Today, at its General Assembly meeting, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) has elected Aris Prins, from the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP) as PGEU President for 2024 and Dimitar Marinov from the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union (BPhU) as PGEU Vice-President. Both will start their mandate from 1st January 2024. In his acceptance speech Aris Prins stressed: "I am truly honoured to have been elected to serve as PGEU ...

Medicine shortages are on the rise in Europe. The results of our annual shortages survey indicate that the situation in 2022 has worsened and that all countries and all classes of medicines continue to be affected. Moreover, over the last weeks, the surge in respiratory infections has led to an increasing demand for antibiotics such as amoxicillin – especially for paediatric use – and the supply disruptions currently reported in some countrie...

PGEU, the European organization representing community pharmacists, published today a position paper on the European Commission proposal for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) asking for stronger safeguards to maintain the bond of trust between health care professionals and patients. The EHDS will support community pharmacists in providing better services and treatments to patients while promoting the safe use of medicines, but it is importan...

Today, at its General Assembly meeting, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has elected Mr. Koen Straetmans, from the Belgian Pharmaceutical Association (APB) as PGEU President for 2023 and Dr. Risto Kanerva from the Association of Finnish Pharmacies as PGEU Vice-President for 2023.  In his acceptance speech Mr. Straetmans stressed: ”I’m very proud to have been  elected to serve as PGEU President. The upcoming revision...

European community pharmacists stand together to condemn Russia’s unprecedented military aggression against Ukraine and to share their strong solidarity with their Ukrainian colleagues and the Ukrainian people during these dark times. Since the beginning of the conflict community pharmacists and pharmacy organisations across Europe have been raising funds and have supported ongoing humanitarian actions, including through donations of medica...

Today, at its General Assembly meeting, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has elected Mr. Roberto Tobia, from the Italian pharmacy owners federation ( Federfarma) as PGEU President for 2022 and Mr. Raimund Podroschko from the Austrian chamber of pharmacists as PGEU Vice-President for 2022. In his acceptance speech Mr. Tobia stressed: “I am really delighted to have the opportunity to represent european community pharmacists ne...

A new European project has been launched, with the purpose to improve equitable vaccine uptake by strengthening collaboration between healthcare professionals, public health authorities, the media and local communities. IMMUNION will contribute to and complement wider EU vaccination efforts through delivering better education to health professionals and better information to the general public. Communicating evidence-based information about vacc...

European community pharmacists welcome the ambitions set forward in the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe adopted today by the European Commission. We believe the proposed measures will help ensure patients’ access to safe and affordable medicines and the financial sustainability of health systems.  PGEU President Duarte Santos stated: “Today’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the unacceptable, increasingly negative impact medicine...

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis community pharmacists have been working with tireless commitment and determination to guarantee patients continued access to treatments. They have been accessible 24/7 also during the lockdown and have arranged home delivery services for the most vulnerable people. Throughout the crisis, they have been the first line of advice, treatment and referral for many European citizens on common ailments, success...

Today PGEU celebrates its 60th anniversary with a special event in the European Parliament. This occasion is an opportunity to acknowledge the community pharmacists’ vital contribution to the health of people over the last decades and discuss how to shape the pharmacy of the future to better meet patients’ needs. The event brings together several Members of the European Parliament, senior officials from the European Commission and OE...

Today the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has elected Mr Michał Byliniak from the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber, NIA, as PGEU President for 2019, at its General Assembly meeting in Marbella, Spain. Pharmacist by profession, Mr Michał Byliniak graduated from the pharmaceutical faculty of the Warsaw Medical University, Poland. Currently, he is the vice-president of the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber and has over 15 years of professional...