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FIP Library

FIP makes it a priority to publish the latest developments in pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical sciences, related global news and prominent events. Our multi-media approach to keeping members, partners and peers informed of what is and will be affecting their area of practice or science is key to keeping information flowing through the FIP network.

The International Pharmacy Journal is the official journal of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and began in 1912 as the Bulletin de la Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique. Subscription is a benefit for all members of FIP. The IPJ is published electronically each month, with readership spanning over 150 countries and territories. More about the IPJ here.

2024 Raquel Martinez Garcia: Wherever medicines are, there must be a pharmacist

In September 2024, the FIP Council elected Raquel Martinez, from Spain, as a vice president of FIP. In this interview, she speaks to IPJ about her experiences in practice and as a representative of the profession in Spain, and goals for her term as a member of the FIP Bureau.

2024 There are key opportunities for pharmacy-led climate change action: Insights from COP29

By Rafa Al Khalifa, who represented FIP at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, (COP29), 11-22 November 2024.

2024 How the pharmacy profession can nurture sustainable development

Sustainability is FIP Development Goal 21. A plenary session at the 2024 FIP congress in Cape Town delved into the quest for sustainable and equitable access to medicines. Lin-Nam Wang reports.

2024 Innovations in tuberculosis

Innovative approaches to combat tuberculosis through artificial intelligence were discussed at FIP’s 82nd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Cape Town, South Africa. Vukona Vennesa Mahundla reports.

2024 Advancing practice and social responsibility

“Innovating for the future of health care” was the theme of the 2024 FIP congress. During the congress, FIP member organisations were invited to share their innovations at a set of sessions. Carwen Wynne Howells reports from a session featuring Advanced Pharmacy Australia and the General Pharmaceutical Council of Spain.

2024 Innovative pharmacy services can enhance access to health, minister says

Mmapaseka Steve Letsike (pictured above), South Africa’s Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and vice president of the South African Pharmacy Council, addressed participants at the final FIP congress Cape Town plenary session, “Innovation, sustainability and the future of health care”. Lin-Nam Wang reports.

2024 Making clinical trials and drug development more equitable

Carwen Wynne Howells reports from a FIP Cape Town congress session on developments in the field of clinical trials.

2024 Stronger pharmacist-patient relationships will support universal health coverage, experts say

The role of pharmacists in achieving universal health coverage through patient partnerships and the provision of accessible healthcare services was discussed at the fourth plenary of the 2024 FIP world congress. Laila Ghorab reports.

2024 The transformative role of AI in health care

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare and pharmacy by processing vast amounts of data to revolutionise diagnostics, treatments and patient care. While AI may help minimise diagnostic errors and tailor personalised treatment plans, ethical considerations, such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, must be addressed to ensure equitable AI-driven health care for all. Laila Ghorab reports from the third plenary session of the 2024 FIP world congress.

2024 Pharmacy can be a “driving force” for health equity, South African Health Minister says

Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health for South Africa, addressed participants at the first plenary session of the FIP congress in Cape Town earlier this month. The session was entitled “Equitable quality health care: A call to action for pharmacy”. Lin-Nam Wang reports.

2024 Tackling antimicrobial resistance in low-resource settings

Progress on the fight against antimicrobial resistance in underserved areas was discussed at FIP’s 82nd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sandrine Tanga reports.

2024 Strategies in the fight against substandard and falsified drugs

Substandard and falsified medical products pose a serious threat to patient and public well-being, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Perspectives from Nigeria and Zambia on substandard and falsified medicines and patient protection strategies were given at the 2024 FIP world congress in Cape Town, South Africa. Mookho Lerata reports.

2024 From microneedles to nanoantibiotics: Benefits of advanced drug delivery systems

A session at FIP’s 82nd World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences focused on some of the opportunities and challenges of developing patient-centred drug delivery systems. Candidah Nephawe reports

2024 Reimagining drug development and access to meet global health needs

While breakthroughs in medicine are crucial, ensuring these innovations are accessible and affordable to populations worldwide is equally important. The focus of a plenary session at the FIP world congress in Cape Town, South Africa, this month was innovative drug discovery and access. Laila Ghorab reports.

2024 Science presented in Cape Town: From new medicines to improvements for the environment

Over 700 posters were presented at the 2024 FIP world congress in Cape Town, South Africa, including from fields of pharmaceutical sciences such as drug delivery and manufacturing, new medicines, personalised and precision medicine, pharmacy practice research and regulatory sciences and quality. This article shares some of the research presented.

