World Pharmacists Day

World Pharmacists Day

The annual World Pharmacists Day takes place on September 25 each year. According to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the day aims to highlight the key role that pharmacists play in protecting patient safety through improved medicine use and reduced medication errors. In addition, since 2020, the FIP has also launched World Pharmacy Week to extend the celebrations to include all aspects of the pharmacy profession.

Why is there a celebration called World Pharmacists Day?

Furthermore, the purpose of World Pharmacists Day is to encourage activities that promote and advocate for the role of the pharmacist. In fact, the pharmacist is involved in improving health in every corner of the world. Pharmacists are the reason why people get the best from their medicines. In addition, pharmacists use their experience, knowledge, and expertise to make the (medical) world better for everybody. Moreover, they provide access to medicines, advise people on how to properly take them and do so much more.

What is the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)?

The founder of World Pharmacists Day is the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). The FIP is the global body representing pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmaceutical education. Through their 144 national organizations, academic institutional members and individual members, they represent millions of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and pharmaceutical educators around the world.

FIP is a non-governmental organization. It is headquartered in the Netherlands. Through their partnerships and extensive pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences network, they work to support the development of the pharmacy profession. They do this by employing emerging scientific innovations. They also do this by developing the pharmacy workforce in order to meet the world’s health care needs and expectations.

Where does the word “pharmacy” actually come from?

Some of the oldest pharmaceutical records were found in Egypt from the year 2900 B.C. In fact, the “Papyrus Ebers”, a collection of 800 prescriptions mentioning 700 drugs, dates back to around 1500 B.C. The “Father of Pharmacy” is Aelius Galenius aka Galen of Pergamon a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman empire. His name is still associated with galenicals.

Did you know…?

…that 78% of Pharmacy Technicians are Females and there are more than 4 million pharmacists worldwide? All of them boosted the revenue of the pharmaceutical market in 2018 to 1204.8 billion USD!

…that they are the most accessible healthcare professional? (For example: in the USA , more than 90% of people live within 5 miles of a pharmacist).

…that the inventors of Coca-Cola (John Pemberton), Dr. Pepper (Charles Alderton), Pepsi and Ginger Ale were pharmacists too?

World Pharmacists Day 2024

The theme of World Pharmacists Day 2024 on September 25 will be ‘Pharmacists: meeting global health needs.’

Part of FIP’s efforts to showcase the crucial role of pharmacists as integral members of healthcare systems, the campaign will celebrate the profession and remind decision-makers and the public of pharmacists’ specific expertise and the contributions they make to improving global health.

The World Pharmacists Day 2024 theme aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which focuses on achieving universal health coverage; ending epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, combatting other communicable diseases; and reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.

FIP has highlighted pharmacists’ roles in many of these areas, such as participating in research and the development of new medicines, leading in pharmacovigilance, ensuring antibiotics are used only when needed, and implementing greener ways of working to address the impact of climate change on health.