Menu
  • Join
  • Login
  • Contact
Press Releases 

Pharmacists' potential for closing the gender gap in pain management probed by FIP members

All press releases

The Hague • 27 January 2023

Existence of a gender gap in pain management and the potential for pharmacists to close this gap is highlighted by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in a report of a meeting of an international insight board published today.

The insight board, assembled by FIP in Seville, Spain, in September 2022, was co-chaired by FIP vice president Professor Parisa Aslani. “Research indicates that pain experienced by women is underestimated and undertreated. Alarmingly, in addition to receiving less effective pain relief, evidence suggests that women with pain are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants,” Prof. Aslani said.

The insight board attributed much of this “gender pain gap” to implicit biases and put forward the view that pharmacy curricula and continuous professional development programmes must be able to provide adequate self-awareness and training to enable pain management without any bias. It also suggested ways in which pharmacists could be supported in addressing the gender pain gap in their practice.

“The insights in this report — ‘The role of pharmacists in closing the gender pain gap’ — will be used by FIP to develop resources for pharmacists to support evidence-based decision making and appropriate patient-centred care in pain management,” Prof. Aslani added.

Notes for editors
A FIP Insight Board is an invitation-only meeting of experts and representatives of FIP member organisations to discuss a specific topic and collect country-level insights and best practices on that topic. FIP Insight Board reports may be used to inform FIP policy and plans.

ABOUT FIP
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Through our 153 member organisations, we represent over four million practitioners and scientists around the world. Our vision is a world where everyone benefits from access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and pharmaceutical care. www.fip.org

Press contact
Lin-Nam Wang, Head of Corporate Communications & Advocacy
International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
Email linnam@fip.org
Tel +31 70 302 1987

Last update 5 July 2018

FIP Congresses