IPSF PARO Resolution: The Role of Pharmacists in Strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) Through Advocacy for Expanding Scope of Practice Date: May 3rd, 2020 The International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) Pan American Regional Office (PARO) and its Member Organisations, Recognizing the gaps in PHC within North, Centre and South American countries’ healthcare systems, Acknowledging that pharmacists are some of the most accessible healthcare professionals, and are ideally positioned to fill in certain gaps in PHC, Taking into consideration that pharmacists receive four or more years of education on patient care, Emphasizing the importance of empowering pharmacists to not only fill in the gaps in PHC but also to advocate for the expansion of their scope of practice to best meet patient needs, Reaffirming the role of IPSF and its efforts to advocate for the role of pharmacy students and recent graduates in the healthcare system, as well as demonstrating and educating on ways that pharmacists can be involved in PHC, 1. Call on national governments and professional societies to create legal frameworks for pharmacists to participate in PHC, 2. Recommend academic institutions to include training on the role of pharmacists in PHC in pharmacy curricula; a. This includes training for pharmacists to participate in disease screening, chronic disease management, and various health promotion activities.
3. Emphasize the potential of offering services such as disease screening, chronic disease management, and Health Promotion as a necessary step in order to strengthen PHC and the healthcare system in general, 4. Urge national governments to establish and guarantee the existence of funding frameworks to ensure adequate reimbursement for pharmacists’ services, 5. Encourage pharmacists to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, whether informally or formally (through creating Collaborative Agreements), 6. Encourage pharmacists to advocate for increased involvement in PHC and expanding the scope of practice; a. This includes obtaining prescriber status, whether for minor ailment conditions or other commonly used drugs. 7. Urge the public to recognize the role of the pharmacist as one of the most accessible healthcare providers and their increasing role in PHC.