Los farmacéuticos de todo el mundo están enfrentándose al desafío planteado por la COVID-19 y demostrando su compromiso para con las comunidades a las que sirven. A medida que la pandemia pone al límite los sistemas sanitarios de todo el mundo, los farmacéuticos están demostrando hasta qué punto son parte integral de dichos sistemas. Los farmacéuticos de las oficinas de farmacia han respaldado las iniciativas gubernamentales contra la pandemia y garantizado que los pacientes puedan disponer de sus medicamentos. Los farmacéuticos hospitalarios han tenido que ir más allá de su ámbito de actuación habitual para proporcionar cuidados a los pacientes al tiempo que intentaban gestionar la escasez de medicamentos en las unidades de cuidados intensivos. Los investigadores en farmacia han trabajado con denuedo en el desarrollo de vacunas eficaces y en identificar tratamientos efectivos. En resumen, la profesión farmacéutica en su conjunto ha demostrado su pericia, fortaleza, coraje y alta dedicación al paciente.
La Federación Internacional de Farmacéuticos, que representa a la profesión a nivel mundial, tiene la misión de contribuir al avance de la farmacia en todo el mundo compartiendo buenas prácticas e iniciativas innovadoras con farmacéuticos de todo el planeta. Este artículo evidencia hasta qué punto los farmacéuticos han estado implicados durante la crisis de la COVID-19, proporcionando ejemplos procedentes de varios países. Pone de manifiesto, por ejemplo, cómo la telefarmacia ha adquirido mayor protagonismo al resultar imposibles las consultas presenciales; cómo se han ampliado las responsabilidades del farmacéutico; y cómo los profesores de farmacia han sacado partido a las tecnologías digitales para impartir clases y evaluar al alumnado de forma remota. El artículo destaca en especial la participación del farmacéutico en los programas de vacunación contra la COVID-19 en Australia, Canadá, Alemania, Irlanda, Suiza, el Reino Unido y los Estados Unidos. Lo observado durante la pandemia hace que en la Federación Internacional de Farmacéuticos vislumbremos un futuro apasionante para nuestra profesión. Aunque es verdad que varios ministros de sanidad y jefes de estado han alabado a los farmacéuticos por el servicio que han prestado, desde la Federación Internacional de Farmacéuticos deseamos que ese reconocimiento se traduzca en un mayor número de competencias para los farmacéuticos y en un apoyo más decidido a la investigación en farmacia. Seguimos recogiendo datos e información en defensa de la ampliación de las competencias del farmacéutico, de la mejora de los programas académicos y de la potenciación de la formación continua de los farmacéuticos en ejercicio. Todos estos avances están avalados por los estudios científicos sobre nuestra especialidad. Por último, desde la Federación Internacional de Farmacéuticos deseamos expresar nuestra preocupación en relación con la equidad en el acceso a los medicamentos durante la pandemia, puesto que estamos viendo que, en muchos casos, las personas más jóvenes y saludables de los países ricos reciben la vacuna antes que las personas con mayor riesgo de los países pobres. Seguiremos con nuestra labor de sensibilización en relación con esta cuestión, que es una de las grandes prioridades dentro de nuestra visión global. En este artículo presentamos cómo los farmacéuticos de todo el mundo se han adaptado a los desafíos planteados por la COVID-19, compartiendo nuestras reflexiones sobre cómo la pandemia está condicionando la evolución de la práctica farmacéutica.

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