Advisory Board

Omar AIMER, PharmD, PhD, QPDS, FISoP

Omar Aimer is a pharmacologist based in Montreal, Canada, with a strong commitment to pharmacovigilance and drug safety. He currently serves as President of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP) for the 2025–2028 term and is also the Founder of InnoVigilance.
Omar has previously held positions at the Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers in France and the LNCPP (now ANPP: Algerian Medicines Agency) in Algeria. He has served as a lecturer at the Universities of Algiers, Oran, Versailles, and Essen, and has held various roles within the pharmaceutical industry across Europe and Canada.
He holds a Degree in Pharmacy and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Algiers, a Master’s in Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety from Paris Descartes University (France), and a Certification in Global Health, with a focus on safety and quality, from Harvard University.
Omar has presented at numerous scientific forums and authored peer-reviewed publications, with particular interests in emerging technologies, medical device safety, and the advancement of pharmacovigilance practices worldwide.

Francesco Salvo is Full Professor of Pharmacology at the Medicine School of the University of Bordeaux.

It’s been around 20 years he’s working in drug safety, first at the Sicilian centre of Pharmacovigilance in Messina, Italy, then the nationwide Italian network of regional PV centres, and in the signal detection group of the Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA).

In 2008 he moved to Bordeaux where he has been involved in pharmacoepidemiology research projects funded by European Commission.

From 2014 to October 2020, he assessed safety of clinical trial sponsored by the Bordeaux University Hospital, and he was involved in real-life safety studies conducted by the French platform “Drugs-Safe”, supported by the French Medicine Agency (ANSM).

In 2017, he started the coordination of the European Programme of Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology (Eu2P), and since 2021 he leads the Bordeaux Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre.

Dr. Felipe Villalobos
Senior Researcher, IDIAP Jordi Gol | Co-Coordinator, ISoP European Chapter

Dr. Felipe Villalobos is a medical doctor and senior researcher with dual Mexican and Spanish nationality, specializing in pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology, and health data science. At IDIAP Jordi Gol in Barcelona, he leads international vaccine safety studies, coordinates multidisciplinary teams, and drives innovative research using real-world data. He also oversees the Centres de Salut Integral de Referència (CSIR) Project, advancing integrated, high-quality primary care reform in Catalonia.

Beyond his research, Dr. Villalobos lectures at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and collaborates with regulators, healthcare providers, and patient organizations to strengthen global pharmacovigilance capacity. He co-coordinates the ISoP European Chapter and the Data Expert and Access Partners (DEAPs) Working Group at VAC4EU, and has served on the European Health Parliament’s Well-being for Health Care Workers Committee.

Passionate about innovation, inclusion, and mentorship, Dr. Villalobos advocates for a globally connected and equitable pharmacovigilance community that leverages data science to improve patient safety worldwide.

Ms. Comfort Ogar
Senior Manager, Pharmacovigilance – United States Pharmacopeia (USP) | President, ISoP Africa Chapter

Ms. Comfort Ogar is a pharmacist and global health professional with over 20 years of experience in pharmacovigilance and patient safety. She currently serves as Senior Manager for Pharmacovigilance at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), where she leads global initiatives to strengthen pharmacovigilance and regulatory systems.

Prior to joining USP, she worked for over 16 years at Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), where she played a key role in establishing and developing the national pharmacovigilance system. Ms. Ogar has also served as a technical expert for the World Health Organization and other international partners, supporting pharmacovigilance system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries and advising on the safe introduction of new drugs and vaccines in public health programmes.

She is currently a member of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) and President of the ISoP Africa Chapter, where she provides strategic leadership to advance pharmacovigilance across the continent. An ISoP Fellow and advocate for patient safety, Ms. Ogar holds degrees in Pharmacy, International Public Health, and Global Health Delivery, and is pursuing a PhD in Global Health.

Dr. Salvatore Crisafulli
Pharmacologist & Researcher | Treasurer, ISoP Italian Chapter | University of Verona

Dr. Salvatore Crisafulli is a pharmacist, clinical pharmacologist, and researcher specializing in pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology, and real-world data analysis. He holds a PhD in Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences and multiple postgraduate degrees from the University of Messina and the University of Verona, all awarded cum laude.

Dr. Crisafulli’s research focuses on real-world studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medicines, particularly in rare diseases and orphan drugs. He serves as an adjunct professor of Pharmacology at the University of Verona and contributes to the coordination of activities for Frontiers in Drug Safety and Regulation.

As Treasurer of the ISoP Italian Chapter, Dr. Crisafulli has been active in promoting scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange. He is also a core member of ISoP’s Special Interest Group on Real-World Evidence and Big Data, where he co-led the development of international position papers and methodological guidelines on disproportionality analyses and signal detection.

With a vision of pharmacovigilance as a bridge between science and public health, Dr. Crisafulli is dedicated to advancing evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education for the next generation of safety scientists.

Dr Brian Edwards, UK
BSc MB BS MRCS MD MRCP FISoP
Managing Director, Husoteria Ltd

Dr Brian Edwards has over 30 years of experience in pharmacovigilance, spanning regulatory authorities, industry, contract research, and consultancy. He began his career in hospital medicine before moving into clinical research at the University of Manchester and subsequently serving as Senior Medical Assessor at the UK Medicines Control Agency. His later roles included Senior Medical Director at Parexel International, Deputy Qualified Person for Pharmacovigilance at Johnson & Johnson, and Principal Consultant at NDA Regulatory Science Ltd. He currently leads Husoteria Ltd as Managing Director.

