“Pharmacists: Your medicines experts…
“Pharmacists: Your medicines experts”.is the theme of this year’s World Pharmacists Day by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique – FIP) which is celebrated globally on the 25th September.
Malta Chamber of Pharmacists this year successfully reactivated its membership with FIP after 18 years.
Mary Ann Sant Fournier, President represented the Chamber at the FIP Council meeting and Congress held in Glasgow 2-6 September, where the Chamber was inducted as a full member. photo?
The FIP is the global federation representing 4 million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists worldwide.
“This year, we focus on the extensive expertise that pharmacists have and put to use every day to ensure better patient health. This expertise is applied through science and research, through educating the next generation, and through transforming patient needs into services,” said FIP President Dr Carmen Peña.
Pharmacists in Malta whether based in the community or in hospitals, are highly trained health care professionals, experts in medicines in the service of the public. Their practice has through the years developed into a more clinical role which supports patients especially these suffering from chronic illness such as diabetes, hypertension etc, by adhering to their treatment regimens, monitoring their condition to ensure optimal medicines use and positive outcomes and improving quality of life; referring patients with acute conditions for further care to other relevant health care professionals and directing well clients to sustain a health lifestyle.
Other roles that have recently developed for pharmacists as a result of their expertise in medicines are those of responsible pharmacists in wholesale distribution of medicines and the various roles played by pharmacists in the marketing of medicines.
At a recent seminar on Rare Disease targeted for community healthcare professionals not least pharmacists, organized by the National Alliance for Rare Diseases Support – Malta , in collaboration with the Malta BioBank, BBMRI.mt at the University of Malta, Ms. Sant Fournier reiterated the community Pharmacists expertise in the support of patients in different niches of care requiring besides the dispensing of medicines the associated ‘non-dispensing’ services which each individual patient requires including acting as a resource to direct patients to seek the support of organisations such as the National Alliance.
On 25 September the Chamber joins the 144 international pharmacy associations in celebrating pharmacists wherever they practice in the service of society.
