International Pharmaceutical Federation
Member profile
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, encompassing three million pharmacists and scientists through its 127 Member Organisations.
FIP has been in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) since its inception in 1948 and has official UN ECOSOC status – affiliations that assist in the Federation’s Mission to improve global health by advancing pharmacy practice and science to enable better discovery, development, access to and safe use of appropriate, cost-effective, quality medicines worldwide.
Main activities
FIP is active across all areas of pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical science and education, primarily through the work of member associations and dedicated volunteers. FIP initiates and implements numerous projects and programmes to improve the responsible use of medicines that are making a significant impact within global pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical sciences, education and community health.
Links to the health workforce crisis
Without access to and responsible use of quality medicines, health systems lose their ability to meet health care needs. The pharmacy workforce crisis threatens the ability of many countries to deliver pharmaceutical health services. The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has sought to address this crisis by gathering global data on the pharmacy workforce and developing evidence-based background papers to serve as advocacy tools at country, regional and global levels, as well as, by building the capacity of national association leaders and educators to work with governments and stakeholders towards developing sound pharmaceutical policies and pharmaceutical human resources in their countries.
Also building on the success of the Global Pharmacy Education Taskforce, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the FIP Education Initiatives (FIPEd) was launched in March 2011. FIPEd has a Mission to bring together organisations, stakeholders and leaders who are working to improve health through advancing pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education. FIPEd is stimulating transformational change in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science education to advance and develop our diverse profession towards meeting present and future health care needs around the world.
