As the World Health Organization (WHO) prepares to discuss a new global pandemic agreement at the 78th World Health Assembly in May, the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has emphasized the critical role that community pharmacies play in pandemic response. According to the IPU, governments around the world must fully recognize and support the contribution of pharmacies in preventing and managing public health crises.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Ireland’s Minister for Health, praised the preliminary consensus reached during intergovernmental negotiations in Geneva on the pandemic agreement. She commended the collaborative efforts and highlighted the global commitment to safeguarding against future epidemics. Professor Mary Horgan, Ireland’s acting Chief Medical Officer, also underscored the importance of the agreement in fostering worldwide solidarity and ensuring swift and equitable responses to future health emergencies.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward in strengthening global pandemic prevention and preparedness,” said Horgan. “It ensures that the world can unite quickly and fairly to respond to future pandemics.”
The agreement, which was launched in December 2021, is expected to be formally adopted during the World Health Assembly, which will take place in Geneva from May 19-27, 2025. The theme of this year’s assembly is “One World, One Health.”
The Vital Role of Community Pharmacies in Pandemic Response
Clare Fitzell, Strategy and Policy Director at the IPU and President of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), spoke to Euractiv about the critical role that community pharmacies played during the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that pharmacies across Ireland and Europe experienced firsthand the profound impact of the pandemic, highlighting the importance of rapid collaboration across the healthcare sector in supporting the public during an unprecedented health crisis.
Pharmacists are among the most accessible and trusted healthcare professionals in local communities. Community pharmacies served as reliable sources of information, playing a key role in strengthening public health communication efforts. They were instrumental in providing the infrastructure necessary for large-scale vaccination campaigns and creating specialized medical environments for on-the-spot testing.
Resilience and Innovation in Pharmacy Services
Fitzell emphasized that community pharmacists supported the WHO’s work and acknowledged the collaborative efforts in drafting the global agreement to improve preparedness and response strategies for future pandemics. She highlighted that many European countries successfully used community pharmacies to facilitate vaccination services during the pandemic. Pharmacists were authorized to extend prescriptions and provide emergency supplies, with many of these regulatory flexibilities continuing after the pandemic.
“These measures helped to enhance the resilience and responsiveness of healthcare systems,” said Fitzell. “As the World Health Assembly prepares to review the new pandemic agreement, it is crucial that governments fully recognize and support the contributions of community pharmacists.”
She added that replicating models like Ireland’s high-tech medication programs across Europe and incorporating pharmacies into pandemic planning would be key to ensuring healthcare systems remain resilient and that patients continue to have access to necessary medications during future crises.
Pharmaceutical Innovation and Collaboration
Eimear O’Leary, Director of Communications and Advocacy at the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), also spoke to Euractiv about the IPHA’s position on the pandemic agreement. While the IPHA does not have a specific stance on the agreement, O’Leary stated that the association fully supports the position of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).
O’Leary referenced a speech given by David Reddy of IFPMA at the conclusion of the 13th meeting of the WHO’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Reddy emphasized the importance of intellectual property protection and legal certainty for the pharmaceutical industry, noting that these factors are crucial for encouraging investment in high-risk research and development and fostering voluntary partnerships to combat future pandemic threats.
“The pandemic agreement is a starting point,” said Reddy. “Pharmaceutical companies will continue to play a key role in future pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, driving the necessary innovation to develop and provide the medicines and vaccines needed for the next global health crisis.”
As countries prepare to finalize the pandemic agreement, the role of community pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry in pandemic prevention, response, and innovation remains critical.
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