2024 Mia Sivén: Sustainable pharmacy — A new transdisciplinary field of research

Mia Sivén is the world’s first associate professor of sustainable pharmacy, taking up this post at the University of Helsinki, Finland, in May. In this interview, she gives her views on the actions needed, in pharmacy education and beyond, to support sustainable pharmacy practices.

2024 Leprosy: Public health and awareness

January 2024 saw the 70th anniversary of World Leprosy Day. The day was established by French philanthropist Raoul Follereau to create awareness about leprosy (renamed Hansen’s disease by Norwegian scientist Gerhard Henrick Armauer Hansen), address stigma, and advocate for equal treatment of those affected. Today, the campaign also aims to inform people that leprosy is a disease that is easily curable.1,4 In this article, Vaiyapuri Subramaniam discusses leprosy and public health challenges in its control and elimination.

2024 Sustainable pharmacy practice: Education, evidence and ethics

Different aspects of achieving sustainable health care were explored at a digital event organised by FIP’s Ethics Advisory Group last month. Laila Ghorab reports.

2024 An interview with ChatGPT

There has been enormous interest in the natural language processing (NLP) model called ChatGPT. The program generates gracefully written responses on any given topic. The advent of such chatbots have, however, also generated astonishment and worry about what this technology might bring. Many are wondering how AI and ChatGPT could be used in pharmacy. Lars-Åke Söderlund, FIP vice president & co-chair of the FIP Technology Advisory Group, and his fellow co-chair Jaime Acosta Gomez, secretary of the FIP Community Pharmacy Section interviewed ChatGPT itself to find out! We publish the unedited chat.

2024 How a pharmacy intervention programme supported ART adherence in the interior of Argentina

In this article, a group of pharmacists and infectious diseases physicians from Argentina describe how a pharmacy intervention programme (PIP) improved the lot of people living with HIV in the country’s interior provinces. They look at the impact of COVID-19 and go on to discuss the PIP in a world context.

2024 Rebecka Isaksson: Meeting the next generation’s needs

In September 2023, the FIP Council ratified the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences’ election of Rebecka Isaksson from Sweden as FIP’s new scientific secretary. In this interview, she shares her journey as a scientist, her accomplishments and her vision for the future of pharmaceutical sciences.

2023 Pharmacists don’t need to be experts on sustainability to help in climate change, says Olivier Bugnon Award winner
2023 Introducing a conscientious objection decision-making framework

A new framework for navigating conscientious objection in healthcare was discussed at FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Hung-Jui (Terry) Chen reports.

2023 Increased remuneration will ultimately benefit patients

Challenges and barriers to implement remuneration services were discussed at FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Zuhreh Ahmadi reports.

2023 How “honest” is my chatbot?

Carwen Wynne Howells reports from a FIP congress session in Brisbane exploring the development of artificial intelligence and its potential application in pharmacy practice.

2023 “Verspil geen pil”: Don’t waste a pill

During FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, a number of the federation’s member organisations shared developments related to sustainability and strengthening health systems in their countries. Carwen Wynne Howells reports.

2023 Building a sustainable future for health care: Pharmacists as influencers in public health

How can pharmacists demonstrate their public health roles as influencers within their scope of practice and self-care? A session at the FIP congress in Brisbane, Australia, titled “Pharmacists as influencers across public health” discussed pharmacists’ commitment to patient-centred care for a sustainable future through interprofessional collaboration and patient engagement. Session chair Vaiyapuri Subramaniam, together with the session speakers, report.

2023 How digital technologies are supporting access to medicines

Timothy Chen reports from a FIP congress session in Brisbane, Australia, on ensuring sustainable and transparent access to medicines and addressing shortages.

2023 Antimicrobial stewardship: Opportunities in many settings

Timothy Chen reports from a FIP congress session in Brisbane, Australia, that looked at strategies to increase antimicrobial stewardship.

2023 Machine learning and artificial intelligence in drug discovery and repurposing

Almost all major pharmaceutical companies are employing machine learning to assist in drug discovery and development, including prediction of new hits, binding affinities, solubility, stability and formulation. Machine learning algorithms are also assisting in the selection of existing medicines for the treatment of different diseases. A session at the FIP congress in Brisbane, Australia, provided an overview of the opportunities and possibilities that machine learning and artificial intelligence can impart in the drug discovery and development process, repurposing of medicines and evaluating the effectiveness of medicines. Prateek Jain reports

2023 Optimising mRNA therapies

A session at the FIP congress in Brisbane, Australia, took a look at the development of mRNA therapeutics for vaccines and its next step in cancer. Prateek Jain reports.

