In response to Lebanon’s ongoing healthcare and educational crises, the LAU School of Pharmacy has taken the lead in forging national partnerships that aim to reshape pharmacy education, training, and practice. Through its landmark symposium, United in Action, LAU brought together stakeholders from four other pharmacy schools in Lebanon, alongside government, military, pharmaceutical, and health professions representatives. The event fostered a spirit of inter-institutional collaboration, addressed urgent gaps in curriculum, regulation, and experiential training, and laid the groundwork for a unified educational framework that meets both national needs and global standards. Committed to uplifting pharmacy education at LAU and in Lebanon, the School is launching the Pharmaceutical and Medical Research Center (PMRC), with an analytical and clinical unit as well as potential educational and research opportunities for the health science students on the LAU Byblos campus. The first of its kind in Lebanon, the center addresses the need for testing generic drugs by running bioequivalence testing, which helps make locally produced drugs more accessible to the public.

From a humanitarian perspective, the School of Pharmacy also contributes to meaningful community interventions. Created to address the healthcare challenges of COVID-19, the LAU Mobile Clinic remains an active patient service initiative. This service was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering free PCR tests, vaccines, and health consultations to underserved populations, ensuring continuity of care during lockdowns and continuously serving populations in underserved areas with limited access to care. More recently, the clinics were deployed to support Lebanon’s displaced in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health’s assigned primary healthcare provider—the Beirut Association for Social Development (BASD)–Health Sector— and as part of the university’s Emergency Relief for Lebanon, teams from the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital, the LAU Medical Center–Saint John’s Hospital, LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, LAU Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing, and LAU School of Pharmacy. This initiative had several missions to provide essential primary care services, screenings, and dispense medications to those in need. Primary care services and awareness sessions were provided to the displaced community as well as family care hygiene kits and first aid kits.

Demonstrating compassion in action, students from the LAU School of Pharmacy have also led impactful efforts to serve displaced and underserved communities during the war on Lebanon. Through initiatives like Medication for All, students mobilized the collection and distribution of critical medications and health supplies to hundreds of families temporarily housed in schools across the country. They also collaborated with the LAU Mobile Clinic and participated in outreach missions to provide essential health counseling, medication management, and awareness sessions on public health practices. These student-led efforts highlight the role of pharmacy students not only as future professionals but also as socially responsible citizens committed to equitable healthcare access. Their work reflects the university’s broader commitment to community engagement and the sustainability of public health services.

In the hope of inspiring upcoming generations to make a change, the School of Pharmacy offers summer camps designed to introduce high school and pre-university students to the dynamic and impactful world of pharmacy. By equipping young students with hands-on experiences in pharmaceutical sciences and exposing them to real-world healthcare challenges, the camp ensures the development of a well-informed, socially responsible generation of pharmacists committed to improving public health and advancing sustainable healthcare systems.

LAU actively collaborates with local, regional, national, and international governments and organizations to address wastewater challenges. For instance, LAU’s School of Pharmacy is part of the Erasmus+ funded Sustainable Wastewater Treatment for Hospitals (SWaTH) project, working with European and Lebanese institutions to enhance hospital wastewater management in Lebanon. This initiative aims to mitigate the environmental impact of medical wastewater while aligning with global best practices. As part of this project, the LAU School of Pharmacy also hosted a seminar on pharmaceutical waste with the participation of its faculty and industry professionals.  The seminar explored correct procedures for disposing of pharmaceutical waste, including expired or unused medication, to mitigate its threat to public health and the environment. LAU is leading the pharmaceutical aspect of the SWaTH project, namely designing and running a national survey that assesses wastewater management across 136 hospitals in Lebanon. This contribution is vital to sustainability as it promotes responsible waste management, protects water resources, and minimizes the ecological footprint of the healthcare sector in Lebanon.