Professor Ric Day | UNSW Research

My Expertise

quality use of medicines; therapeutics; medicinal drug information; adverse drug reactions & interactions; clinical toxicology; treatment of rheumatic conditions & pain.

Keywords

clinical pharmacology

arthritis / rheumatology

clinical toxicology

toxicology

therapeutic drug monitoring

chronic disease

acute and chronic pain management

chronic diseases

clinical research

complementary and alternative medicine (cam)

quality use of medicines

gout

toxicology

clinical pharmacology

pharmacology

drug development

clinical trials

musculoskeletal conditions

musculoskeletal diseases

chronic pain

osteoarthritis

complementary and alternative medicine

complementary and alternative medicine (cam)

Fields of Research (FoR)

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rheumatology and Arthritis, Endocrinology, Decision Support and Group Support Systems, Toxicology (incl. Clinical Toxicology), Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SEO tags

Cardiovascular System and Diseases

Diabetes

Infectious Diseases

Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions)

Health Education and Promotion

Biography

Prof Day AM (MBBS, FRACP, MD) is internationally and nationally recognised for his research, leadership and advocacy in support of quality use of medicines (QUM). He has been deeply involved in Australia’s National Medicines Policy and the QUM component culminating in his Chairmanship of the Pharmaceutical Health and Rational Use of Medicines Committee (PHARM) for the Federal Government in 1999-2008. PHARM provided strategic advice about QUM and supported the creation of the National Prescribing Service (NPS MedicinesWise). This work has informed his approach to advocacy and health policy and interventions. His research focuses on QUM and methods of enhancing the safe use of medicines using eHealth systems and decision support tools He has published over 600 peer reviewed papers: NEJM (4), BMJ (8), Lancet (5), Arch Intern Med (3), PLoS Med (2), Ann Intern Med (1), PNAS (1), & J Am Med Inform Assoc (9), & leading rheumatology (Ann Rheum Dis (6)) and clinical pharmacology journals (Clin Pharmacol Ther (7) and Brit J Clin Pharmacol (38). He has been cited over 22,600 times. He has published > 30 papers on gout. He collaborates widely in his research. His current collaborations have lead to significant work investigating the potential of eHealth tools to increase medication safety but he has other significant areas of research. Day collaborates especially with Prof J. Westbrook, (Health Systems and eHealth and Medication Safety Research all at Macquarie University, Sydney) and Prof Melissa Baysari and Profs. C.Maher, J.Latimer, C.Lin & colleagues (University of Sydney -Large RCTs in primary care in musculoskeletal conditions) and Professor Anthony Rodgers (George Institute for Global Health – innovative clinical trial research designs in musculoskeletal disorders). Rigorous evaluation of electronic medication systems including implementation, effectiveness in reducing medication errors, decision support and alerts and new types of errors have led to highly cited publications (>26 papers). Day’s 5 year NH&MRC Partnership Grant (1094708) investigating the potential of eHealth tools to assist patients with gout adhere to their medications, of generic importance for chronic illnesses, builds on this work. Day’s innovative work extending the patient populations that can take metformin safely and benefit from its life saving cardiac protective properties, for example in people with type II diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD), non-diabetic obese women, people with cardiac failure and people with hepatic function impairment has been enhanced by national collaborations and is highly cited (e.g Graham et al, Clin Pharmacokin 2011; cited > 400 times).

Prof Day is a committed undergraduate & post-graduate teacher & research mentor (two awards) focussing on Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) & translation of evidence into practice. In the last 5 years, Day’s Honours (5), Independent Learning Program medical students (10), PhDs (13), MSc (3), Advanced trainees (3) and Post-Docs (5) have made 97 presentations nationally & internationally.