2023 Augmented rather than artificial intelligence — the metaverse as a tool to support community practice

Carwen Wynne Howells reports on a session during FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, about the new experience of community pharmacy through the metaverse.

2023 Paul Sinclair: Our challenge is to maintain our momentum

Community pharmacist Paul Sinclair took office as FIP president on 24 September. In this interview with the IPJ, he shares goals for his presidency and his views on the future of the profession.

2023 New FIP roadmap towards a sustainable future for pharmacy

Building a sustainable future was the subject of the first plenary session, which focused on strengthening health systems, at the 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brisbane, Australia. Graeme Smith reports.

2023 Can data intelligence help combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance?

Challenges, opportunities and sustainable solutions related to antimicrobial resistance were discussed at a plenary session during the 81st World Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brisbane, Australia. Graeme Smith reports.

2023 Is it time to consider a different model of education for pharmacy?

Michael J. Rouse was named as the first winner of the FIP Exceptional Award in Pharmaceutical Education at the 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brisbane, Australia. In his award lecture, he reflected on current models of pharmacy education and shared his views on the best model to ensure that all graduates achieve the competencies required to enter practice and provide services that meet the needs. Lin-Nam Wang reports.

2023 How Amazon is applying its ethos to the pharmacy experience

Amazon’s innovations in the pharmacy and prescription delivery space were presented during a plenary session on technology to strengthen health systems at FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Graeme Smith reports.

2023 How pharmacists can provide support in disasters and humanitarian crises

Pharmacists’ roles in disasters and humanitarian crises were described at a plenary session of the 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brisbane, Australia. Graeme Smith reports.

2023 Meaningful collaborations and partnerships are important for safety and quality

What is required to form realistic and successful collaborations in order to strengthen health systems was the topic of a plenary session at FIP’s 81st World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Graeme Smith reports.

2023 “Mentalisation” holds promise for improving patient-centredness and reducing stress, researchers say

“Mentalisation” is a psychoanalytical concept that emerged in the 1960s and was empirically tested in the 1980s. During FIP’s Pharmacy Practice Research Summer Meeting, organised by FIP’s Special Interest Group on Pharmacy Practice Research, in Granada, Spain, last month, research on its use to support patient-centred care was presented. Uijeong Jo reports.

2023 The Anthropocene epoch — what it means for pharmacy

By Lotte Stig Nørgaard, Janine M. Traulsen, both at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Department of Pharmacy Copenhagen, Denmark, and Charlotte Verner Rossing, Department of Research and Development, Danish College of Pharmacy Practice, Hillerød, Denmark.

2023 Pharmacy practice researchers explore concepts of integrated health systems

Healthcare systems are facing significant challenges, including increased demand after the COVID-19 pandemic, an ageing population and a rise in chronic diseases. To address these challenges, the concept of integrated health systems has emerged as a potential solution. According to the World Health Organization, this means “the organisation and management of health services [including pharmacy] so that people get the care they need, when they need it, in ways that are user-friendly, achieve the desired results and provide value for money”. From mapping the diverse terminology used to understanding the dimensions of quality within community pharmacy, findings by pharmaceutical researchers exploring integrated health care were presented at the Pharmacy Practice Research Summer Meeting in Granada, Spain, this month. Laila Ghorab reports.

2023 How to set your patients up for success in the transition from paediatric to adult care

Shifting from paediatric to adult care can be a critical period for patients and their families, affecting treatment outcomes. Primary barriers and core elements related to this transition were presented at a webinar organised by FIP’s Hospital Pharmacy Section this month. Laila Ghorab reports.

2023 War, economic collapse, disease and lack of medicines — The challenges faced by pharmacists in Yemen

The civil war crisis in Yemen is a catastrophe. The past eight years have seen the collapse of the country’s health system and economy, attacks on health facilities and medicines production, increase of chronic diseases, including mental illness, and outbreaks of cholera. What is it like working as a pharmacist in such an environment? Mohamed Al-nuzili, president of FIP member organisation the Community Pharmacy Owner Syndicate, answers the IPJ’s questions.

2023 How pharmacists are moving beyond dispensing to strengthen Serbia’s health system

“Pharmacy strengthening health systems” is the theme of World Pharmacists Day on 25 September. In this article, Jelena Kostić Valčić explains how the potential of pharmacists in Serbia is being tapped in order to do just that.

