The recipient of the Health Promotion Campaign Award is the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP, Netherlands) with its project “Running out is not an option.” The award was announced today at the opening ceremony of the 83rd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, being held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Through this campaign, the KNMP aimed to highlight the pharmacist’s vital role in managing medicine shortages. When a medicine is temporarily unavailable, pharmacists explore all possible avenues to ensure patients receive their treatment — from consulting with fellow pharmacists and doctors, to importing or compounding medicines. The goal was to make it clear that pharmacists are not part of the problem but are working to find the best possible solution for patients to continue their treatment safely. Since its launch in January 2025, more than half of the Dutch population aged 25 years or older has been reached by the campaign via radio, online channels and streaming services.

“Winning this award underscores our ambition to strengthen the position of pharmacists as medication specialists in the Netherlands. It is an honour to see that our campaign 'Running out is not an option' is also being recognised internationally,” said Dr Aris Prins, KNMP chair.

Utrecht University granted the Pharmaceutical Education Organisational Award

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Utrecht University, in collaboration with KNMP, has received the FIP Pharmaceutical Education Organisational Award 2025 for its project: “Evidence-based curricular revision of a postgraduate community pharmacist specialisation programme.”

This award recognises the development of a revised curriculum that strengthens the link between education and professional practice. Grounded in competency-based education, the programme integrates the CanMEDS framework and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), while fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness in line with self-determination theory. The initiative has significantly advanced postgraduate pharmaceutical education in the Netherlands and has attracted interest from both the pharmacy profession and policymakers.

“Over the past three years, we have collaboratively redesigned the postgraduate specialisation programme for community pharmacists, drawing on insights from my PhD research in workplace-based training and assessment at Utrecht University. By embedding competency-based principles and self-determination theory, the new curriculum better equips community pharmacists for the evolving demands of practice,” said Marnix Westein, Programme Coordinator, Charlotte Jacobs Institute, KNMP.

André Bédat Award presented to Eeva Teräsalmi

Eeva Teräsalmi was awarded today the André Bédat Award for her influence on health and pharmacy policy at national and international levels. Her work has produced key reference documents on Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) and Green Pharmacy, and she has been a strong advocate for adopting technology to enhance pharmaceutical practice.

Ms Teräsalmi has served as a board member of the Finnish Association of Pharmacists, on the World Health Organization EuroPharm Forum, and as chair of the Centre for Lifelong Learning in Pharmacy. She has held several senior roles at FIP, including vice president from 2012 to 2019. Currently, she serves as an external expert on Helsinki University Pharmacy Faculty’s Generation Green working groups and as the Pharmabridge coordinator and a director of the FIP Foundation.

“FIP is doing very important work to develop the pharmacy profession and I am happy that I have had the possibility to serve the organisation for more than 30 years. I really appreciate this award and I think that it belongs to all those enthusiastic colleagues I have had the possiblity to work with and learn from. Thank you!” said Ms Teräsalmi.

Ms Teräsalmi will be giving a lecture titled “Managing change in pharmacy profession and in the implementation of professional services,” on the 3rd of September at 13:00 CEST during the congress.

Fifteen other pharmacy professionals recognised for excellence
The FIP 2025 award ceremony, held at the opening of the 83rd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Copenhagen, Denmark, saw 15 other pharmacy professionals from 12 countries receive global awards as follows:

• FIP Distinguished Service Award
Prof Claire Anderson (UK)
• FIP Distinguished Pharmaceutical Sciences Award (mid-career science award)
Dr Ranjita Shegokar (Germany)
• FIP Early Career in Pharmaceutical Education Recognition Award (early career education award)
Dr Parveen Devanandan (India)

• FIP Fellowships
Dr Nadia Al Mazroui (UAE)
Dr Filipa Alves da Costa (Portugal)
Dr Astrid Czock (Switzerland)
Dr Luna El Bizri (Lebanon)
Dr Victoria Garcia Cardenas (Spain)
Mr Sherif Guorgui (Canada)
Dr Amy Kruger Howard (USA)
Prof Lisa Nissen (Australia)
Dr Virginia Olmos (Uruguay)
Dr Mohamad Rahal (Lebanon)
Dr Magaly Rodriquez de Bittner (USA)
Ms Yulia Trisna (Indonesia)
Notes for editors

IMAGES will be available after the opening ceremony on Sunday 1 September at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fipcongress/albums

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 157 member organisations, it represents over four million practitioners and scientists around the world. www.fip.org

FIP believes it is of utmost importance to support and recognise individuals who, through their vision and commitment to their profession, are making outstanding contributions to pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences, serving as examples for others. Each year it honours those who have demonstrated commendable work and dedication in areas which parallel its overall mission of advancing pharmacy practice, science and education for the betterment of global health.

About the Health Promotion Campaign Award This award recognises a health promotion campaign developed and run by an FIP member organisation (or one of its chapters). The award is presented each year.

About the Pharmaceutical Education Organisational Award (AIM) This award recognises an educational programme or innovation that promotes excellence in learning and teaching in any discipline of pharmacy. The award is presented every two years.

About the André Bédat Award The purpose of the award is to recognise an exceptional pharmacist who has made significant contributions to pharmacy at an international level. The award is conferred every three years in honour of André Bédat, FIP President from 1978 to 1986, for his services rendered to international pharmacy.

About the FIP Distinguished Service Award The purpose is to recognise individual FIP members who have rendered distinguished service to FIP at a regional or global level.

About the Distinguished Pharmaceutical Sciences Award The purpose is to recognise an outstanding research-active mid-career scientist who has made significant contributions to the diverse field of pharmaceutical sciences.

About the FIP Early Career in Pharmaceutical Education Recognition Award The purpose of the award is to recognise an outstanding early career individual who has made important contributions to their field of pharmaceutical education at a national level, and who is emerging internationally.

About FIP Fellowships: An FIP Fellowship recognises individual members of FIP who have exhibited strong leadership internationally, who have distinguished themselves in pharmacy practice or the pharmaceutical sciences, who have contributed to the advancement of the practice of pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences, and who have served FIP. FIP Fellows may use the designation “FFIP”.

About the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences FIP’s 83rd annual World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is being held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 31 August to 3 September under the theme “Pharmacy forward: Performance, Collaboration, and Health Transformation”.

PRESS CONTACT
Ms Laila Ghorab
Communications Manager
International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
Email laila@fip.org