Prof Day has received many awards, including Member of the Order of Australia AM, 2000 relating mostly to his focus upon QUM. He received the AMA Distinguished Service Award in 2009, became an Inaugural Life Member of the NPS in 2011 and made Fellow of Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) in 2022. Prof Day was also the first non-US President of the Drug Information Association (DIA). Further, Prof Day is a practicing Rheumatologist and Clinical Pharmacologist and is an active educator and contributor to national resources such as the Australian Medicines Handbook (he was an inaugural Director) and Therapeutic Guidelines. Prof Day’s involvement with the pharmaceutical enterprise is extensive. He has held several positions including member of Medicines Australia Code of Conduct Committee since 1995; President of the national association of pharmacologists and toxicologists, ASCEPT 1995, Director of Medical Benefits Fund Australia, now BUPA, in 1998-2002, Co-chair of Medication Safety Taskforce for the Australian Safety and Quality Council (2001-3), Chair NPS R&D committee (2008-10), Ministerial Appointee of the Australian Health Informatics Committee 2003-5, Co-chair of National Electronic Medication Management reference group for the National e-Health Transition Authority and currently, Chair of Medication Expert Advisory Committee to the NSW Ministry of Health, Member NSW Early Phase Clinical Trials Committee, Member NSW Chief Scientist’s Cannabis Expert Advisory Committee, Chair NSW Cannabis Prescribers Committee, all for NSW Ministry of Health and Chair Research Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) Research Committee, University of Western Sydney 2014-17. Prof Day’s knowledge of, and connections to, the pharmaceutical industry are enhanced by his role as the senior academic advisor for Australia’s leading post-graduate degree in Drug Development – Masters of Pharmaceutical Medicine program that he cofounded at UNSW in the Faculty of Medicine.

My Grants

NHMRC RESEARCH FUNDING

Postgraduate Medical Scholarship; NHMRC Postgraduate Medical Scholar; Recipient; 1975; 3 years

Travelling Fellowship Scholarship; NHMRC Travelling Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology; Recipient; 1977; 3 years

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Allopurinol (with Birkett DJ & Miners J; Flinders University, SA); 1983; 3 years; $36,493.00

Relationship between Plasma Salicylate Concentrations and Ototoxicity (with Graham GG; University of New South Wales); 1984; 1 year; $15,159.00

Disposition of the Enantiomers of Ibuprofen in Man (with Williams K; St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1984; 2 years; $56,000.00

Disposition and Interconversion of the Enantiomers of Ibuprofen (with Williams K; St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1986; 3 years; $90,939.00

APP890731; Lipid peroxidation of human polymorph membranes (with Gebicki J; Macquarie University; Guille J; St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1989; 3 years; $66,000.00

APP890677; Enantioselective metabolism of 2 arylpropionic acid antiinflammatory drugs (with Williams K, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1989; 3 years; $115,908.00

APP900242; Determinants of the variability in clinical response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (with Walker J; St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1990; 3 years; $143,571.00

APP910550; Indices of free radical activity in acute and chronic alcohol exposure (with Hicks M, Gebicki J, Wodak A; UNSW, Macquarie University & St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1991; 3 years; $77,582.00

APP920932; Rational therapy of rheumatic diseases with hydroxychloroquine (with Tett S, Cutler D; St Vincent's Hospital & Sydney University); 1992; 3 years; $81,378.00

APP920221; Allopurinol dose-response in man (with Birkett D, Miners J, Graham G; St Vincent's, UNSW & Flinders); 1992; 3 years; $112,458.70

Stereoselective disposition of 2 arylpropionic acid antiinflammatory drugs (with Williams K; St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney); 1993; 3 years; $183,000.00

APP970946; Investigation of the skin suction blister as a model of inflammation and its treatment; 1997; 3 years; $159,867.00

APP971087; Quality use of medication; pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and optimal dose prediction (With Tett S; University of Queensland); 1997; 3 years; $246,075.59

APP141772 Project Grant; An investigation of the relationship between the pharma industry and medical practitioner (Associate-investigator with Kerridge I, McNeill P, Hill S, Henry D); 2001; 2 years; $185,000.00

APP300435 Project Grant; Changing decision-making behaviour in primary care by providing access to online evidence (EW Coiera, JI Westbrook, MR Kidd, R. Day); CID; 2004; 2 years; $202,625.00

APP352576 Project Grant; A clinical trial of manipulative therapy and/or NSAIDs for significant acute low back pain (Maher C, Latimer J, McLachlan A, Day R, Cooper C); CID; 2005; 3 years; $521,625.00

APP400929 Project Grant; The safety and effectiveness of hospital e-prescribing systems: a controlled time series study (Westbrook J, Runciman W, Day R, Dunsmuir W, Braithwaite J, Williamson M); CIC; 2006; 3 years; $583,000.00

APP401020 Project Grant; Measuring adverse events: Development of a Patient-Centred Adverse Event Reporting Tool (PAET) (Lassere M, Bellamy N, Day R, Iedema R, Johnson K, Tugwell P); CIC; 2006; 3 years; $438,500.00