2023 The emergence of drug-resistant dermatophyte infections: What role can pharmacists play?

As dermatophytes (ringworm-causing fungus) begin to show resistance to currently available antifungal drugs, Dallas Smith, Shawn Lockhart and Jeremy Gold, from the Mycotic Diseases Branch of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, propose a five-point plan that pharmacists can adopt to help combat resistance development.

2023 Efforts in the USA towards global harmonisation of generic medicines

Generic drugs are a practical solution to the problem of high prescription medicine costs. The US Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) has established an initiative to ensure that high-quality, affordable generic drugs are readily available to patients in the USA and beyond. At a webinar on harmonisation and global efforts for safe and effective generic drugs organised by FIP’s Industrial Pharmacy Section in March, the OGD’s mission and the key accomplishments of its initiative were highlighted. Laila Ghorab reports.

2023 Daragh Connolly: Momentum will remain if we advocate choice, access and international best practice

In September 2023, the FIP Council ratified the election of Daragh Connolly as chair of FIP’s Board of Pharmaceutical Practice. In this interview with IPJ, he shares his motivations, views on practice and thoughts on his new role in FIP.

2023 Opportunities presented by technology-enabled pharmacy

Technology is essential to pharmacy’s future. At FIP, the past five years have seen the establishment of a Technology Advisory Group. Among its objectives are to offer guidance for FIP members on technology. In this article, the group’s co-chairs Lars-Åke Söderlund and Jaime Acosta Gomez reflect on opportunities for pharmacy linked to technology-enabled innovations in healthcare.

2023 Remuneration for service sees pharmacists’ primary health care role recognised and expanded in Argentina.

Ricardo Pesenti, president of the Confederación Farmacéutica Argentina (COFA), describes the development of a remunerated pharmacy service for measuring and recording blood pressure, which recognises pharmacists’ role in primary health care and how the pharmacy network extends the national health system.

2023 Virginia Olmos: I aim to increase Latin American participation in FIP activities

In September 2022, Virginia Olmos was elected to the FIP Bureau as one of three new FIP vice presidents. In this interview, she tells us about her professional life in Uruguay and how it led her to become involved with FIP.

2023 Surgical pharmacy — A new specialty to expand pharmacists’ role in surgical patients’ care in China

Zheng Zhi-hua, vice president and general secretary of GuangDong Pharmaceutical Association, China, and Chen Zheng-yu, FIP China envoy, describe the development of surgical pharmacy as a new specialty whose practitioners can act as a bridge between surgeons and physicians.

2023 Marianne F. Ivey: Pharmacy has a great future

In September 2022, Marianne Ivey was elected to the FIP Bureau as one of three new FIP vice presidents. In this interview, she shares her perspectives on hospital pharmacy, leadership, mentorship and more.

2023 Military pharmacy may be niche, but its contributions to our profession and well-being cannot be denied

FIP has a section representing military and emergency pharmacy. But have you ever wondered how the specialty of military pharmacy evolved? Uroš Čakar, from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, provides a potted history.

2022 How effective and efficient self-care will result in increased healthcare cost savings

The Global Self-Care Federation Conference took place in Cape Town, South Africa in October to launch the latest Self Care Readiness Index and discuss ways of increasing the reach and importance of self-care globally. Sham Moodley and David Ridley report.

2022 Prosper Hiag: Bringing a different perspective to FIP

In September, Prosper Hiag, from Cameroon, was elected as one of three new FIP vice presidents, joining 11 other elected officers on the FIP Bureau. In this interview, he shares his views on a range of topics, including renewable energies, harnessing the medicinal promise of African plants, and the qualities of a leader.

2022 Sports pharmacy: A specialised position for pharmacists working with athletes

FIP teamed up with colleagues from the International Sports Pharmacists Network to publish a global overview of sports pharmacy practice and education, released this month. In this article, co-author Ashley Anderson invites fellow pharmacists to find out more about this field of practice.

2022 Are intellectual property rights justifiable in public health emergencies?

A 2022 FIP world congress session in Seville, Spain, explored the place of intellectual property rights in global health emergencies and alternative approaches that will reward innovators, yet facilitate medicines availability. Christopher John reports.

2022 Reach of community pharmacists redefined

Community pharmacies often operate independently of other healthcare providers and so may be overlooked or excluded during healthcare system integration processes. However, the call for integration of pharmacy within primary health care is supported by community pharmacies and is actively promulgated by organisations such as FIP, and there are now many examples of the value of inclusion driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nilhan Uzman reports.

2022 Strengthening social responsibility in pharmacy

Christopher John reports from a session at the 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences that planted seeds of behavioural change in attendees.

