It is with great sadness that we have received the notification that Ruud Dessing, ESCP President 1994-1996, passed away at the age of 78. He was suffering from lung fibrosis. 

Ruud Dessing was involved in ESCP form the beginning, in the seventies. He stood at the basis of pharmaceutical patient care, and was always active in ethics and philosophy. Ruud Dessing was a pioneer in incorporating ethics and philosophy in pharmaceutical care. He was honoured Fellow of ESCP in 2011.

Ruud Dessing was a very inspiring and amiable person.

Ruud studied chemistry and pharmacy at Leiden University, where he obtained his PhD in 1974. Besides his work as a community pharmacist in Noordwijk, he was director of Amsterdam medical press and published several books on medication use. Ruud Dessing was, together with Niels Muller, editor of the ESCP European Drug Index (EDI: extended information for practitioners confronted with the enormous number of drug names available on the European market, in times before internet a widely used encyclopedia in the last decades of the 20th century). He also was the first pharmacist in The Netherlands who handled the refill requests of patients in the GP practices in Noordwijk and discussed their medication adherence and the (side) effects of their drug use. Patient care took a prominent place in his career as a pharmacist. Ruud Dessing moderated a few times a workshop in philosophy and ethics in pharmacy practice at ESCP Symposia.

Ruud was very present at ESCP events and always had friends around him, not just to drink a beer or a glass of wine, to joke and gag, but, especially when time advanced, to philosophize and bring new ideas as how to bring patient care in pharmacy to a higher level of understanding. Those who know him will miss him.

As the family wrote in their death announcement:

“With loving memories and deep sadness we say goodbye to Ruud, my husband, with a tireless entrepreneurial spirit, our proud father, father-in-law and grandfather, who lived life to the fullest. As a highly learned and astute thinker, he had a great preference for science and philosophy. He enjoyed life in his own unique way and left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. His zest for life, warmth and strength will always live in us.” The funeral has taken place in a private setting. We extend our condolences to his wife and (grand)children and wish them much strength in coping with the loss of this inspiring man.

22 November 2024