APP402511 Project Grant; The effect of glucosamine sulphate on structural disease progression in knee osteoarthritis (Fransen M, Day R, Edmonds J, Bridges-Webb C, Norton R, Woodward M); CIB; 2006; 5 years; $1,174,955.00

APP455270 Project Grant; The impact of electronic medication administration records (e-MAR) on medication administration safety and nurses' work (Westbrook J, Dean-Franklin B, Day R, Duffield C, Coiera E, Williamson M); CIC; 2007; 3 years; $678,475.00

APP568612 Program Grant; Patient Safety: enabling and supporting change for a safer and more effective health system. (Braithwaite J, Coiera E, Westbrook J, Runciman W, Day R) CIE; 2009; 5years; $8,400,000

APP1045065 Project Grant; Using collaboration networks to measure bias and inefficiency in the production and translation of evidence about cardiovascular risk. (Dunn A) AI; 2013; 2 years; $214,181.18

APP1042073 Project Grant; Pregabalin in addition to usual care for sciatica (PRECISE): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. (Lin C, Maher C, McLachlan A, Latimer J, Koes B, Hancock M, Harris I) AI; 2013; 3 years; $618,589.00

APP1054146 Program Grant; Creating safe, effective systems of care: the translational challenge. (Braithwaite J, Westbrook J, Coiera E, Runciman W, Day R, Hillman K) CIE; 2014; 5 years; $10,855,710

APP1059732 Project Grant; Addressing conflicts of interest in public health and biomedicine: enhancing professional integrity and safeguarding the public’s health. (Lipworth W, Kerridge I, Komersaroff P, Stewart C, Olver I) AI; 2014; 3 years; $564,553

APP1082480 Project Grant; The first placebo-controlled trial of opioid analgesics for acute spinal pain. (Lin C, Maher C, McLachlan A, Latimer J, Billot L, Koes B) AI; 2015; 3 years; $996,237

APP1080673 Project Grant; Improving decisions about the funding of high cost cancer medicines in Australia. (Lipworth W, Kerridge I, Salkeld G, Olver I, Isaacs D, Pearson S) AI; 2015; 3 years; $549,492

APP1094708 Partnership Project Grant; Patient-centred eHealth approach to improving outcomes for gout sufferers. (Day R, Zwar N, Reath J, Westbrook J, Lau A, Baysari M, Laba T, McLachlan A, Runciman W); CIA; 2015; 5 years; NHMRC $660,656.85, Partners $661,000, Total: $1,321,656.80

APP1094878 Partnership Project Grant; Delivering safe and effective care for children in hospital with eHealth systems. (Westbrook J, Georgiou A, Day R, O’Brien T, Karnon J, Dalla-Pozza L, Cowell C, Li L, Baysari M, Ambler G); CIC; 2015; 5 years; NHMRC $632,806, Partners $450,000, Total: $1,082,806

APP1122332 Partnership Project Grant; How best to protect public health: a comparative analysis of regulatory safety warnings on medicines in Australia, Canada the European Union and the United States. (Mintzes B, Roughead EE, Lexchin J, Bero L, Dormuth C, Kesselheim A, Lipworth W, De Bruin ML, Gnjidic D, Puil L) AI; 2017; 3 years; $1,002,283.40

APP1125414 Project Grant; Enabling personalised cohort studies from large repositories of clinical practice data. (Gallego Luxan B, Shah N, Verspoor K, Liaw ST) AI; 2017; 3 years; $520,967.50

APP1134459 Partnership Project Grant; Creating a culture of safety and respect: a controlled, mixed methods study of the effectiveness of a behavioural accountability intervention to reduce unprofessional behaviours. (Westbrook J, Braithwaite J, Day R, Middleton S, Scott D, Rapport F, Mitchell R, Baysari M, Li L, Taylor N) CIC; 2017; 4 years; $875,978.40

APP1134824 Partnership Project Grant; Optimising computerised decision support to transform medication safety and reduce prescriber burden. (Baysari M, Li L, Westbrook J, Day R, Hilmer S) CID; 2017; 4 years; NHMRC $325,545.96, Partners: $505,000, Total: $830,545.96

APP1134856 Centres of Research Excellence; Australia & New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network (Buchbinder R, Maher C, March L, Day R, Hinman R, Harris I, Ferreira M, Glasziou P, Green S, Billot L); CID; 2017; 5 years; $2,497,653.50

