New Delhi: The World Pharmacists Day, organised by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), is celebrated on September 25 every year to recognise and celebrate the crucial role that pharmacists play in building healthier communities everywhere. The campaign is led by FIP every year, with the theme chosen by the FIP Bureau.
As demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists are at the forefront of addressing regional and global health crises.
History & Significance
World Pharmacists Day marks the anniversary of the inception of FIP in 1912 and was adopted by the FIP Council in 2009. In 2020, FIP also created World Pharmacy Week, extending the celebrations of the entire profession and overtly encompassing all sectors of the pharmacy profession. Pharmacists are integral to healthcare systems, often being the first point of contact for health advice and primary health care, as well as addressing the health needs of the population.
Pharmacists: Meeting Global Health Needs: Theme for 2024
Pharmacists ensure access to and guide essential medicines and medical devices, including diagnostic tests and assistive products besides providing expertise for patient care and public health. Promoting disease prevention, such as by administering vaccines, conducting health screening, educating patients, and helping to improve health literacy are the major issues highlighted by World Pharmacists Day this year.
International Pharmaceutical Federation
Through 160 national organisations, allied organisations (including academic institutional members) and individual members, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global body representing over four million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. Being a non-governmental organisation, the FIP intends to meet the world’s healthcare needs. It’s a partner of the World Health Organization since 1948.
Pharmacists’ role in tobacco cessation
Pharmacists’ role in tobacco cessation is being highlighted in a new FIP policy statement. Pharmacists have a crucial role to play in tobacco and nicotine use cessation in order to reduce the heavy burden of non-communicable diseases, FIP has said in a new statement of policy published recently. The policy statement makes recommendations for pharmacists, pharmaceutical organisations, pharmacy educators, governments, policy-makers, regulatory agencies and healthcare funders to facilitate and support roles for the pharmacy profession in supporting the cessation of tobacco and nicotine use.
All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists
The All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) was established in 1975. It's an association representing medicine traders in India. It has a membership of 12.40 lakh chemists and druggists, or pharmacists as they are commonly known, across the country.
Talking to ETV Bharat, general secretary of AIOCD, Rajiv Singhal said the pharmacy sector is facing two critical challenges in the form of online pharmacies and branded retail stores, whereby they offer huge discounts of their products which are not possible by normal physical stores.
"It has become a normal practice of the e-pharmacies and branded retail outlets to offer discounts to attract customers. The purpose of deep discounts is not to benefit customers but to drive out small-time pharmacy stores to kill competition in the long run," said Singhal.
On many occasions, the AIOCD appealed to the government to look into the issue. "The discounts offered by the online pharmacies and branded retail stores, would not be possible if the prescription drugs and medicine are sold on the price at which they are obtained by a normal wholesaler and stockist of a retailer in due course. The online pharmacies and the branded retail stores are abusing the market by indulging in predatory pricing," Singhal said.
