The FIP Technology Advisory Group brings together experts from within FIP membership to exchange views on current activities, problem areas, best practices, and more, in technology. It also serves as a networking platform for finding new contacts among fellow pharmacists and allows members to work together on joint projects that bring added value and are aligned with FIP’s Strategic Plan.  

The group is led by the co-chairs, Mr Lars-Åke Söderlund from Sweden and Mr Jaime Acosta-Gómez from Spain. It meets bi-monthly. 

Its objectives are to:

• Outline trends in technology and their effects on pharmacists in different settings
• Explore global initiatives in technology and opportunities for pharmacists’ involvement
• Provide expertise and advice on technology in order to inform FIP’s internal discussions (e.g., to appraise FIP’s strategic and policy recommendations) as well as FIP’s collaboration with partners, namely the World Health Organization in the area of technology
• Offer guidance for FIP members on technology (e.g. through a publication leading to a policy statement or a project focused on technology)
• Advise when special expertise is needed (e.g. technical consultation, request to edit a publication, etc.)

The Terms of Refernce of the group are here.

Current discussions in the FIP Technology Advisory Group encompass various trends in digital health and education, use of technology in pharmacy, disruptors in pharmacy practice (“Amazonification”, telepharmacy, telehealth, mobile health, etc.). The group is co-delivering webinars dedicated to these topics. Click here  to access recordings of past webinars and stay tuned for future ones here.

The group drafted a Statement of Policy on digital health that was adopted by the FIP Council in September 2021. Further resources supported by the group include:

• 2023 - Advancements in digital pharmacy post COVID-19: Report
• 2021 - Online pharmacy operations and distribution of medicines
• 2021 - FIP digital health in pharmacy education. Developing a digitally enabled pharmaceutical workforce
• 2021 - FIP Position Statement on emerging technologies and pharmacy practice
• 2019 - mHealth: Use of mobile health technologies in pharmacy practice
• FIP Development Goal 20 (Digital health) 

The FIP Technology Advisory Group is made up of FIP members with expertise and/or interest in areas related to its scope. A call for expressions of interest to join the group will be sent out to all FIP members and member organisations in January 2024, 2025 and 2026.