EAHP represents over 29,000 hospital pharmacists across 36 member countries. EAHP represents and develops the hospital pharmacy profession within Europe in order to ensure the continuous improvement of care and outcomes for patients in the hospital setting. This is achieved through science, research, education, practice, as well as sharing best-practice and responsibility with other healthcare professionals.
The EAHP Board, elected for three-year terms, oversees the association’s activities. Comprising directors responsible for core functions, it meets regularly to implement strategic goals. Supported by EAHP staff, the Board controls finances, coordinates congress organization, and ensures compliance with statutes and codes of conduct.
The EAHP staff supports the Board in executing EAHP’s mission. The Staff assists in financial management, events organisations, policy activities and all EAHP projects. The EAHP staff works closely with EAHP’s members and ensures the effective communication all relevant stakeholders.
The first member countries were Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany and The Netherlands in 1972. EAHP has now 36 EAHP members and 2 Associate Members. EAHP is open to countries members of the Council of Europe and since 2022 to organisations representing the interests of hospital pharmacists from outside the Council of Europe (Associate Membership)
EAHP’s structure is also composed by different standing committes: EAHP Scientific Committee, EAHP Education Executive Committee and the EAHP CTF Steering Committee.
At EAHP, we are committed to transparency in our governance, ethical standards, and funding practices. This section provides open access to our foundational documents, including the EAHP Statutes, Code of Conduct, and Funding Sources. By sharing these resources, we aim to uphold accountability and foster trust with our members, partners, and the public.
Keep up with all EAHP’s events and webinars. Contact the team at info@eahp.eu should you have any questions about upcoming events or activities.
Here you can find all upcoming events organised by EAHP and by all its members and associate members. Do not hesitate to contact the events team at events@eahp.eu should you have any questions about the organisation of these events.
Hospital pharmacists conduct a critical role in the care of patients in hospitals. Learn more about what they do here and in all the pages under Hospital Pharmacy practice and Policy.
Self-Assessment
SILCC
Closed SIGs
EAHP brings together experts from many areas of hospital pharmacy practice providing and highlighting good local sustainable practices as that can be up-scaled and shared with other countries. The EAHP Working Group on Sustainability has the aim of reducing the environmental burden of the hospital pharmacy services.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP), and its 36 member country platforms are creating a Common Training Framework for the hospital pharmacy education in Europe. The goal of this project is to allow the free movement of hospital pharmacists within the European Union.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) have collaboratively developed the Oath to Society. The Oath to Society is all encompassing and acts as a contract for excellence in providing compassionate patient care, working as part of the healthcare team and advancing the pharmacy profession, and showcasing how clinical and hospital pharmacists work every day
A day created to highlight the importance and to celebrate the work done by hospital pharmacies. This day celebrates all hospital pharmacy teams.
Catch up with EAHP’s press releases
Find all EAHP relevant publication like the EAHP Surveys, annual reports and the history books.
The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) is the only official journal of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and is committed to advancing the science, practice and profession of hospital pharmacy. As the premier communication platform for hospital pharmacists worldwide, EJHP is a major source for continuing education as well as updates on advances in the practice and standard of pharmaceutical care for patients.
When EAHP and Hospital pharmacists appear in the news.
EAHP publishes a monthly EU monitor with updates about the latest EAHP initiatives and information relevant for the hospital pharmacy profession.
Sponsor Channel
The Sponsor Channel is designed to maximise visibility and engagement, allowing sponsors to connect with the hospital pharmacy community and partners in a dynamic and interactive environment. From product demonstrations to networking sessions, the Sponsor Channel offers a range of opportunities for sponsors to showcase their offerings and generate leads in the new EAHP Website.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Carlos José Cortés Sánchez, Josefina Giménez Castellanos, Mónica Abdilla Bonías, Arantxa Valdivia Piqueres, José María Gómez Portolés, Irene Toledo Guasp, Eva García Cortés
Proper use of antimicrobials is essential to ensure their efficacy and minimize the emergence of resistance. The evaluation of antibiotic prescription in a district hospital can provide information about clinical practice, adherence to local protocols, and the possibility of addressing antimicrobial resistance issues.
