I Gede Made Wirabrata earned his doctoral degree in the Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Study Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pancasila University, Jakarta with the predicate of passing “With Honors” or Cumlaude (29/7/2024).

Wira conducted a research entitled “Phase IV Clinical Trial and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of 99mTc-etambutol Radiopharmaceutical for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (M.TB) Diagnostics in the Era of National Health Insurance (JKN)”. This research is a collaboration of three scientific fields, namely: nuclear medicine, nuclear pharmacy, and pharmacoeconomics and is the first radiopharmaceutical phase IV clinical trial research in Indonesia.

Wira’s research showed that 99mTc-etambutol radiopharmaceutical can be used for M.TB diagnostics in pulmonary TB and extra-pulmonary TB, without the need for surgery.

Wira explained that 99mTc-ethambutol radiopharmaceutical can be used to diagnose pulmonary TB and/or extra-pulmonary TB simultaneously, safely, effectively, quickly, and with high accuracy. Pharmacoeconomic studies show early indications of the potential cost efficiency of ethambutol scans compared to other TB diagnostic services that have very high scintigraphy, but high costs.

The study also showed that there were no adverse drug effects or complaints from all subjects on the use of 99mTc-ethambutol radiopharmaceutical. In order to obtain more data and information, further clinical evaluation studies with more subjects are recommended. For information, extra-pulmonary TB disease is very difficult to detect with conventional methods, because patients will be subjected to high-risk and low-cost surgery.

This doctoral graduation led Wira to become the 20th doctor of pharmacy graduate of Pancasila University, Jakarta. The Doctoral Promotion Session was led by the Rector of Pancasila University, Prof. Marsudi Wahyu Kisworo. The Chief Examiner was Prof. Deni Rahmat, Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Pancasila University.

Present as examiners were Prof. Dante Saksono Harbuwono (Deputy Minister of Health, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia) along with foreign examiners Assoc. Prof. Deny Susanti (Kulliyah of Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia).

Wira, who also has a doctorate in Economics, was accompanied by promoters Prof. Syamsudin (Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Pancasila University), Prof. Achmad Hussein S. Kartamihardja (Professor of the Faculty of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Theranostics, Padjajaran University), Prof. Yusi Anggriani (Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Pancasila University), and Hendig Winarno (BATAN Researcher, Research and Innovation Agency).