From August 27 to 29, 2026, the Vicarage Conference Centre in Osijek served as the epicentre of regional professional gatherings in the field of pharmacy. Representatives of VZK Laboratory had the great pleasure and honour to actively participate in this year’s 12th Summer School with Pharma Expert, which once again confirmed its status as one of the most significant educational events in the region. Over three intensive and inspiring days, the event gathered numerous experts, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical technicians from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, and North Macedonia, creating a unique platform for sharing knowledge, valuable experiences, and modern clinical approaches.
Behind this successful and comprehensive project stands Pharma Expert Club, with doc. dr. sc. Arijana Meštrović, mag. pharm., FFIP as the founder and mastermind of the Summer School. Recognized for its specific concept, the Summer School is not designed as a traditional scientific congress, but primarily emphasizes interactive workshops, practical clinical thinking, the analysis of concrete cases from everyday practice, and open dialogue among colleagues from across the region. This year’s central theme, titled “Untold Stories of Our Oldest Patients”, was entirely dedicated to comprehensive pharmaceutical care for elderly patients. The programme covered a wide range of important topics, including nutritional risks in the elderly, dementia, specificities of dermatological care for mature skin, laboratory findings interpretation, depression, respiratory issues, musculoskeletal health, as well as modern concepts such as deprescribing, the application of Beers criteria, motivational interviewing techniques, and the role of the pharmaceutical AI agent. A special charm was added to the programme by connecting pharmacy and medicine with a warm, human approach to the patient, further enriched by an inspiring conversation with legendary actress Ljubica Jović about aging and life experience.
The participation of our team at this renowned gathering was of manifold importance. In addition to continuous professional development, our primary goal was to bring the authentic philosophy, premium product range, and core values advocated by VZK Laboratory closer to the regional pharmaceutical community. In this spirit, we were extremely proud to enable the participation of and bring along 10 pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians from the Apotekarska ustanova Lilly Drogerie pharmacy chain, offering them the opportunity to enhance their skills and network with colleagues from the region. Two key members of our team played an active role in building bridges of cooperation and presenting our business and professional focus: Filip Marinović, Key Account Manager VZK Laboratory, and Vladimir Tomov, International Sales Manager VZK Laboratory. Throughout the event, through intensive discussions with participants and partners, they presented the brand’s development potential, strengthening the company’s regional visibility and credibility.
The central professional highlight of our stay in Osijek was an exceptional presentation delivered on behalf of VZK Laboratory by spec. mr ph. Olivera Kolundžija, Deputy Head of Production at VZK Laboratory. Through her detailed and inspiring presentation, spec. mr ph. Olivera Kolundžija, guided the attending colleagues through the entire complex journey of creating a modern and effective cream—from the initial idea to its final realization in production. Participants had the opportunity to learn first-hand about all key stages of this process: from thorough research into the needs of modern users and patients, through the analysis and testing of active ingredients in accordance with leading global dermatological trends, to conducting rigorous clinical studies, careful formulation balancing, and packaging functionality testing. This lecture vividly and expertly demonstrated how scientific methodology, top-tier technological expertise, and an uncompromising commitment to quality at VZK Laboratory translate into products that patients and pharmacists trust every day.
Three days filled with intensive learning, lively exchange of experiences, and warm collegial networking once again confirmed the belief that continuous education, regional connection, and mutual support are the foundations upon which safe, high-quality, and modern pharmaceutical care is built. VZK Laboratory continues to support educational initiatives that advance the profession and contribute to the better health of all our patients.
