World Pharmacists Day 2026

Congratulations and sincere thanks to the Pharmacists

all over the world for your daily great work!

On the 25th of September is the annual World Pharmacists Day. 2026 year’s theme is not anncounced yet.

Why the 2025 theme?

The FIP World Pharmacists Day initiative, titled “Think Health, Think Pharmacist,” serves as a platform to highlight the vital role of pharmacists in addressing the global challenge of sustaining a qualified health workforce amid economic pressures, budget cuts, and increasing healthcare demands. In some areas, budget cuts have led to hiring unqualified health workers for pharmacist roles—a short-term fix with serious risks. Without trained pharmacists, healthcare quality, medicine safety, and public trust suffer. Pharmacists play a vital role: they ensure proper medication use, provide vaccinations, support public health, and offer accessible, cost-effective care—especially in underserved communities. Investing in pharmacists means safer, more sustainable health systems. Replacing them with underqualified staff leads to both financial and human costs.World Pharmacists Day highlights their essential contributions and calls for stronger integration of pharmacists into health strategies for a healthier future.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) invites colleagues from all sectors of the pharmacy profession to take part in the campaign and reminding decision-makers and the public how the role of pharmacists in meeting health needs remains crucial for building healthier communities everywhere.

World Pharmacists Day

25th September 2026

The global health landscape is increasingly complex and interconnected, emphasizing the necessity of promoting good health and robust, sustainable healthcare systems worldwide while addressing health disparities. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored this imperative. Consequently, many countries and organizations have devised new global health strategies aimed at tackling pressing challenges both current and future. These challenges encompass issues such as limited access to healthcare, shortages of medical professionals, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, air pollution, HIV, and emerging infectious diseases.

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, these strategies propose various solutions, including: strengthening health systems (including improving access to primary health care), preventing health risks, and preparing for and responding to health crises.

FIP’s message for World Pharmacists Day 2025 is clear:

Think Health, Think Pharmacist

Why is there a celebration called World Pharmacist Day?

The purpose of World Pharmacists Day, which was brought to life at the FIP Council 2009 in Istanbul, is to encourage activities that promote and advocate for the role of the pharmacist in improving health in every corner of the world. Pharmacists are the reason why people get the best from their medicines, they are using their experience, knowledge, and expertise to make the (medical) world a better place for everybody. Moreover, they give access to medicines, advise people on how to properly take them and so much more.

Since 2020, the FIP has also launched World Pharmacy Week to extend the celebrations to include all aspects of the pharmacy profession.

Why is it celebrated on September 25?

The Turkish members of FIP suggested the Date because the FIP was established on the same day in 1912.

We prepared an infographic on some more interesting figures around the World Pharmacists Day:
(click to enlarge the infographic)

What is the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)?

The founder of World Pharmacists Day, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global body representing pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmaceutical education. Through their 144 national organisations, academic institutional members and individual members, they represent millions of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and pharmaceutical educators around the world. FIP is a non-governmental organisation with its head office in the Netherlands. Through their partnerships and extensive pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences network, they work to support the development of the pharmacy profession, through practice and emerging scientific innovations, and through developing the pharmacy workforce in order to meet the world’s health care needs and expectations.

Where is the word “pharmacy” actually coming from?

Some of the oldest pharmaceutical records were found in Egypt from the year 2900 B.C. The “Papyrus Ebers”, a collection of 800 prescriptions mentioning 700 drugs, dates back to around 1500 B.C. The “Father of Pharmacy” is Aelius Galenius aka Galen of Pergamon a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman empire. His name is still associated with galenicals.

NEWSLETTER REGISTRATION

Did you know…?

…that 78% of Pharmacy Technicians are Females and there are more than 4 million pharmacists worldwide? All of them boosted the revenue of the pharmaceutical market in 2024 to 1.67 trillion USD!

…that they are the most accessible healthcare professional? (For example: in the USA >90% of people live within 5 miles of a pharmacist).

…that the inventors of Coca-Cola (John Pemberton), Dr. Pepper (Charles Alderton), Pepsi and Ginger Ale were pharmacists too?

Our mission at Pharma Excipients is to give more information about pharmaceutical excipients to the pharmaceutical world. See some examples for our general background articles on pharmaceutical excipients giving answers in text, graphics and videos to questions like:

What are Pharmaceutical Excipients?

What are the ingredients & excipients in the COVID-19 vaccines? See them all here!

Interested in the production of oral solid dosage forms – Have a look here