OTHER RESEARCH FUNDING

Federal Department of Health through the National Campaign against Drug Abuse; Study of hypnotic-sedative use. CI; 1985; 2 years; $30,000.00

Rayner fellowship. CI; 1987; 3 years; $90,000.00

Rheumatology Unit Research Fund (Fellowship Clinical Pharmacology in Rheumatic Diseases). 1987; 3 years; $45,000.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia; Allopurinol pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. 1989; 1 year; $3,000.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia; Pharmacodynamic studies with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in arthritis (with Dr J. Walker, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1989; 1 year; $3,000.00

Department of Veterans Affairs; NSW Therapeutic Assessment Group sponsored study of patterns of NSAID use in NSW. 1989; 2 years; $112,000.00

Rheumatology Unit Research Fund (Fellowship Clinical Pharmacology in Rheumatic Diseases). 1990; 2 years; $40,000.00

Ramaciotti Foundation (with Dr J Walker, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1990; 1 year; $10,000.00

Ramaciotti Foundation; The use of allantoin/urate ratios as indices of free radical activity in acute and chronic alcohol exposure (with Dr M Hicks, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1990; 1 year; $23,000.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia; Concentration analgesic effect relationships for NSAIDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (with Dr J Walker, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1990; 1 year; $5,000.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia; Antirheumatic activities of the enantiomers of thalidomide (with Dr K Williams, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1990; 1 year; $6,000.00

Committee on Residents Continuing Education, NSW; Computer assisted learning for House Staff (with Dr G Connors). CI; 1991; 1 year; $25,000.00

Therapeutics in General Practice Project (with A/Prof A Mant) RACGP via Commonwealth Department of Health. 1993; 3 years; $750,000.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia. Free radicals in inflammation (With Dr M Hicks, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney). 1994; 1 year; $5,000.00

Commonwealth Department of Health: Investigation of the Interaction between the Pharmaceutical Industry and Prescribers: Co-director. 1995; 2 years; $150,000.00

Faculty Medicine Quality Funds; Metabolism of antiinflammatory drugs, lipids and prostaglandins (K.M. Williams & R.O. Day). 1996; 1 year; $11,900.00

Faculty Medicine Quality Funds; Metabolism of antiinflammatory drugs, lipids and prostaglandins (K.M. Williams & R.O. Day). 1997; 1 year; $26,250.00

Arthritis Foundation of Australia. First Stage Adverse Events Instrument (AEI) Project (with A/Prof M.Lassere, Dr Kent Johnson, St George Hospital). 2001; 3 years; $15,000.00

Quintiles Pty Ltd (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 02/034. CIA; 2002; 1 year; $20,000.00

GSK, PO Box 168, Boronia VIC 3155 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 02/128. CIA; 2002; 1 year; $253,200.00

GSK Medicines Research Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Parkes 10 East High Street Randwick 2031 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 03/028. CIA; 2003; 1 year; $40,500.00

GSK Medicines Research Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Parkes 10 East High Street Randwick 2031 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 03/046. CIA; 2003; 1 year; $187,602.53

GSK, PO Box 168, Boronia VIC 3155 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 03/047. CIA; 2003; 1 year; $27,530.00

GSK, PO Box 168, Boronia VIC 3155 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 03/049. CIA; 2003; 1 year; $170,000.00

Bone Medical Ltd, Unit 2 Sarich Way, Bentley Technology Park, Perth WA (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 04/111. CIA; 2004; 1 year; $165,325.71

Unique Global Possibilities Medical Pty Ltd, PO Box 4314, Kingston ACT 2604 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 05/045. CIA; 2005; 1 year; $204,965.10

Sanofi Pasteur, 2 Avenue Pont Pasteur, F-69367 Lyon cedex 07 France (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); (HREC# 05/034). CIA; 2005; 1 year; $152,600.00

GlaxoSmithKline, PO Box 168, Boronia VIC 3155 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 05/030. CIA; 2005; 1 year; $65,138.00

Arthritis Australia, (with Lassare M, Bellamy N, Iedema R, Johnson K, Tugwell P). CIC; 2006; 1 year; $15,000.00

University of New South Wales; Goldstar Star Award, (with Westbrook J, Dean-Franklin B, Coiera E, Duffield C, Williamson M). CID; 2006; 1 year; $40,000.00

Hemisperx Biopharma Inc, Philadelphia PA (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 06/069. CIA; 2006; 1 year; $130,683.58

