ANF presents more than 20 scientific papers at the 84th FIP World Congress

The exhibition and presentation of practical and scientific work developed by the various participating organisations once again form a key part of the FIP World Congress, whose 84th edition is taking place in Montreal, Canada. ANF submitted more than 20 scientific papers for poster presentation, reflecting the diversity of community pharmacy practice and intervention.

This participation highlights the importance it places on the production and sharing of scientific knowledge and on innovation, contributing to increasingly evidence-based professional practice. The papers presented address a range of areas of significant relevance to people, community pharmacies and the healthcare system, including vaccination in community pharmacy settings, opportunistic screening, the contribution of pharmacies to epidemiological surveillance and the management of minor clinical conditions, the social impact of Associação Dignitude, among others.

The paper “Real-World Oral Corticosteroid Treatment Patterns in Portuguese SLE Patients: Final Results from the TRANSfORM Study”, which characterises oral corticosteroid use patterns among people living with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Portugal, was selected for an oral presentation. This recognition highlights the relevance of research developed from pharmacy practice and the contribution of pharmacies to knowledge generation and healthcare innovation.

As part of the TRANSfORM study, an initiative by AstraZeneca carried out in collaboration with Cientis, the Associação de Doentes com Lúpus, ICBAS – Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar of the University of Porto, and the University of Beira Interior, the paper is based on information collected through questionnaires conducted in pharmacies, providing real-world data on the use of these medicines.

The presentation took place on Wednesday and was delivered by António Teixeira Rodrigues, ANF’s Director of Health Solutions and Evidence. The presentation highlighted the contribution of research based on real-world data collected in pharmacy settings, as well as the importance of collaboration between academia, the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacies in generating knowledge with the potential to advance clinical practice for the benefit of people.

In addition to the papers presented by ANF, the FIP World Congress provides an opportunity for pharmacies to showcase internationally the research developed through their professional practice. Participation in the world’s largest gathering of the pharmacy profession raises the international visibility of research carried out by community pharmacies in Portugal and contributes to the global debate on the role of the profession and the evolution of pharmacy practice.