2022 Artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice — Current developments and trends

Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines in terms of the way humans act and think. A FIP congress session in Seville, Spain, examined current and future practices relating to technologies and artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical services. Farah Aqqad reports.

2022 Mental health challenges within pharmacy communities

Stress among pharmacists and pharmacists’ role in suicide prevention were discussed at FIP’s 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Joanna Callier reports.

2022 How digital health is changing care delivery and improving public health

The FIP Technology Forum brings together experts from within FIP membership to exchange views on current activities, problem areas and best practices in technology. The forum met during the FIP world congress in Seville, Spain. Aysu Selçuk and Nilhan Uzman report on the discussions.

2022 How COVID-19 impacted pharmacy education

Pharmacy education activities and training methods were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic and a FIP World congress session in Seville, Spain, focused on how educators can manage the needs of the future workforce and deliver high-quality pharmaceutical education in a pandemic. Alison Ubong Etukakpan reports.

2022 Safe handling, challenges and benefits of new and emerging therapies

A FIP congress session in Seville, Spain, discussed ways to combat the dangers of exposure to hazardous drugs and the challenges associated with nanomedicines. Rúben Viegas reports. 

2022 How pharmacists can help address misinformation associated with social media

Inês Nunes da Cunha reports from a 2022 FIP world congress session that examined ethical considerations for pharmacists using social media for public health and addressed inequities in pharmacy education due to COVID-19.

2022 Reinventing community pharmacy will help relieve health system pressures

Consolidation of the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system in the context of primary health care was the topic of a session at FIP’s world congress in Seville. Joanna Callier reports.

2022 How COVID-19 challenged health technology assessment norms

Participants at a session at FIP’s 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences heard how health technology assessment norms had to change to reflect the limited data available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joanna Callier reports.

2022 Academic leaders reconnect to share ideas and solutions to common problems

The FIP Academic Institutional Membership World Café held during FIP’s 2022 world congress in Seville, Spain, gathered around 60 current and future academic leaders at its discussion tables. Ozge Ozer reports.

2022 mRNA technologies and cell-based therapies beyond COVID-19

There is, perhaps, no bigger story during the COVID-19 pandemic than the transition of mRNA technologies from relatively small-scale experimental approaches to clinical implementation on a grand scale. This has stimulated increased interest in the development of other technologies that have followed a similar development history to mRNA. A session at the FIP world congress in Seville, Spain, explored some of these technologies and related regulatory changes so far. Ozge Ozer reports.

2022 Combating the mental and behavioural health crisis

Dalia Bajis reports from a congress session on pharmacists’ role in mental health, especially in the context of COVID-19 challenges

2022 Can innovative pharmaceutical sciences combat future global health challenges?

A session at FIP’s 80th world congress, held in Seville, Spain, explored how pharmaceutical sciences are preparing for future global health challenges, including equity of access to technologies. Dalia Bajis reports.

2022 Finding the humanitarian face of pharmacy

At a session organised by FIP’s Community Pharmacy and Military & Emergency Pharmacy sections on 20 September, participants heard about the scope of pharmacists’ humanitarian work. Rúben Viegas reports

2022 COVID-19: Perspectives on pressures, digital, inequities and lessons learnt

The FIP world congress in Seville, Spain, included a number of sessions where experiences and lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic were shared. Nour Eltaha and Sherly Meilianti report.

2022 COVID-19 has shown what pharmacists can do in future public health emergencies

A FIP 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences session aimed to provide different perspectives on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the scope of services provided by pharmacists in different settings. Alison Ubong Etukakpan reports.

2022 How to ensure culturally appropriate information and services for shared decision-making


2022 Moving the fight against antimicrobial resistance forward

Global, regional and national perspectives on the road map ahead for a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance were discussed at a congress session organised by FIP’s Commission on AMR and the Global Respiratory Infection Partnership. Dalia Bajis, Aysu Selcuk and Catherine Duggan report.

2022 Mumbai’s Rajawadi Hospital celebrates World Pharmacy Week with an array of diverse events

Pharmacists around the world celebrated World Pharmacy Week from 18 to 25 September in many different ways. In this article, Ajay Kachuru Kakad, head pharmacist at Rajawadi hospital in Mumbai, India, describes the various activities that took place at his hospital.

2022 Pharmacists are indispensable in times of crises, congress hears

“Pharmacy united in the recovery of the healthcare system” was the theme of the first plenary session of the 2022 FIP congress. Speakers gave different perspectives of pharmacy’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Graeme Smith reports.

