Dr. Eriona Petro

[email protected]

Lecturer
Department of Pharmacy
Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences

Bio

Education

Publications

Dr. Eriona Petro is a Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy and Head of the Research Office at Western Balkans University. She holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation from Utrecht University, completed within the WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation.

Her academic and research expertise focuses on pharmaceutical policy, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmaceutical regulation, and health systems research, with particular emphasis on equitable access to essential and paediatric medicines, evidence-informed policymaking, and health systems strengthening. Her doctoral research delivered the first comprehensive national assessment of access to paediatric medicines in Albania, providing robust evidence to inform pharmaceutical policy and improve equitable access to child-appropriate medicines.

At Western Balkans University, Dr. Petro leads institutional research strategy, research governance, and research capacity development, while contributing to teaching across pharmacy and medicine programmes. She also serves as an External Quality Expert for the Accreditation Agency for Health and Social Care and is a Fellow of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).

Dr. Petro has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications in internationally recognised journals, including BMJ Open, PLOS Global Public Health, BMC Research Notes, and the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. Her research aims to generate evidence that informs pharmaceutical policy, strengthens health systems, and advances equitable access to medicines at both national and international levels.

01/2023 – 06/2026: PhD in Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
08/2022 – 08/2023: Fellowship Programme in Health Care Quality, International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua)
04/2017 – 05/2018: Qualification Programme in Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania
10/2007 – 07/2012: Master of Science (MSc) in Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tirana, Albania

- Petro E, Perumal-Pillay V, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Evaluation of alignment of the reimbursement medicines list for children in Albania with the WHO essential medicines list for children.
Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. 2024;17(1).
https://doi.org/10.1080/20523211.2023.2290100
- Petro E, Joosse IR, Siebers ACM, Martopullo T, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Time and cost involved in measuring access to medicines: the case of Albania.
BMC Research Notes. 2025;18:104.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07168-5
- Petro E, Martopullo T, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Challenges in pediatric medicine access in Albania: insights from community pharmacists.
Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. 2025;18(1).
https://doi.org/10.1080/20523211.2025.2521425
- Petro E, Hindi A.
We needed pharmacists in primary care – but did we get it right? Lessons from the UK, opportunities for Albania.
BMJ Global Health Blog. 4 September 2025.
https://blogs.bmj.com/bmjgh/2025/09/04/we-needed-pharmacists-in-primary-care-but-did-we-get-it-right-lessons-from-the-uk-opportunities-for-albania/
- Petro E, van den Ham HA, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, Martopullo H, Joosse IR, Suleman F (2026). Access to pediatric medicines in Albania: A qualitative study of family doctors’ perceptions. PLOS Global Public Health, 6(2): e0005861. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0005861
Preprints & Working Papers
- Petro E, Siebers ACM, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, Suleman F, van den Ham HA.
Availability and Affordability of Essential Medicines from the WHO Global Core List in Albania: A Cross-Sectional Survey Using the WHO/HAI Methodology.
Preprint, medRxiv, 2025 (under review).
https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.01.25332601

Conference Presentations
- Petro E, Martopullo T, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Pharmacists’ Perceptions of Access to Paediatric Medicines in Albania.
International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) – Pharmacy Practice Research Special Interest Group (PPR SIG) Virtual Meeting 2024. E-poster presentation (PPR24-047).
- Petro E, Martopullo T, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Pharmacists’ Perceptions of Access to Paediatric Medicines in Albania.
Combined University of KwaZulu-Natal, Utrecht University and Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice Symposium, 16–18 September 2024. Oral presentation (Speaker).
- Petro E, Perumal-Pillay V, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK, van den Ham HA, Suleman F.
Quantitative Evaluation of the Essential Medicines List for Children: The Albanian Case Study.
FIP Pharmacy Practice Research Summer Meeting, Granada, Spain, 3–4 July 2023. Oral presentation.
- Petro E, Sinani G, Huta K.
Physician Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Generic Drugs in Albania.
15th Annual European Pharma Congress – Discover and Explore the Future of Pharma, Frankfurt, Germany, 7–9 May 2018. Invited moderator and oral presentation.
- Petro E, Sinani G, Huta K.
Vaccines against Infectious Diseases: Evidence from Influenza and Measles Outbreaks in Albania.
5th National Conference of Medical Sciences, Tirana, Albania, 20–22 April 2018. Oral presentation.
- Petro E, Sinani G.
Enhancing Adherence to Paediatric Formulations.
5th International Public Health Conference – “Behavioral Determinants of Health and Disease in Countries of the European Region”, Albania, 9 May 2017. Oral presentation.
- Petro E, Huta K.
Implementation of Electronic Prescribing in Albania: Challenges and Benefits for the Healthcare System.
4th National Conference of Medical Sciences, Tirana, Albania, 21–23 April 2017. Oral presentation.
- Petro E, Huta K, Sinani G.
Flu Vaccination as the Best Strategy to Prevent Epidemics.
2nd International Pharmacy Conference, Prizren, Kosovo, 2–4 June 2017. Oral presentation.
- Sinani G, Petro E.
Self-medication with Antibiotics among University Students in Albania.
International Congress of Biomedical Sciences, Tirana, Albania, 1–3 May 2014. Poster presentation.
- Petro E, Sinani G.
Flu Vaccination: Assessment of Coverage and Public Beliefs.
International Congress of Biomedical Sciences, Tirana, Albania, 1–3 May 2014. Poster presentation.