Review the appropriateness of antibiotic prescription according to local guidelines and protocols.
This is 4-month prospective observational study(May to August 2023) in a district hospital. A daily list of admitted patients on antibiotic treatment was obtained through OrionClinic® electronic prescription. Each patient was reviewed and discussed for appropriateness with antimicrobial stewardship team in a Microsoft-TEAMS© chat. The following data were recorded: registration date, patient identification, hospitalization unit, microbiological culture, treatment modality (prophylaxis, empirical, or targeted) and appropriateness using a Microsoft FORMS©.
Descriptive analysis expressed as number and percentage and relationships derived from registration: percentage of patients by hospitalization unit, treatment modality, and appropriateness. Percentage of patients on empirical treatment with microbiological culture. And appropriateness according to treatment modality.
A total of 172 patients were analysed, of which 83(48.25%) were surgical patients (orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, urology, gynaecology, otolaryngology), 64(37.2%) are from internal medicine,MIN, 17(9.9%) from intensive care unit,ICU, and 8(4.7%) from paediatrics,PED. Of the total of patients, 95(55.2%) had requested a microbiological culture. About 52(30.2%) patients were on prophylactic treatment, 103(59.9%) empirically, and 17(9.9%) on targeted treatment. In conclusion, 119(69.2%) antibiotic treatments were appropriate (prophylactic 26/50%, empiric 80/77.67% and targeted treatment 13/76.5%).
Breaking-down data by hospitalization unit and treatment, of the 83 surgical (49 prophylactic, 28 empirical, and 6 targeted) 47(56.6%) were appropriate. Among the 64 MIN patients(1 prophylactic, 56 empirical, and 7 targeted), 54(84.4%) were appropriate. In ICU of 17 patients(2 prophylactic, 12 empirical, and 3 targeted), 11(64.7%) were appropriate. In PED of 8 patients(7 empirical and 1 targeted), 7(87.5%) were appropriate. Of the total of patients on empirical treatment(103), in 28(27.2%) there isn’t microbiological sample.
This is a preliminary analysis of our hospital’s situation in order to assess where interventions are needed for those patients who are not appropriate. It also helps us identify the hospitalisation units in which it is more necessary to implement strategic non-imposing measures to improve antibiotic prescription.
Production and Compounding
Teimori Kaveh, Lunnan Asbjørn , Komnenic Aleksandar, Gleditsch Espen, Duedahl Hende Camilla
Oslo Hospital Pharmacy is working to standardize and automate 10% of Oslo University Hospital’s annual consumption of two million parenteral medication doses. They aim to provide 200,000 ready-to-administer doses to OUS, starting with a trial in 2025 and scaling up to 200,000 doses by 2028. This initiative addresses efficiency, reduces nurse workload, and minimizes medication errors, addressing healthcare workforce challenges and ensuring timely and accurate medication delivery at Oslo University Hospital.
Drugs were selected for inclusion in implementation of automated preparation of ready-to-use syringes and bags.
Oslo Hospital Pharmacy is dedicated to providing market-competitive ready-to-administer medications through a flexible selection process. This process involved a thorough analysis of parenteral medication usage in five reference care units over eight months. We compared consumption in these units (69 beds) to the entire hospital (2,031 beds) to align with Oslo University Hospital’s needs. Collaborations with international partners in the Netherlands and Denmark confirmed shared priorities, especially in ready-to-administer antibiotics, validating their meticulous selection process. Oslo Hospital Pharmacy’s strategy underscores their commitment to addressing healthcare challenges effectively with global validation.
The following 12 medications were selected for the initiative: Piperacillin/tazobactam 4g, Ampicillin 2g, Vancomycin 1g, Vancomycin 0.5g, Cefotaxim 2g, Cloxacillin 2g, Cefazolin 2g, Propofol 10 mg/ml, Fentanyl 50 microg/ml, Ketamin 10 mg/ml, Benzylpenicillin 3g and Benzylpenicillin 1.2g.