2022 Congress learns how Ukraine war has highlighted the value of pharmacy expertise

“Leading in times of crisis and beyond” was the theme of the second plenary session of the congress on 20 September. Participants heard about a campaign to send medicines to Ukraine and about the importance of competency-based education and training. Graeme Smith reports.

2022 How digital health can enable self-care and improve support for older people

The third congress plenary session gave participants much to think about with regard to the role of digital health in encouraging self-care and in maintaining the functionality of older people. Graeme Smith reports.

2022 André Bédat Award winner outlines ways to overcome barriers to pharmaceutical care

“No borderline: Barriers in pharmaceutical care” was the title of the lecture given to the congress by André Bédat Award winner Roberto Frontini. Alison Ubong Etukakpan reports.

2022 Health inclusivity — What’s in it for me?

A congress session in Seville looked at health inclusivity and the role of pharmacy. Carwen Wynne Howells attended the session and shares what she learnt.

2022 Let’s tango! An interactive session with a difference

The problem of stress in community pharmacy and practical tools to reduce its impact were the focus of a FIP congress session in Seville. Carwen Wynne Howells reports

2022 New toolkit aims to address inequities in pharmaceutical education

In this article, Nilhan Uzman, FIP lead for education and primary health care policies, and Alison Ubong Etukakpan, FIP educational partnership specialist, introduce a new resource from FIP to close the equity gap in pharmaceutical education.

2022 Budesonide-formoterol as reliever inhaler: A pilot programme featuring Canadian community pharmacist implementation of recent asthma guideline updates

In this article, John Papastergiou and Tom Smiley describe a pilot project intended to improve asthma control by switching eligible patients from short-acting beta-agonists to a budesonide-formoterol combination as reliever therapy.

2022 Indonesia’s information and competency system for pharmacists developed and ISO certified

In this article, Hilwan Yuda Teruna, manager representative of ISO certification at the Indonesian Pharmacists Association, shares the association’s work to develop its information and competency portal for pharmacists.


 

2022 The FIP Development Goals report 2021: Setting goals for the decade ahead

This report provides a global status update on the FIP Development Goals launched on 2021 and aims at facilitating the next decade’s roadmap aligned with the UN Agenda 2030. The 21 FIP Development Goals align with FIP’s mission to support global health by enabling the advancement of pharmaceutical practice, sciences and education and are set to support pharmacy transformation in alignment with wider global imperatives such as the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2022 Presenting the FIPWiSE 2022 Rising Stars — inspirational women who are making a difference

Twenty women scientists and educators have been selected as FIP’s inaugural Rising Stars for 2022. This article, by Graeme Smith, introduces them and highlights their achievements.

2022 Health economics research and deprescribing can benefit pharmacy practice and patients

FIP’s Pharmacy Practice Research Summer Meeting, held in Utrecht, the Netherlands on 4 and 5 July, heard keynote presentations about health economics research and deprescribing. Graeme Smith reports.

2022 Pharmacy practice researchers highlight efforts to improve treatments and outcomes for patients

Young scientists described their work in diverse areas at the FIP Pharmacy Practice Research Summer Meeting, which took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, this month. Graeme Smith reports

2022 Maja Jakševac Mikša: Succeeding through difficult times

Dr Maja Jakševac Mikša retired this year after almost three decades at the helm of the Croatian Pharmaceutical Society and nearly five decades as a pharmacist. She has advanced pharmacy through regime change, war, economic crises and natural disasters — situations that many are experiencing today. In this interview with IPJ, she talks about pharmacy in Croatia and global health, and shares some pearls of wisdom.

2022 Pharmacists in Brazil authorised to prescribe PrEP and PEP for vulnerable populations

Thanks to the efforts of FIP member organisation the Brazilian Federal Council of Pharmacy (CFF), the Ministry of Health in Brazil has authorised pharmacist prescribing of HIV prophylactic treatments. This article from the CFF explains what happens now

2022 Luther Gwaza: Pharmaceutical skills have been an asset on an amazing journey

Pharmacist Luther Gwaza was appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as its designated technical officer for FIP earlier this year. This interview introduces him to FIP members, and he gives some insights into the area of pharmaceutical regulation and policy in challenging situations.

2022 Providing a true gateway to care for refugees in Poland

What can pharmacists do when two million refugees pour into their country in just three weeks? A grassroots initiative has led to pharmaceutical aid points being established in Polish cities for people fleeing the war in Ukraine and over 200 pharmacists volunteering to operate them. Lin-Nam Wang reports.