Jupitar Pty, 8/11 Bungan St MONA VALE NSW 2103 (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 07/038. CIA; 2007; 1 year; $262,082.25

Peptech Limited, (via Directorship of St Vincent’s Clinical Trials Centre); HREC# 07/003. CIA; 2007; 1 year; $235,506.00

Commonwealth of Australia: Dept. of Education & Science Training: Collaboration and Structural Reform (CASR) Fund. CIA; 2007; 2 years; $230,000.00

University of Queensland/NICM Collaborative Centre for Nutraceuticals & Herbal Medicine Shared Grant/Subcontract. CIF; 2008; 3 years; $20,000.00

UNSW Goldstar near miss funding (McLachlan A, Williams K, Graham G) (relinquished on receipt of Arthritis Australia Grant). CIA; 2008; 1 year; $40,000.00

Arthritis Australia: Better management of gout through better use of allopurinol (with McLachlan A, Williams K, Graham G). CIA; 2008; 1 year; $40,000.00

St Vincent's Hospital/ARC Linkage Project (LP0990670) Industry Partner Contribution; Development of computer-based decision support tools using population-based PK-PD modeling (Day RO, Kirkpatrick CM, Williams KM, Greenfield J, Giacomini K). CIA; 2009; 4 years; $63,734.00

Australian Research Council/Linkage Projects LP0990670; Development of computer-based decision support tools using population-based PK-PD modeling (Day RO, Kirkpatrick CM, Williams KM, Greenfield J, Giacomini K). CIA; 2009; 4 years; $318,668.00

St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation; Disposition of metformin in renal impairment (RO Day, J Greenfield, KM Williams, GG Graham, JE Ray). CIC; 2009; 1 year; $100,000.00

St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Lexy Davies Estate Trust Fund (T/Fund 869753). PI; 2010; 2 years; $100,000.00

St Vincent's Clinic Foundation: ‘Reducing hospital prescribing errors by enhancing the effectiveness of computerized decision support’ (with M Baysari). AI; 2012; 1 year; $30,000.00

St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Lexy Davies Estate Trust Fund (T/Fund 869753). PI; 2012; 2 years; $100,000.00

St Vincent’s Curran Foundation’s 2012 Annual Grants: funding support for ten iPads. PI; 2012; 1 year; $7,300.00

St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation. Annual Research Grant 2014. Exploiting new opportunities with an electronic prescribing system to identify prescribers at risk of making prescribing errors. (Baysari MT, Day RO, Richardson K) PI; 2014; 1 year; $30,000

Diabetes Australia Research Trust (DART) Research Grant. 2014. Safety of metformin in dialysis. (Day RO, Williams KM, Furlong TJ, Greenfield JR, Graham GG, Kumar SK) PI; 2014; 1 year; $60,000

St Vincent's Health Network (SVHN) Sydney, Lexy Davies Estate Trust Fund (T/Fund 869753). PI; 2014/15; 5 years; $450,000

St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation. Annual Research Grant 2016. Implementation of drug-drug interaction alerts: An investigation of burden of prescribers. (Baysari M, Sandhu A, Richardson K, Li L, Day R) AI; 2016; 1 year; $30,000

St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation Research Grant 2017. The safety and pharmacokinetics of metformin in heart failure. (Day R, Macdonald P, Greenfield J, Graham G, Stocker S, Carland J) PI; 2017;1 year; $30,000

UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme 2017: Supporting Collaborative Research. Installation of a Shimadzu Nexera X2 UHPLC into the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology. (Day R, Carland JE, Stocker SL, Norris RLG, Greenfield JR) PI; 2017; 1 year; $78,431

St Vincent's Clinical School Funding 2018. UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney. Identifying predictors of response to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes. (Day R, Greenfield JR, Milder T) PI; 2018; 1year; $10,000

St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation, SVPHS Ladies’ Committee Sister Mary Bernice Research Grant 2019: Vascular effects of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. (Day RO, Greenfield JR, Sevastos J, Stocker S, Samocha-Bonet D, Milder T); CI; 2019; 1 year; $120,000

St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research (AMR) Translational Research Grant 2019, St Vincent’s Health Australia Inclusive Health Innovation Fund (SVHA IHIF). Examining the feasibility and acceptability of intranasal take home naloxone in the Emergency Department in patient presenting with opioid related overdose. (Short title: The ONE Study (Overdose and take home Naloxone in Emergency settings). (Brett J, Ezard N, Day R, Leung J, Welch S.); AI; 2019; 1 year; $39,427

