The FIP Technology Advisory Group provides expertise and advice to FIP on health technology matters, by bringing together health technology experts from within FIP membership to exchange views on current activities (problem areas, best practice, emerging trends and technologies, etc.), establish new contacts, and work together on joint projects that add value and are aligned with the FIP Strategic Plan.
Members
The advisory group is co-chaired by Mr Lars-Ake Söderlund (Sweden) and Mr Robert Moss (Netherlands) (Bureau liaison).
The members of the groups include:
- Dr Carl Schneider (Australia)
- Dr Claudia Rijcken (Netherlands)
- Ms Charlotte Rossing (Denmark)
- Dr Ardalan Mirzaei (Australia)
- Prof. Aukje Matel-Teeuwisse (Netherlands)
- Dr Whitley Yi (USA)
- Mr Paul Fahey (Ireland)
- Mr Dan Burns (Ireland)
- Mr Donnacha Fitzgerald (Germany)
- Ms Froukje Harkes-Idzinga (Netherlands)
- Ms Laia Matarrranz Torres (Spain)
- Dr Pauline siew mei Lai (Malaysia)
- Ms Ezinne Victoria Chinemerem Onwuekwe (Canada)
- Dr Fereshteh Shokri (Netherlands)
- Dr Joel Fossouo Tagne (Australia)
- Mr Takunda Mukumba (Zimbabwe)
- Dr Sherly Meilianti (UK)
- Dr Heba Mohamed (United Arab Emirates)
- Dr Khanita Duangchaemkarn (Thailand)
The FIP Technology Advisory Group is made up of people with expertise and/or interest in areas related to its scope. It is expected that every member of the FIP Technology Advisory Group should be an individual member of FIP to serve on the Advisory Group. Would you like to join the group? Find more information about FIP membership and further member benefits here.
TAG has established two internal working groups: one on Data (led by Mr. Paul Fahey) and one on Artificial Intelligence (led by Dr. Whitney Yi). Find more information on FIP’s work on AI here.
Digital Events
TAG co-delivers regular Digital Events to upskill and inform pharmacists on technology trends. For example, a specific FIP Digital Event dedicated to Digital therapeutics and wearables assessed digital therapies (e.g. apps treating chronic conditions) and wearable health tech, ensuring pharmacists are prepared to counsel patients on their use (as seen in the 2023 TAG session on digital therapeutics in diabetes).
Upcoming TAG Digital Events can be found here.
FIP Congress in Montreal 2026
At the 84th FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2026 in Montreal, Canada (30 August to 2 September 2026), the FIP Technology Advisory Group (TAG) will be leading dedicated sessions focused on digital health and technology in pharmacy. Beyond the dedicated TAG Digital Health Summit, digital health and technology are key themes throughout the FIP world congress 2026. The overall congress theme, “One Health, One Pharmacy – Bridging science, practice, and education,” is supported by several subthemes, such as Integrated health, Innovating with purpose and Collaborating for equity, that will highlight the role of technology in advancing pharmacy practice. (Note: The detailed programme with individual talk titles and speaker names will be released by FIP in April 2026, so stay tuned to official FIP channels for updates.)
FIP online courses for practitioners and educators
- 2023 – Online Course for Practitioners and Educators (2023): FIP rolled out an updated Digital Health in Pharmacy online course for practitioners and educators (2023). The course (an iteration improved via participant feedback) covers digital health tools, challenges in practice, and methods for integrating digital health into pharmacy curricula. Participants receive certification and can complete advanced modules focused on embedding digital health into education.
- 2022 - “Train the Trainer” Course on Digital Health to create “change-makers” in pharmacy education to teach digital health and was developed based on the findings of the 2021 education report
Working Groups on Data and AI – TAG has established two internal working groups: one on Data (led by Mr. Paul Fahey) and one on Artificial Intelligence (led by Dr. Whitney Yi). These sub-groups dive deeper into their respective domains to develop specialised outputs. For example, the Data group may produce guidelines on data management or metrics for FIP’s Global Development Goals, while the AI group is exploring the development of an FIP guidance or position on the use of AI in pharmacy practice and education. These working groups engage additional experts (including from outside pharmacy as needed) and will report back with recommendations and tools for FIP members.
The FIP TAG has produced several resources to inform pharmacists on technology trends:
- 2023 - Advancements in digital pharmacy post COVID-19: Report: An FIP report detailing post-pandemic digital innovations in pharmacy practice and their impact.
- 2023 – How can digital health interventions support national pharmaceutical care delivery? Report from a roundtable hosted by FIP 2023: with best practices, challenges, and recommendations for implementing digital health in pharmacy across regions.
- 2021 - Online pharmacy operations and distribution of medicines: A comprehensive survey of 79 countries by FIP’s Community Pharmacy Section (with TAG input) on the state of online pharmacies, including regulatory gaps and patient safety issues
- 2021 - FIP digital health in pharmacy education. Developing a digitally enabled pharmaceutical workforce: A global report examining pharmacy education in digital health, outlining the competencies needed in curricula and recommending strategies to develop a digitally savvy workforce
- 2021 FIP Statement of Policy – Digital Health: An official policy statement adopted by FIP Council, defining the role of digital health in pharmacy and calling for action to integrate digital tools in practice and health systems
- 2021 - FIP Position Statement on emerging technologies and pharmacy practice: A statement articulating FIP’s stance on the adoption of emerging technologies in pharmacy, encouraging the profession to embrace digital evolution while safeguarding patient care
- 2019 - mHealth: Use of mobile health technologies in pharmacy practice: An FIP publication reviewing mobile health applications in pharmacy, which TAG now uses as a reference for mobile technology initiatives
- FIP Development Goal 20 (Digital health): Part of FIP’s global development goals framework, this goal (supported by TAG activities) provides targets for advancing digital health in pharmacy, including improving digital education and expanding e-health services
Contact: Please contact Ms Paula Cohen for more information about the Advisory Group at paula@fip.org.