IPCRG and FIP

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global body representing pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences and pharmaceutical education. In 2024 it was elected by the IPCRG members as an Associate Member - Invited Organisation.

Founded in 1912, FIP is a non-governmental organisation with its head office in the Netherlands and works to support the development of the pharmacy profession, through practice and emerging scientific innovations, and through developing the pharmacy workforce in order to meet the world’s health care needs and expectations. 

IPCRG has collaborated with FIP to prepare key resources supporting pharmacists to provide services to people with chronic respiratory diseases, as well as endorsing FIP's commitment to leveraging pharmacists to build vaccine confidence and address vaccine hesitancy and complacency and the important role of pharmacists in helping people quit tobacco.

To view other resources for pharmacists, click here.

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Essential handbook prepared by FIP with IPCRG authors and reviewers

In 2022, FIP released a chronic respiratory diseases handbook to help pharmacists improve care for people with asthma and COPD. Developed with international experts, including representatives from IPCRG, the handbook covers prevention, screening, inter-professional practice, pharmacological and non-pharmacological management (including medicines optimisation), palliative care, service metrics, implementation barriers, ethical considerations and research priorities. FIP also released a companion document that maps the competencies pharmacists need to deliver high-quality respiratory services. 

“Pharmacists are uniquely placed to provide people-centered, collaborative care for chronic respiratory diseases,” said Gonçalo Sousa Pinto, FIP lead for practice development and editor of the handbook. In their foreword, IPCRG CEO Siân Williams and Former IPCRG President Ee Ming Khoo underscore the stakes: “In many low- and middle-income countries the pharmacist may be the public’s sole point of care, making high-quality respiratory support and tobacco-dependence treatment truly life-saving.” The authors urge pharmacists everywhere to strengthen their role so that “everyone is breathing and feeling well through universal access to the right care.” 

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Building vaccine confidence

FIP’s commitment to addressing vaccine hesitancy and building confidence by mobilising pharmacists has been endorsed by 20 international organisations. Supporters range from patient advocacy groups and professional bodies (e.g., the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, International Diabetes Federation, International Primary Care Respiratory Group) to global health NGOs such as Immunize.org, Shot@Life and the World Federation of Public Health Associations. 

Vaccine hesitancy—fuelled by misinformation and distrust—remains a major threat to public health. “We thank this wide range of stakeholders for their public confidence in the value of pharmacists and in the role of FIP in advocating the widespread utilisation of pharmacists on this important issue,” said Gonçalo Sousa Pinto, FIP lead for practice development and transformation.

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Tobacco Cessation