Heart Foundation 2018 Vanguard Grant (Award ID 102279). Vascular effects of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (Stage 3B/4). (Short title: Vascular effects of empagliflozin in chronic kidney disease) (CIs: Day R, Greenfield J, Stocker S, Samocha Bonet D; AIs: Milder T, Sevastos J, Macdonald P); PI 2019; 1 year; $74,087

My Qualifications

AM, MB BS (Hons) Syd, MD UNSW, FRACP

My Awards

Awards

Honorary Membership, The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, 1991.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM), 2000.
Inaugural QUM (Quality of Use of Medicines) Life Member of the National Prescribing Service, 2011.
Excellence in Mentoring Award 2012, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, 2012.
Quality Award ‘Exceptional care: A culture of no harm’ for application ‘Transforming medication safety with information technology’. St Vincent’s Health Australia, 2012.
Inaugural Honorary Fellow of the DIA (Drug Information Association), 2013.
Certificate awarded for being a member in good standing since 1995 and has fulfilled the Objectives of the Association and abided by its Code of Ethics, Australian Medical Association (NSW), 2016.
Awarded Life Membership by the Board and Fellows of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), 2016.
St Vincent’s Clinical School 2016 Researcher of the Year Award, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, 2016.
2016 SoMS (School of Medical Sciences) Higher Degree Research Supervisor Award, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, 2016.
St Vincent’s Clinical School 2017 Researcher of the Year Award, UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney, 2017.
St Vincent’s Clinical School 2018 Researcher of the Year Award, UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney, 2018.

Fellow of ASCEPT (Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists) 2022

Prizes

Distinguished Mentor Award, International Association of Inflammation Societies (IAIS), 2005.
ASCEPT Lecture & Plaque, ASCEPT, 2006.
DIA Outstanding Service Award, Drug Information Association (DIA), 2008.
John Sands Medal (“Recognition of outstanding contribution…to College affairs”), The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), 2008.
AMA Distinguished Service Award, Australian Medical Association (AMA), 2009.

My Research Activities

Research Interests:
Rheumatic disorders and diabetes are prevalent chronic illnesses that demand high quality pharmacotherapy. We are researching powerful techniques for individualising pharmacotherapy using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models. Our aim is safe yet effective therapy. Allopurinol used in gout and metformin used in diabetes in patients with kidney, liver or heart failure are currently being studied. We are using therapeutics drug monitoring to optimise outcomes in patients treated with antibiotics and antifungal drugs and those treated with immunosuppressants (transplantation patients) and immunological disorders. We are examining genetic factors that predict serious adverse drug reactions and also explain variation in response to medicines, especially transporter molecules and their controlling genes. The effects of electronic medication management and decision support tools in a teaching hospital on the rate of adverse events occurring is a new and exciting research interest.

Broad Research Areas:
Pharmacology, Preventive Medicine, Arthritis / Rheumatology, Diabetes, Anti-infectives, Dosage Prediction, Electronic Medication Management, Decision Support.

Specific Research Keywords:
Drug Safety, Clinical Pharmacology, Rheumatology, Gout, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Anti-infectives, Decision Support, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring.

Research Study:
Gout Self-Management App: mygoutapp.com -large prospective, 1 year, Double Blind RCT with over 500 patients from across Australia; Data-locked - numerous sub-studies available to examine outcome, features of Apps that influence adherence

Gout Medication Adherence studies

SGLT2i uptake in collaboration with Profs Jerry Greenfield & Sallie Pearson

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Studies across transplantation, infectious diseases, endocrinology

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

Areas of supervision

Students: Honours, ILP, MSc, PhD, Post Doctoral Students

Some Areas of Research Supervision include:

Clinical Pharmacokinetics - Optimisation of drug dosage - e.g. Allopurinol & Febuxostat (gout), Metformin (antidiabetic), Anti-infectives e.g. Gentamicin & Vancomycin (antibiotics) and Voriconazole (antifungal)
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) to personalise doses for safety and efficacy: How to operationalise TDM in health services
Pharmacogenomics
Decision support – Can we help doctors make better prescribing decisions?
Can outcomes for gout sufferers be improved with eHealth?
Effect of Paracetamol on myeloperoxidase
A critical look at drug development  - clinical trials, research ethics, cost-effectiveness, uptake of new medicines