Results showed that the reference care units consumed 14 ampoules or vials per bed, while Oslo University Hospital consumed 80, suggesting a representative and potentially even larger demand across the hospital.
The established drug selection procedure offers an organized method for incorporating new medications. This well-defined medication list facilitates the selection of the most appropriate automation system for implementation. Considering the prevalent staff and medication shortages on a global scale, many institutions are increasingly considering the adoption of automation in their drug preparation departments. We aspire that our method can offer valuable assistance in their pursuit.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Fabrizia Negrini, Giorgia Vella
The aims of this project were firstly to optimize the content of the stock (choice of medicines and quantity) so that it is suitable for various potential events of different nature that may occur in the region. The second aim was to optimize the management processes in order to reduce costs.
To manage extraordinary events (short-lasting phenomenon without contamination) in a region with 1.5 million inhabitants, the hospital pharmacy, in collaboration with a major acute Hospital, manages a designated stock containing medication that may be required during unplanned emergencies.
To achieve these two aims, the first step was to define which major events are possible and most likely to occur in the region. To do this we utilized a risk-based analysis of all disasters and emergencies relevant in the area that was performed by an external company that specializes in developing risk management projects in the context of civil protection1. Based on the identified events, we determined which types of injuries were more likely to occur. The medicine stock was subsequently updated and a process for minimizing the management cost was defined.
The hazards that were identified as being of particular importance for the analyzed region are likely to mainly result in blunt, perforating, and burn injuries. In collaboration with the Hospital, a list of 61 different medicines used to treat these types of injuries was established. In order to reduce costs, only drugs which were part of the main stock of the pharmacy were chosen. In this way, it is possible to exchange products with a longer shelf life from the main stock 6 months before expiring and use them without having to discard them.
In case of extraordinary events in a restricted region, the major acute hospital has an increased need for certain medicines. It is task of the hospital pharmacy to always be ready to supply them with such medicines. This is only possible if the probable emergency scenarios are well understood, and the stock and management processes are well-defined and communicated at all levels.
Selection, Procurement and Distribution
Karina Bentzen
Introducing biosimilar medicines in the clinical setting may significantly reduce hospital medicines expenditure – but only if the biosimilar medicines are used. Lack of knowledge and insecurities about biosimilar medicines among healthcare professionals and patients must to be addressed to ensure implementation in the clinical setting.
To facilitate the introduction of biosimilar medicines in Denmark, a special Taskforce was appointed. The aim was to enhance knowledge of biosimilar medicines among healthcare professionals and prepare implementation of biosimilar medicines in the clinical setting.
A special “Taskforce for introduction of biosimilars” was appointed. The Taskforce consisted of physicians including clinical pharmacologists, pharmacists, drug tender specialists and staff from the “Council for the Use of Expensive Hospital Drugs”, who issue national treatment guidelines.
Planning the introduction of biosimilar infliximab in Denmark started more than a year prior to the granting of marketing authorization. During this time, the Taskforce arranged seminars and facilitated meetings with specialists from the clinical setting to provide knowledge of biosimilars, to discuss the introduction of biosimilar medicines and how to switch patients. Based on these discussions the “Council for the Use of Expensive Hospital Drugs” dictated the use of biosimilar medicines nationally.
The Taskforce also created educational materials for doctors, nurses and patients and a “Q & A” website.
Biosimilars were adopted into the Danish market after a very quick introduction. The market share of the biosimilars was 95% within 3-4 months.
The price reduction after introducing biosimilar medicines was approx. 60%, and the quick implementation of the drugs in the clinical setting has significantly reduced medical costs.
Total annual savings in Denmark: 22 mio € (infliximab) and 15 mio €* (etanercept. * Estimate based on the first 6 months).
More new biosimilar medicines are expected to be introduced into the Danish market in the near future. The Taskforce will continue their work to ensure similar successful implementations.
