Organised by FIP and supported by unrestricted funding from AstraZeneca
Chair(s)
Dr Catherine Duggan, FIP Chief Executive Officer, The Netherlands
Introduction:
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for three-quarters of all deaths globally, placing a significant burden on individuals, communities and health systems. As the global health community prepares for the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing in September 2025, there is a renewed call for effective, affordable and sustainable interventions. These must be embedded in national strategies, supported by robust indicators, and designed to promote health equity—particularly for people living with multiple NCDs and co-morbidities.
Pharmacists, as accessible and trusted healthcare professionals, are well placed to support prevention, early detection, behaviour change, therapeutic optimisation, and people-centred care through evidence-based services.
In this session, representatives from Portugal and Malaysia will share updates on the implementation of practical pharmacy toolkits for the management of NCDs, highlighting the progress achieved over the past year and the impact of pharmacist-led approaches on practice and public health.
Programme:
| 13:00 – 13:10 | Opening and context: Pharmacist-led interventions for NCDs – where are we now and what lies ahead? Overview of FIP’s resources and advocacy on NCDs |
| Dr Catherine Duggan, FIP Chief Executive Officer, The Netherlands | |
| 13:10 – 13:40 | Implementing practical toolkits for NCDs management: Progress and learnings from pharmacist-led services |
| a. Insights from Portugal | |
| António Teixeira Rodrigues, Director, Evidence & Health Solutions, National Association of Pharmacies, Portugal | |
| b. Insights from Malaysia | |
| Jack Shen Lim, General Secretary, Malaysian Pharmacists Society, Malaysia | |
| 13:40 – 13:55 | Interactive discussion: How can we strengthen and scale pharmacist-led NCD services globally? |
| Dr Catherine Duggan, FIP Chief Executive Officer, The Netherlands | |
| 13:55 – 14:00 | Closing remarks |
Learning objectives:
1. Identify the role of pharmacists in preventing or delaying the onset of NCDs and mitigating disease progression or exacerbation.
2. Explore how practical pharmacy toolkits can support the implementation of pharmacist-led interventions for NCD prevention and management.
3. Learn from the experiences of professional organisations in Portugal and Malaysia on integrating these toolkits into community pharmacy practice.
4. Reflect on pharmacists’ contributions to national NCD strategies and global efforts, ahead of the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, and gather audience suggestions on tools and approaches to enhance their role.
