European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM)

What European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM) does

The European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM) is a postgraduate education and research institute within the Department of Public Health at the University of Basel Medical Faculty, founded in 1991 by Fritz R. Bühler and Ruth Amstein. It delivers structured pharmaceutical medicine and drug development training across a three-tier credential stack: Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in Pharmaceutical Medicine, a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Medicines Development (60 ECTS, five-year window), and a catalogue of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) short courses delivered both on-campus in Basel and via the learn.ecpm.ch e-learning platform. The curriculum is aligned with the IMI PharmaTrain syllabus, IFAPP standards, and recognized by Swissethics for GCP training and by the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) for the Swiss Specialist title in Pharmaceutical Medicine.

ECPM's core technology consists of its interactive e-learning platform (learn.ecpm.ch) offering self-paced modules of 60-90 minute lessons with intermediate tests and final assessments, plus Bologna Process-compliant ECTS credit allocation that enables credit transfer across European institutions. The teaching delivery model combines six core in-person modules (Global Drug Development, Non-Clinical Testing to First-in-Human, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics, Global Registration, Healthcare Marketplace) with Frontiers in Drug Development seminars, yearly study trips, and an international faculty of 150+ experts drawn from WHO, EMA, FDA, Swissmedic, and major pharmaceutical companies.

The business model is tuition-driven, generating revenue through CAS/DAS program fees of CHF 15,750 per two-year cycle, MAS module fees of CHF 14,750 plus CHF 3,500 for thesis and final exam, and per-course CPD fees ranging from CHF 210 (academia/nonprofit seminars) to CHF 3,000 (six-day Project Management course), supplemented by exam fees (CHF 750 FMH/DAS) and research grant income. Customer segments span pharmaceutical industry professionals, medical doctors seeking FMH specialty certification, regulatory authority staff, university academics, and career-transition healthcare professionals, with 2,100+ alumni educated since 1991. ECPM also maintains strategic research collaborations with the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Swiss TPH, University Hospital Basel, and international partner institutions, including sister courses in Beijing (Peking University) and Washington (UCSF subsidiary).

Name

European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM)

Legal name

European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM)

Website

https://ecpm.unibas.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM) is a University of Basel institute that delivers postgraduate CAS, DAS, and MAS programs plus CPD short courses in pharmaceutical medicine and drug development to industry professionals, medical doctors, and regulators across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Medicine Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAO

Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYEDACAIAB

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Teacher Training & Professional Development

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical medicine training
• Postgraduate medical education
• Drug development education
• Continuing professional development
• Clinical research training

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - CAS/DAS Programs: Certificate and Diploma of Advanced Studies programs generate revenue through upfront tuition fees. CAS/DAS program costs CHF 15,750 for the full course including materials, lunches, coffee breaks, platform access, and MCQ examination fee. Additional oral/essay exam fee of CHF 750 for diploma. Optional printed materials available for CHF 500.
2. Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) Fees: MAS program generates revenue through modular fees: ECPM Diploma Course at CHF 14,750 (30 ECTS), variable fees for external university modules depending on course provider, and CHF 3,500 for Master Thesis, Final Exam and Diploma (10 ECTS). Maximum study time of five years.
3. CPD Short Course Fees: Continuing Professional Development courses generate per-course revenue with varying fees: Ethical and Legal Aspects course at CHF 2,000, Project Management at CHF 3,000, Fundamentals in Health Economics at CHF 1,800, Genomics in Drug Development at CHF 1,950, and Novel Clinical Study Designs seminar at CHF 580 (or CHF 480 for SwAPP/SGPM members, CHF 210 for academia/nonprofit). E-learning courses include Basics in Health Economics at CHF 650 and Drug Safety course at variable rates.
4. FMH/SwAPP Certification Fees: Examination fees for Swiss Medical Association (FMH) Swiss Specialist in Pharmaceutical Medicine certification and SwAPP (Swiss Association of Pharmaceutical Professionals) diplomas. DAS exam fee is CHF 750 with retake fees of CHF 500 for MCQ and CHF 750 for oral/essay exams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ECPM is a university institute within the University of Basel that delivers postgraduate education and conducts research in pharmaceutical medicine and drug development. It offers a structured portfolio including a two-year Diploma Course (CAS/DAS in Pharmaceutical Medicine), a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Medicines Development, and standalone Continuing Professional Development (CPD) short courses covering topics such as health economics, drug safety, genomics, clinical trial design, and project management.

