6 February 2017

The forthcoming Congress of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) in Cannes (22nd to 24th March) will ask the provocative question: did the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) forget the hospital pharmacy?

There are just two years remaining until hospital pharmacies in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) need to enact the requirements of the EU's Falsified Medicines Directive. The Directive requires packages of medicine be scanned by the hospital pharmacy to verify they are not counterfeit and to check out the identifying code from a central repository of valid identifiers. This ensures the packaging cannot be used again by counterfeiters.

In view of the difficulties this will cause to hospital pharmacy working procedures, a special seminar of the Congress will focus on the topic. Entitled "The Falsified medicines directive - did they forget the hospital pharmacy?", a representative from the national expert group that oversaw the drafting of the legislation will explain the legislation and its implementation challenges. He will be joined by hospital pharmacists involved in trying to make the regulations workable for the hospital context.

Commenting on the FMD seminar, EAHP President Joan Peppard remarked:

"EAHP encourages hospital pharmacists in all EU and EEA countries to ensure their familiarity with the impacts of the Falsified Medicines Directive to their workflows and responsibilities. The EAHP Congress in Cannes is a valuable opportunity for attendees to hear directly from those who helped to author the regulatory requirements as well as hospital pharmacists striving at national level to make its implementation achievable. I encourage any hospital pharmacist still feeling unfamiliar with the Directive to grasp the opportunity for enhanced knowledge that the Congress will provide".

ENDS

For further information contact info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 741 6835

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) is an association of national organisations across 35 countries representing hospital pharmacists at European and international levels. More information about the EAHP and its history HERE

2. The EAHP annual Congress is the second largest hospital pharmacy education event in the world, attended by over 3,500 professionals from across the globe. The 22nd Congress will take place in Cannes from 22nd to 24th March and has as its theme: "Hospital pharmacists – catalysts for change".

3. More information about the Congress session, "The Falsified medicines directive - did they forget the hospital pharmacy?" is available HERE

4. The full Scientific Programme of the 22nd Congress of EAHP is available HERE

5. Information about registering to attend the 22nd Congress of EAHP is available HERE

6. Requests for interviews with Joan Peppard, photographs and any further information of interest to your publication and its readers can be made by contacting info[at]eahp[dot]eu