Nanjing Statements (Pharmacy Education Advocacy)
Authors: Ellen Xavier Gomes and Gabrielle Gimenes Lima (FEBRAF, Brazil).
Medicines are essential for the functioning of any health system, as they are present in all stages of health management: prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases. As the pharmacist is the professional responsible for the medication, the latter must be prepared to act in all phases of health management, overcoming challenges, promoting improved results, and ultimately the well-being of the patient (FIP, 2017). However, there is an imbalance in the global workforce.
In many countries the pharmacist is the health professional most accessible to the population, being the main one to guide the patient. However, many indicators show that pharmacists are poorly trained since the academy, thus causing a deficiency in the quality of patient care in health services (ANDERSON et al., 2009).
Aiming at preparing pharmacists and students in the field, in 2016 the FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation), in partnership with other world organizations, held a world congress focusing on pharmaceutical education in Nanjing, China (FIP, 2017).
The congress resulted in 67 principles, grouped into 8 categories: A Vision shared at a global level; Combination of professional skills; Student recruitment; Basic education and leadership; practical training; Resources and teaching staff; Quality assurance; and Continuous professional development. The principles were formulated to guide the reform in the training of pharmaceutical professionals worldwide (FIP, 2017). These principles provide goals for pharmaceutical training; however, it is up to countries and territories to promote the professional and personal development of pharmacists based on health policies based on needs and each location (BADER et al., 2019).
In addition to having clinical, technical, and scientific knowledge, the active pharmacist must be ethical, considerate, leader, competent, communicative, efficient, critical, and accessible. These qualities are shaped by quality academic education and mainly practical activities. Thus, the principles proposed at the Nanjing congress are just the initial step to promote the transformation and qualification of the pharmaceutical profession to improve global health.
References:
ANDERSON, Claire et al. The WHO UNESCO FIP Pharmacy Education Taskforce. Human Resources for Health, [s. l.], v. 7, n. 6, 2009. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-7-45
BADER, Lina et al. Using a global framework for health workforce development: National case studies on continuing professional development in pharmacy. MedEdPublish, [s. l.], v. 8, n. 1, p. 1–7, 2019. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.15694/mep.2019.000044.1
FIP. Transformar a formação e educação em farmácia e ciências farmacêuticas no contexto da força laboral farmacêutica. [S. l.: s. n.], 2017. E-book.