Dr Edwards has held numerous leadership roles within ISoP, including Vice-President, Treasurer, Executive Committee and Advisory Board Member, Chapter Coordinator, and Chair of several Scientific Committees. He co-chairs the ISoP Medication Errors Special Interest Group and chairs the Pharmaceutical Ergonomics & Human Factors Group within the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors.

His vision for pharmacovigilance focuses on integrating patient engagement, new technologies such as AI and pharmacogenomics, and environmental sustainability into safety systems, while maintaining human-centred design.

Dr. Tarek Hammad is a renowned expert in drug safety, benefit-risk assessment, and pharmacoepidemiology, with extensive experience across regulatory, industry, and academic settings. He currently serves as Vice President and Global Head of Medical Safety for Marketed Products, Plasma-Derived Therapies, and Medical Device Safety at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Hammad’s distinguished career spans leadership roles at major pharmaceutical companies including Sanofi and Merck, as well as a 13-year tenure at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he contributed to both pre-marketing and post-marketing safety evaluations. He has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his impact on the field, including the FDA Distinguished Service Award and the Frances Kelsey Excellence in Drug Safety Award. A sought-after speaker and active contributor to global pharmacovigilance and regulatory science initiatives, Dr. Hammad currently serves on the Advisory Board of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP) and was the Chair of the Industry Council of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE). He has also held several academic appointments in major universities and continues to advance the field through leadership, mentorship, and scientific collaboration. He has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and letters to the editor, offering influential insights that have shaped the science and practice of pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiology. Learn more about his background and experience at www.DrTarekHammad.com.

Dr Katarina Ilic (Serbia / USA)
MD, MSc, PhD, MPH, FISoP
Head of Drug Safety and Risk Management | Professor of Pharmacology

Dr Katarina Ilic is an accomplished pharmacovigilance and drug safety expert with more than two decades of experience spanning academia, regulatory affairs, consultancy, and the pharmaceutical industry. She has held senior leadership roles including Executive Head of Drug Safety and Risk Management at Celldex Therapeutics and Raptor Pharmaceuticals, and Senior Director of Pharmacovigilance and Risk Management at Exelixis. Her academic career includes serving as Professor and Head of Pharmacology at Trinity School of Medicine and Associate Professor at the University of Belgrade.

A Fellow of ISoP, Dr Ilic has been deeply involved in the Society’s activities as Scientific Board Member, Communications Lead, founder and coordinator of the South-Eastern European (SEE) Chapter, and Chair or speaker at numerous ISoP meetings. She is also Chair of the Global Health Community of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) and an active contributor to global health initiatives.

Dr Ilic’s vision for pharmacovigilance emphasizes global harmonization, patient-centred innovation, and proactive safety strategies that bridge science, education, and policy. She is committed to fostering collaboration across disciplines and regions to strengthen pharmacovigilance as a dynamic and inclusive field.

Dr Hadir Rostom (Egypt)
BPharm, Exec. Mgmt. (Harvard)
Lecturer, MSA University | WHO Consultant | Chair, ISoP Egypt Chapter

Dr Hadir Rostom is an international expert in pharmacovigilance with more than 24 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector, including 14 years dedicated to drug safety. She currently lectures at MSA University in Egypt and serves as a WHO Consultant for Regulatory System Strengthening, supporting national authorities worldwide in developing and enhancing pharmacovigilance systems in line with WHO benchmarks. As an independent pharmacovigilance consultant and lead auditor, she advises on global compliance and system optimization across the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr Rostom co-founded and led the Egyptian Pharmacovigilance Center and contributed to developing Good Pharmacovigilance Practice guidelines across Arab countries, as well as integrating PV education within academia in Egypt. She is a member of the WHO Advisory Committee on the Safety of Medicinal Products (ACSoMP), a member of the ISoP Scientific Board, Chair of the ISoP Egypt Chapter, and Co-chair of the ISoP 2025 Cairo Annual Meeting Scientific Committee.

Her vision for pharmacovigilance emphasizes proactive, data-informed safety systems supported by global collaboration, AI integration, and equitable regulatory harmonization, particularly in underserved regions.

Dr Maribel Salas (Mexico / USA)
MD, DSc, MSc, FACP, FISPE, FISoP
Executive Medical Director, Bayer Pharmaceuticals | Adjunct Scholar, University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University

Dr Maribel Salas is a global leader in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacovigilance with over 20 years of experience spanning academia, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. She currently serves as Executive Medical Director and Global Safety Therapeutic Area Head in Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals Inc., and as Adjunct Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University. Her prior roles include Head of Global Epidemiology at Daiichi Sankyo and Regional Medical Director at AstraZeneca.

An accomplished researcher and educator, Dr Salas has held faculty positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Veterans Administration Hospital (USA), and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She has mentored students worldwide and serves as Associate Editor of Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.

Within ISoP, Dr Salas has served as Advisory Board Member, Scientific Committee Chair (Montreal Annual Meeting), and Coordinator of Special Interest Groups. She has also held leadership positions in ISPE, ISPOR, and several U.S. government advisory committees.

Her vision for pharmacovigilance is for ISoP to lead globally as an unbiased scientific forum advancing education, research, and collaboration to promote patient safety and the rational use of medicines worldwide.

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