Currently supervising

2018 Projects

Optimisation of metformin therapy by personalising dosage based on individuals' relevant characteristics
Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Metformin in Heart Failure
Determining the overall cost of healthcare to Australian gout patients
Vancomycin - Implementation of an electronic monitoring program
Development and evaluation of educational resources for vancomycin
A Time and Motion Study of Phlebotomists' work
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) of voriconazole
Evaluation of Drug-Drug Interaction Alerts in Electronic Systems
Treat-to-target investigations of febuxostat in gouty and hyperuricaemic patients including those with renal and hepatic impairment as well as in patients intolerant of allopurinol

My Engagement

Society Memberships & Professional Activities:
Fellow Royal Australian College of Physicians, Past Chair Federal PHARM Committee (Pharmaceutical Health and Rational Use of Medicines Committee) , Member of Australian Rheumatology Association and Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (Past President), Practising Clinical Pharmacologist & Rheumatologist at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney and St Vincent's Medical Centre, Darlinghurst, Director of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, St Vincent's Hospital, President Drug Information Association 2010/11 (http://www.diahome.org/DIAHome/Home.aspx)

Community Engagement

Opinion

1. Day, R. O.; Graham, G. G. Curious Kids: How does pain medicine work in the body? 2018; Available from The Conversation

2. Danta, M.; Ma, C.; Day, R.; Ma, D. Dealing with the spiraling price of medicines: how “low” can it go? 2018; Available from John Menadue – Pearls and Irritations

3. Day, R.; McLachlan, A. I can’t sleep. What drugs can I (safely) take? 2018; Available from The Conversation

4. Day, R. Pharmacy Guild Out Muscles Government Again. 7th May 2019. Available from John Menadue – Pearls and Irritations

5. Day, R.; McLachlan, A. Health check: why do we get motion sickness and what’s the best way to treat it? 7th May 2019. Available from The Conversation

6. Day, R. While talking about medicines during the election campaign, here are some critical questions…. [Opinion] 10th May 2019; Available from Croakey

DIA Global Forum

1. Day, R. Changing Times Down Under. DIA Global Forum. 2016;8(1):31.

2. Day, R. Eradicating Hepatitis C in Australia; “Choosing Wisely” to Spend Wisely. DIA Global Forum. 2016;8(2):19.

3. Day, R. Policy, Practice, Evidence & Future Trends: 8th National Medicines Symposium. DIA Global Forum. 2016;8(3):49.

4. Day, R. TGA Head: Australia Moves to Improve Medicines Labeling & Nomenclature. DIA Global Forum. 2016;8(5):18.

5. Day, R. Accelerated Reviews and Adaptive Licensing are Coming to Australia. DIA Global Forum. 2016;8(6):54.

6. Day, R. What Price for Medicines in Australia? DIA Global Forum. 2017;9(1):27.

7. Day, R. PBAC CHAIR: Listening to Patients, Assessing Technology, Weighing Expedited and Conditional Approvals. DIA Global Forum. 2017;9(3):22.

8. Day, R. Priority Review and Provisional Approval: More Work and More Challenges for Government as Payer. DIA Global Forum. 2017;9(5):16-7.

9. Day, R. Medicinal Cannabis Prospects in Australia. DIA Global Forum. 2017;9(7):16-7.

10. Day, R. New ACTA’s Unexpectedly Positive Global Impact. DIA Global Forum. February 2018.

11. Day, R. Delivering ‘Quality Use of Medicines’ to Australia: NPS MedicineWise celebrates 20 years and large healthcare budget savings. DIA Global Forrum. May 2018.

12. Day, R. Down Under, Changes at the Top: Perspective on the Fast-Tracking of Drug Approvals. DIA Global Forum. October 2018.

13. Day, R. Medicines Shortages Down Under. DIA Global Forum. January 2019.

14. Day, R. A National, Personally Controlled Health Record. Australia Getting Privacy Right? DIA Global Forum. February 2019.

15. Day, R. Change of Government and a Health Reform Commission for Australia? DIA Global Forum. May 2019.

Radio

1. Prof Ric Day speaks about Gout and the Gout App Study on SBS Hmong. Listen here.

Podcast

1. Joint Action: What anti-inflammatory should I take for my osteoarthritis? with Ric Day. Listen here.

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Location

Medicine & Health

St Vincent's Clinical School,
UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney

Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
Therapeutics Centre, Level 2 Xavier Building
St Vincent's Hospital Sydney
Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Map reference (Google map)