2022 Jesús Aguilar: Pharmacists can help healthcare systems and society overcome their challenges

In recognition of the work of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Pharmaceutical Council of Spain was awarded the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Health by the Ministry of Health this month. Lidia Soria asked council president Jesús Aguilar about the award.

2022 How FIP’s global platform for provision through partnerships will advance pharmacy worldwide

FIP’s global platform for provision and partnerships will deliver on strategic development goals through engagement and collaboration with members and providers, say Dalia Bajis, FIP lead for provision and partnerships, and Catherine Duggan, FIP chief executive officer. In this article they describe the platform from inception to delivery.

2022 Humanitarian response in Ukraine amid crisis

FIP member Lucas Ercolin has been working in the humanitarian sector since 2018, and was recently based in Kostyantynivka and Kyiv, Ukraine, near the contact-line with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. He shares his experiences and opinions in this article.


2022 Strategies to build resilience are more important than ever

Cultivating and sustaining the mental well-being of academics is of great importance after the challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic. Graeme Smith reports from a FIP digital event last month that focused on mental health and resilience in higher education.

 

2022 From female sexual arousal disorder to gender-based violence — pharmacists can support people with their sexual health

Supporting self care in sexual health was the subject of a FIP digital event this month. Graeme Smith reports.

2022 Luís Lourenço: We need more young leaders and agents of change

In September, the FIP Council ratified the election of Luís (Bill) Lourenço from Portugal as FIP’s new professional secretary. The professional secretary is tasked with supporting all professional aspects of FIP’s activities. In this interview, he talks about being an active agent of change and practice research in community pharmacy.

2021 Social prescribing by community pharmacists: A missed opportunity for health systems globally

In this article, Arun Nadarasa, FIP member and founder of the Social Prescribing Pharmacy Association, explains what social prescribing is, describes developments in the UK, and makes a plea for community pharmacy involvement in this emerging discipline.

2021 How pharmacists in Argentina have risen to the challenges of COVID-19

Pharmacy academics Jorge Anibal Schlottke, Daniel Ricchione and Roberto Ezequiel Chaile report on a survey which showed that community pharmacists are highly valuable to the Argentinian healthcare system as it deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 How pharmacy is standing up to climate change

As world leaders meet at COP26 to negotiate actions towards achieving the goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the IPJ takes a look at the distinct role that the pharmacy profession can play in efforts to address climate change.

2021 Lars-Åke Söderlund: Connecting dots and seizing opportunities!

On 20 September, Swedish pharmacist Lars-Åke Söderlund took office as a FIP vice president. In this interview, he shares his thoughts on leadership, digital advances and work-life balance.

2021 Pharmacy’s role in primary health care “more fundamental than ever”

To mark the third anniversary of the signing of the Astana Declaration on primary health care, FIP organised a virtual global summit on 25 October to examine how pharmacists are transforming the declaration’s visions into actions.

2021 Towards a wider implementation of BCS-based biowaivers in Latin America
2021 ARV supply and demand — 10 years of successes and challenges at the Antiretroviral Procurement Working Group

The Antiretroviral Procurement Working Group has served as a critical source of market intelligence and coordination since its inception 10 years ago. In this article, the leadership of the group hopes to inform, and perhaps inspire, readers by reflecting on its history, successes, and challenges.

2021 “Mental health-friendly pharmacies” — A new focus for community practice?

A year ago, the World Health Organization released findings of a global survey showing the negative impact of COVID-19 on access to mental health services and emphasising an urgent need for increased funding. Indeed, before the pandemic, the WHO had highlighted that less than 2 per cent of national health budgets was being spent on mental health, and countries were struggling to meet their populations’ needs. Some pharmacists believe that they can help fill the gap. IPJ reports on a new breed of community pharmacy offering a service for patients with a mental illness.

2021 Building a culture of pharmacy intelligence culture will enable health care

How are developments in pharmacy data and intelligence supporting health care and what does the future hold? Pharmacy intelligence (FIP Development Goal 12) was the focus of a FIP event last month.

2021 Curbing diseases caused by air pollution requires strong and effective global action

Leveraging pharmacists to minimise the impact of air pollution on health was the subject of a FIP webinar on 7 September, the UN’s International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.

2021 Off-label drug use written into Chinese medical law for the first time

Off-label drug use has been incorporated into Chinese medical law after 11 years of promotion by the GuangDong Pharmaceutical Association, write Zheng Zhi-hua, vice president and general secretary of the association, and Chen Zheng-yu, FIP China envoy and immediate past president of FIP’s Military and Emergency Pharmacy Section.

