The Hague • 25 November 2024
“Brief interventions for tobacco cessation: A toolkit for pharmacists” is published by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) today. Pharmacy-led tobacco cessation interventions refer to pharmacists assisting patients who want to quit tobacco use. These can range from brief advice to more intensive services, depending on the needs and preferences of the patient.
“FIP has supported the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control since its adoption by member states in 2003. More recently, we published a joint WHO-FIP statement on the role of pharmacists in tobacco cessation, which calls for pharmacists to adopt a sustainable approach to tobacco cessation and nicotine dependence. FIP has provided several resources on the topic of tobacco cessation, but this new publication focuses on clear and practical guidance for pharmacists on how to support individuals in their efforts to quit tobacco. Recognising the time-constraints on modern healthcare settings, the toolkit emphasises the need to provide brief, yet impactful interventions to support patients on their tobacco cessation journey,” said Dr Inês Nunes da Cunha, FIP Practice Development and Transformation Projects Manager, and author of the publication. “60% of tobacco users want to quit,1 but around 70% of them have no access to comprehensive tobacco cessation services,”2 she added.
Brief interventions are recognised by the WHO as one of the effective measures to help people quit tobacco use.3 The toolkit describes intervention (advice) models for “very brief advice”, for people who are ready to quit tobacco use (the 5As model), and for those who are not ready to quit (the 5Rs model). “These are the latest evidence-based practices and techniques that pharmacists can use to help people break their addiction. Pharmacists are encouraged to integrate tobacco cessation brief interventions into their routine practice, ensuring that tobacco cessation services are part of broader healthcare efforts to combat non-communicable diseases. By equipping pharmacists with the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective tobacco brief interventions, this toolkit serves as a vital resource for improving the health and well-being of communities worldwide, and for alleviating the burden of tobacco-related diseases on healthcare systems,” Dr Nunes da Cunha said.
References
1. World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2019: Offer help to quit tobacco use. 2019. [accessed 15 October 2024]. Available at: www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516204.
2. World Health Organization. WHO clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults. 2024. [accessed 15 October 2024]. Available at: www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240096431.
3. WHO Regional Office for Europe. Integrated brief interventions for noncommunicable disease risk factors in primary care: the manual. BRIEF project. 2022. [accessed 15 October 2024]. Available at: www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289058551.
Notes for editors
About FIP The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and pharmacy educators, and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Through its 158 member organisations, it represents over four million practitioners and scientists around the world. www.fip.org
PRESS CONTACT
Ms Lin-Nam Wang
Head of Communications and Advocacy
International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
Email linnam@fip.org