Pathiraja VM, Karunarayhne WS, Thevanesam V, Ekanayaka EWMA, Wickramarathne DBM, Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Alocasiaplumbea, Peradeniya University Research Sessions PURSE - 2012, Book of Abstracts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Vol. 17, pp. 280, July. 4. 2012

Editorial contribution

• Reviewer of journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
• Reviewer of the Pharmaceutical journal of Sri Lanka.
• The South East Asia Regional Pharmacy Forum & WHOSEARO project of “Models of access to medicine in South East Asia Region” 2015
• Unit author in Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics modules for B.Pharm Degree Program, The Open University of Sri Lanka.
• Member of the curriculum development committee for BSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, BSc in Biomedical Sciences, BSc in Cosmetic Sciences and BSc in Medical and Health Product Management degree programs at CINEC Campus, Malabe

Membership of professional associations

• Secretary of Peradeniya Pharmacy Alumni Association from 2019
• Editor of Pharmaceutical society of Sri Lanka for the official year 2015/2016 and 2016/2017
• Forum member of Education subcommittee of Pharmaceutical society of Sri Lanka in 2014-2015
• Life member of The Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka