EuroPharm Forum

    
 
Welcome to the EuroPharm Forum! Professional activities Publications Conferences/meetings Members Collaboration Contact
– 2011
– 2010
– 2009
– 2008
– 2007
– 2006
– 2005
– 2004
– 2003

Round Table Discussion

How to Join Forces on Obesity and Mental Health
The sessions on Obesity and Mental Health were followed by a round table discussion moderated by Hanne Herborg (WHO Collaborating Centre, Pharmakon, Denmark).

Ms Herborg introduced the round table discussion stating that we all share common goals and aim to place the pharmacist as a partner in healthcare. She, then, gave the floor to the invited EuroPharm Forum observers.

 
  • Ivana Silva (PGEU) emphasised that, while the PGEU has a political approach, it is not possible to separate it from the professional approach; evidence is needed, and the PGEU would welcome the contributions of other actors to this. It is important that we all contribute to sending joint messages.
 
  • Cecilia Bernsten (ESCP) stated that the ESCP is involved with clinical pharmacy and is concerned about how patients use medicines and how prescribers prescribe medicines. She added that collaboration between pharmacists and prescribers is important to patients. The ESCP can bridge the gap between hospitals and primary care. She found it important to have meetings between international organisations to discuss and provide research.
 
  • Anja Baumann (WHO Europe) referred to her presentation and encouraged the EuroPharm Forum to identify concrete areas within mental health suitable for a joint position paper and also to establish other projects of collaboration.
 
  • Luc Besançon (FIP) focused on the needs of the national pharmaceutical organisations, also the financial needs, and pointed to the need for collaboration preventing an overlap of efforts. He highlighted the possibility to share information between members through the various existing databases. 
 
  • Éva Martos (Hungary, National Institute for Food and Nutrition Science, National Task Force of the WHO obesity programme) pointed out that the same message should be given to the patient from every health professional, and, from this point, pharmacists have a unique role as the most accessible professionals. She also mentioned that all the relevant written information could reach the targeted population through the pharmacists. She welcomed the activities of the pharmacists in this public health field.
Comments from the audience reflected that multinational organisations are needed, for one thing, to disseminate the messages from, eg, the WHO and, secondly, to enable the national organisations to work as a unified profession.

Also, the need to state the diagnosis on the prescription was mentioned, because this information is necessary for pharmacists to provide patients with essential information concerning drug treatment; it was put forward that the WHO could play a role in helping pharmacists reach that goal.


The President accepted with pleasure Anja Baumann's invitation for collaboration. He stated that the EuroPharm Forum works for implementation and wants to help members build on the achievements of the PGEU. He added that it was an aim of the Forum to achieve better health care for patients, and he promised that the Forum would look into how this could be done in collaboration with the ESCP.