Product overview

ECPM offers a structured postgraduate education platform in pharmaceutical medicine and medicines development, consisting of three main products: Certificate/Diploma of Advanced Studies (CAS/DAS) in Pharmaceutical Medicine (core two-year curriculum with 6 modules), Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Medicines Development (60 ECTS advanced program), and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) short courses that supplement the main programs or serve as standalone professional development. The CPD offerings include onsite workshops, e-learning modules, seminars, and study trips covering specialized topics such as health economics, drug safety, genomics, project management, and clinical study designs. All programs are aligned with IMI PharmaTrain syllabus and IFAPP standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Pharmaceutical Medicine A foundational two-year course cycle providing postgraduate education in pharmaceutical medicine covering drug development, regulatory affairs, clinical research, and drug safety. Awards 20 ECTS credits upon passing a 120-question multiple-choice exam. Aligned with IMI PharmaTrain, IFAPP, and Royal College of Physicians standards.
• Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in Pharmaceutical Medicine

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2100 healthcare professionals educated since founding in 1991
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• University of BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPM is an institute within the University of Basel, Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty. Provides institutional affiliation, student registration, administrative infrastructure, and academic credibility.
• Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation on outcomes research in oncology and hematology. Collaboration includes joint research projects, publication activities, and SAKK 95/16 prostate study on bone-targeted agents.
• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in epidemiology, public health research, and health economics. Shared faculty contributions and joint supervision of doctoral/master students.
• University Hospital BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with research groups, Clinical Trial Unit, and Institute of Nursing Sciences. Co-organizes courses and shares faculty expertise.
• Federal Office of Public HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations on national health policy research, health technology assessment, and pharmaceutical policy. SPEARHEAD project on pandemic AMR awareness.
• Swiss Medical BoardsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on health technology assessment and evidence-based healthcare policy research in Switzerland.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cranfield University: UK university with established postgraduate programs in clinical trials, drug development, and pharmaceutical engineering, serving working pharma professionals through short courses and MSc pathways similar to ECPM's CAS/DAS/CPD structure.
• Karolinska Institutet: Leading Swedish medical university offering postgraduate education and research in pharmaceutical sciences and drug development with strong European and pharma industry ties, comparable to ECPM in academic standing and professional audience.
• King's College London (Centre for Pharmaceutical Medicine): King's College London runs a well-established Centre for Pharmaceutical Medicine offering postgraduate diplomas and MSc programs in pharmaceutical medicine and drug development science, closely mirroring ECPM's curriculum and target audience of pharma professionals and physicians across Europe.
• Semmelweis University (Budapest): Hungarian medical university listed within the PharmaTrain Federation alongside ECPM and offering postgraduate training in pharmaceutical medicine and drug development; collaboration explicitly referenced in ECPM's partnership list.

Broad incumbents

• Drug Information Association (DIA): Global, membership-based organization that delivers training, conferences, and certifications across the full drug development lifecycle to pharma industry professionals, overlapping with ECPM's CPD and postgraduate offerings but at much broader scale and scope.

Regional players

• University of Washington (ECPM Sister Course): ECPM assisted in setting up its sister course at the Washington-based University of San Francisco subsidiary in 2008; operates the same pharmaceutical medicine training format adapted for North American regulatory context.
• Peking University Clinical Research Institute (CCDRS): Host of the Chinese Course of Drug Development and Regulatory Science, set up as an ECPM sister course in Beijing with Prof. Szucs on the directorate; offers the same pharma medicine curriculum for the China market with regionally adapted content.

Others

• International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians (IFAPP): Global standards-setting body for pharmaceutical medicine that co-developed the curriculum framework ECPM uses; IFAPP is an ecosystem participant whose policies and certifications directly affect ECPM's program validity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ecpmuniversityofbasel7469
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecpm_unibasel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM)