The President of the Order of Pharmacists, Helder Mota Filipe, participated on October 16th in the meeting «20 Years of the Medicine Statute», promoted by the Portuguese Association of Young Pharmacists (APJF) with support from INFARMED. The event gathered sector representatives to reflect on the impact of legislation on medicine policy and discuss future challenges.
In the panel «What is the balance of the path and impact of medicine policy in Portugal?», Helder Mota Filipe presented a globally positive assessment of the last two decades, highlighting the evolution of regulation, the reinforcement of medicine safety, and the growing differentiation of the pharmaceutical profession. However, he stressed the importance of translating these advances into more concrete benefits for citizens by valuing pharmacists' skills.
Among the identified priorities, the President highlighted the need to strengthen the integration of pharmacists in healthcare, particularly in managing chronic therapies, intervening in minor clinical situations, and promoting treatment adherence. The Order reaffirmed its commitment to implementing this service in Portugal, arguing that pharmacists possess the necessary competencies, as is already the case in other international contexts.
Helder Mota Filipe also emphasized the importance of proximity medicine dispensing, whose response continues to fall short of expectations. He advocated for reinforcing and developing this model to ensure more citizens benefit from convenient, timely, and equitable access to their medications.
The new European pharmaceutical legislation represents an opportunity to build a more autonomous, sustainable, and innovative Europe in the field of medicine, strengthening the capacity to respond to current and future challenges. It is expected that these changes will also contribute to improving access to medicines and mitigating scarcity problems that continue to affect citizens.
