As health awareness continues to gradually increase, pharmacists — as important advocates of public health — are receiving more attention and recognition in society. I am extremely honored to have been appointed as a member of the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, as it not only serves as an affirmation of the professional value of pharmacists, but also marks an important step toward normalizing their participation in national health policy and in creating new opportunities.
Today is Pharmacists’ Day, and I would like to express my most sincere respect toward all our country’s hardworking pharmacists and urge society to recognize their role.
Last year, the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee deepened pharmacists’ collaboration with healthcare organizations, thereby highlighting the professional value of them. A pharmacists’ core duties include ensuring the safe use of medication and disease prevention — we are committed to assisting patients in correctly using medication, mitigating medical risks and improving the public’s health literacy.
Looking forward, we would focus on issues such as cancer screenings, mental health and medication safety. Utilizing the more than 10,000 local pharmacies across Taiwan as the operation’s foundation, pharmacists would assist in identifying health abnormalities and make referrals as needed. This could include promoting mental health services and suicide prevention, or enhancing monitoring and care for patients taking antidepressants or sleeping pills.
At the same time, pharmacists could also play a key role in Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense by responding to the medical needs that might arise during war or natural disasters, such as trauma treatment or the administration of medication. This further illustrates that pharmacists form a strong backbone in safeguarding the nation’s health.
With advancements in technology and transformations in healthcare models, pharmacists also face new challenges. We must master the application of big data and artificial intelligence technology to ensure patient data security, and improve service quality and efficiency. This is particularly important as Taiwan is on course to become a super-aged society.
Pharmacists’ roles would gradually expand from supplying medication to health management and chronic disease prevention — they would become an integral part of the healthcare team. To adequately face these demands, pharmacists earnestly hope that pharmaceutical education can improve and keep up with the times, placing emphasis on practical training and cross-sector collaboration to cultivate a new generation of pharmacists who possess innovative capabilities and embody professionalism.
Furthermore, the professional development of pharmacists still faces challenges from insufficient policy support. At present, societal understanding and acknowledgement of pharmacists’ roles is not deep enough. We urge the government to ensure pharmacists’ professional value can be fully realized by more quickly drafting and passing policies, including expanding the scope of pharmaceutical services in public health and health management as well as increasing resource investment.
Pharmacists are more than local guardians of health — they are a vital cornerstone in safeguarding the health and well-being of the nation. Allow us to work together to support the professional development of pharmacists, improve policies and jointly create a healthier Taiwan, thereby establishing a happier and brighter future for our country.
Huang Jin-shun is president of the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists’ Associations.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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