The Pharmaceutical Association Strengthens Kuwait's Presence at the Montreal Conference with Professional and Research Participation
The Kuwait Pharmaceutical Association confirmed that its participation in the 84th World Congress of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in Montreal, Canada, enhanced Kuwait’s professional and research presence through participation in the Federation Council, delivering a scientific lecture, presenting two Kuwaiti research papers, and signing the Montreal Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases.
Dr. Ahmed Taqi, President of the Association and head of the delegation, told KUNA that Dr. Badr Al-Kharaj, a board member and the Association’s representative on the Federation Council, participated in discussing, voting on, and adopting professional resolutions and statements addressing patient safety, therapeutic substitution, professional ethics, professional recognition, non-communicable diseases, and Federation governance.
Taqi added that the Association’s signing of the Montreal Declaration reflects its commitment to supporting the prevention, early detection, and improved treatment of non-communicable diseases, while enhancing the pharmacist’s role in awareness, screening, medication adherence support, optimizing drug use, and referrals, particularly for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health.
He noted that he delivered a lecture titled “Updating National Legislation: A Comprehensive Bill to Develop Pharmaceutical Practice and Protect Professional Practice in Kuwait,” in which he highlighted the need to update the Pharmacy Law issued in 1996 and its limited amendments in 2006, to better support patient safety, expand the scope of pharmacist practice, regulate digital pharmacy, and address modern therapeutic developments.
The delegation also presented a study on public awareness and behaviors regarding antibiotics, prepared by Dr. Badr Al-Kharaj, Dr. Ahmed Taqi, Dr. Dana Al-Tarrah, Dr. Mustafa Al-Zughoul, and Dr. Esraa Al-Khassawneh. The study involved 360 participants and revealed that 51.4% incorrectly believed that antibiotics treat colds or flu, while 41.1% reported engaging in at least one unsafe behavior. These findings support the need to standardize pharmaceutical counseling and study the adoption of a mandatory minimum standard for pharmacist consultation when dispensing antibiotics.
Kuwaiti researcher Dr. Mona Al-Anzi participated with a research paper based on her doctoral thesis on developing a “digital twin” model for the Kuwaiti population to support precise drug dosing. The paper was presented on her behalf by Dr. Raj K. Singh Badhan. The research relied on records of approximately 2,100 patients and validated the model using therapeutic drug monitoring data from 42 patients, paving the way for more tailored doses and treatments aligned with the physiological characteristics of patients in Kuwait.
Taqi stated that the Kuwaiti delegation held meetings with Federation leaders and representatives of member organizations to discuss partnerships in practice, research, and education. He emphasized that international participation aims to achieve actionable outcomes that contribute to the development of the profession and improve pharmaceutical care in Kuwait.
The Congress, held in Montreal from August 30 to September 2 under the theme “One Health, One Pharmacy: Linking Science, Practice, and Education,” brought together pharmacists, researchers, academics, and professional leaders from around the world.
At the conclusion of the participation, the Association congratulated Egyptian Dr. Wael Ali on his election to the Executive Committee of the Community Pharmacy Section of the Federation for the term 2026–2029, and on being awarded the Federation Fellowship for 2026. The Association affirmed that this achievement enhances the Arab pharmaceutical presence and professional cooperation among countries in the region.
