News
11 March 2008
European Pharmacists gather in Brussels
The first European Pharmacists Forum (EPF) of 2008 took place in Brussels and focused on European Commission (EC) policy issues including pharmacy legislation and deregulation.
EPF President, Elvire Kuyck, welcomed delegates to the two-day seminar and began with a brief overview of the EPF’s objectives and background. She then introduced the first speaker, Elizabeth Kidd, (Healthcare Strategy Unit, EC,) who gave a presentation on the EC’s new health strategy and, in particular, the role and purpose of the DG Sanco treaty. She explained how the aim of the strategy is to unite the member states and direct them towards a common healthcare objective – creating national policies out of a shared framework of objectives. Elizabeth ended with an update on the EC’s ‘Green Paper’ on healthcare professionals, which is due to be published by the end of 2008. She then answered questions from the delegates.
The next speaker was John Chave, Secretary General of the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Unit (PGEU), who outlined the role of the PGEU and how it influences the Commission and Parliament. He told delegates that members of the PGEU are representative bodies of pharmacists’ associations of the 27 member states of the EU as well as a few candidate states. John said: “When it was founded in 1959, PGEU was mainly a club for the purpose of exchanging information, experience and best practice. Today, its role is to influence European healthcare regulations and policies drafted in Brussels.” John’s presentation was followed by a lively debate which continued in the afternoon. Elvire Kuyck ended the session, emphasising EPF members’ strong belief in the need to preserve the quality of the pharmacist’s profession and its relationship with the patient. Delegates unanimously agreed that the EPF must be more proactive in driving proposals and looking for ways in which to advance its interest with the EC.
The second day started with a short introduction by Elvire Kuyck, after which Ornella Barra, Board Member and Wholesale & Commercial Affairs Director, Alliance Boots, gave an overview of what has been happening across Alliance Boots and Alliance Healthcare. EPF members then gave updates on their respective countries.
Martin Favié, EPF member, delivered the concluding presentation which featured a report by the working group on public insurance. Martin followed this with a brief update from the markets on price restrictions and the effects of deregulation, after which he chaired a Q&A session. Members agreed that the EPF should take a more proactive approach to public insurers – though this needs to be adapted on a country-by-country basis.
