Community pharmacists: standing by European patients

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...

This year, PGEU is supporting the Belgian Red Cross.

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...

PGEU welcomes the proposal for a European Health Data Space (hereinafter, “EHDS” or the “Proposal”) and supports the general objective of the EHDS of facilitating the access of health data across the Union for primary and secondary uses, whilst ensuring citizens have control over their own health data.  PGEU also agrees it is vital to strengthen health systems and the healthcare workforce, including by digital transformation, appropriate...

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...

Community Pharmacists Exemplar Role as Primary Care Providers in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The event will bring together policy makers, stakeholders and community pharmacy representatives to discuss the implementation of meaningful actions that can further reduce the presence and negative impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment and increase overall sustainability practices within the pharmaceutical supply chain and community pharmacy daily practice. It will also offer an opportunity to learn about several ongoing good practices f...

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...

ISBE Executive Summary for download Pharmacy interventions on COVID-19 in Europe: Mapping current practices and a scoping review

The role of Community pharmacists in the fight against COVID-19

THE EUROPEAN COALITION FOR VACCINATION  CALLS ON HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19  Today, the Coalition for Vaccination has published a manifesto to encourage healthcare professionals to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  The manifesto highlights three key reasons why all healthcare professionals should get vaccinated against COVID-19 when they have the opportunity to do so and why they should help promote t...

  PGEU welcomes the ambitions set forward in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan adopted yesterday by the European Commission. European community pharmacists offer their support for the implementation of the Plan’s objectives in primary care and are committed to take up an enhanced role in providing quality, convenient and affordable access to professional healthcare services within their domains of expertise. PGEU President Alain Delgutte stat...

Main findings of the survey: All responding countries experienced medicine shortages in community pharmacies in the past 12 months, and in the majority (65%) of countries, respondents indicated that the situation got worse compared to 2019. All classes of medicines are affected by medicine shortages in community pharmacies across Europe. Cardiovascular medications have been short in supply in community pharmacies in the highest percentage of cou...

Invitation – PGEU roundtable on pharmacy services We are pleased to invite you to a PGEU roundtable on pharmacy services that will take place online on Monday 14 December 2020 at 15.00 (CET). The event will be an opportunity to present a study on pharmacy services conducted by the Institute for Evidence-based health (ISBE) in Portugal in collaboration with experts from Bocconi University ( Italy), the University of Huddersfield (UK) and the...

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...

The emerging and steady increase of microbes that are resistant to antimicrobials has become a global public health concern that threatens the effective treatment of infectious diseases. PGEU President Duarte Santos stated: “Despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis we cannot afford to lower our guard in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). If this crisis has taught us one thing, it is that having access to adequate prevention, screening...

Today, at its General Assembly meeting, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has elected Mr. Alain Delgutte, member of the National Council of the French Chamber of Pharmacists, as PGEU President for 2021 and Mr. Mathias Arnold, Member of Federal Union of German Pharmacists Associations (ABDA) as PGEU Vice-President for 2021. In his acceptance speech Mr. Delgutte stressed: “2021 will be a difficult year; but in crises and adversity, ...

The approaching seasonal influenza and the resurgence of Covid-19 cases across Europe are going to place an enormous burden on already strained health care services. Implementing flu vaccination programmes in times of Covid-19 will be particularly challenging and it is urgent to put in place effective vaccination campaigns that can help preventing hospitalisations, ensuring adequate access and uptake of flu vaccines especially for at risk groups....

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...

European community pharmacists are in the frontline in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and they are doing everything in their power to support their patients, including in areas currently in lockdown. PGEU members have offered national governments their wide local pharmacies network to assist the health authorities in the dissemination of information to citizens on how to prevent the spread of the virus. They have launc...

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...

Nous avons brillamment clôturé l’événement “Les pharmaciens communautaires au cœur des communautés européennes: Vision 2030 du GPUE” à l’occasion du 60e anniversaire du GPUE,  le 10 septembre 2019 au Parlement européen, suivi d’un cocktail dînatoire. Vous trouverez ici les photos de notre évènement. Les présentations sont également disponibles ci-dessous.  

Today the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has elected Mr Duarte Santos, Member of the Board of the Portuguese Pharmacy Association (ANF), as PGEU President for 2020, at its General Assembly meeting in Kraków, Poland. In his acceptance speech Mr. Santos stressed: “I’m truly honoured to have been appointed as PGEU President 2020. Pharmacy practice is rapidly evolving and shifting the focus from dispensing medicines to advanced patie...

Résumé Les médicaments sont de moins en moins disponibles en Europe, et ce problème a d’énormes répercussions sur les patients. Des pénuries de médicaments se produisent dans tous les environnements de soins de santé et concernent aussi bien des médicaments vitaux et essentiels que des médicaments très couramment utilisés. Les pharmaciens d’officine sont très préoccupés par ce phénomène qui peut mettre en péril la santé de...

Community pharmacists are ready to enhance their contribution and to help Europe’s health systems.

European community pharmacists consider new, innovative and automated technologies a useful tool to support and complement their expert professional advice to patients and to deliver more efficient, sustainable and high-quality pharmacy services. Community pharmacists have the infrastructure and expertise to deploy Big Data and AI in practice: they already use digital services on a daily basis (e.g. dispensing ePrescription, checking for medicati...

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The new term of the European Parliament offers an unprecedented opportunity for Members of the European Parliament to determine the course of EU action on health issues. Indeed, 2019 is a crucial year for the EU institutions to decide on whether maintaining health policy in the EU agenda. PGEU calls for the continuation of a comprehensive and coherent EU approach to health and for health dossiers, including medicines and medical devices, to remai...

Today the Council of the European Union adopted a Recommendation on strengthened cooperation against vaccine preventable diseases. The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) welcomes the Council Recommendation as a basis to improving vaccine coverage and tackling vaccine hesitancy in the EU. PGEU supports the call to facilitate access to vaccination services by simplifying and broadening the opportunities to offer vaccination, leveragi...

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...