2021 Patients’ voice is key to advancing integrated care services

FIP hosted a webinar in August as part of its “setting goals” series that focused on Development Goal 7 (DG 7, advancing integrated services). Participants heard that bringing patients to the centre of discussions is the key to progress. Graeme Smith reports.

2021 Ideas for World Pharmacists Day and World Pharmacy Week (Part 2)

This article concludes our review of how FIP members around the world have marked World Pharmacists Day in the past, and how they are gearing up for this year’s events on 25 September and World Pharmacy Week on 19–25 September.

2021 How can we better communicate science during health emergencies?

In June, the World Health Organization gathered science communicators from research, health care, the media, education and decision-making bodies at a global conference to look at how to combat misinformation, make recommendations that are more actionable and understandable, and improve the communication of science for the next global crisis. Since pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and pharmacy educators are a key source of information, translating and communicating the science around COVID-19 and other areas, Lin-Nam Wang shares recommendations from the conference.

2021 Why gender is relevant to pandemic and vaccination plans

An FIP webinar on 10 August examined inequities in gender access and handling of vaccinations globally with a view to help inform future pharmacy policy. Graeme Smith reports.

2021 How will you mark World Pharmacists Day and World Pharmacy Week? Let our members inspire you! (Part 1)

In the decade since World Pharmacists Day (WPD) began, FIP’s members have marked this special occasion in many ways. In the run up to our 11th WPD (25 September), which will take place at the end of our second World Pharmacy Week (19 to 25 September), we asked FIP member organisations in each of the six World Health Organization regions to share how they marked WPD last year and their plans for this September.

2021 Hideyoshi Harashima: Pharmacists need to be prepared for the new treatments advances in science are delivering

In an interview with IPJ, disintguished pharmaceutical scientist and 2021 Høst-Madsen Medallist Hideyoshi Harashima talks about nanomedicine, gene/nucleic acid therapy and drug delivery.

2021 The new pharmacy roles and services that COVID-19 has led to around the world

A report from a gathering of experts from around the world to talk about new pharmacy services that have resulted from COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery.

2021 How a Malaysian military hospital pharmacy rose to the COVID-19 challenge

This article describes how the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital in Malaysia customised its outpatient and inpatient pharmacy services while maximising available resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 Sabine Kopp: Step by step … When you really believe, there’s usually a way

Pharmacist, pharmaceutical scientist and FIP member Sabine Kopp recently retired from the World Health Organization (WHO) after 35 years of service to global health. Dr Kopp spoke to IPJ about a career in global pharmacy, world health issues and the future of the profession.

2021 Pharmacy has a role in educating the public about sustainability issues, says Planetary Health Alliance fellow

Graeme Smith reports from a FIP Digital Event on sustainability in pharmacy, which was held in June 2021 as part of the federation’s “Setting goals for the decade ahead” programme.

2018 How pharmacists can improve adherence in the elderly
2018 Is there a “Holy Grail” medicine?
2018 Preparing our workforce to care for older adults
2018 Pharmacy "Amazonified": What could it mean?
2018 Implementing a pharmacogenomics service within community pharmacy
2018 Dominique Jordan: Modernising through trust, pragmatism and action
2017 Lebanon refugee crisis

Six years of civil war in Syria have left the vast majority of those who survive in poverty. But Syria is not the only country to be affected by the conflict. The United Nations estimates that five million Syrians have sought refuge in other lands. Neighbouring Lebanon, for example, now has the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world. It has seen the very fabric of its society change and is struggling to cope. Lin-Nam Wang spoke to three Lebanese pharmacists about their experiences of providing pharmaceutical care in this new environment and what is needed to mitigate an even bigger health crisis in the future.

2017 Telepharmacy: What we know so far
2017 Antibody drug conjugates: New cancer treatments on the horizon
2017 Can mass customisation of medicines be achieved?
2017 Rethinking education for pharmaceutical scientists
2017 “End-to-end thinking” is paving the way to future medicines

The FIP Global Pharmaceutical Observatory (GPO) is a worldwide data hub to inform the advocacy work of our members and partners.  

The FIP Atlas is a platform being developed to showcase our members’ needs and priorities (supported by the data from the GPO), allowing us to identify opportunities for developing pharmacy with, for and through our member organisations.  

Latest intelligence and data on the state of pharmacy and pharmaceutical science around the world.  

 



Last update 28 March 2022

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