Pharmacists’ Association as a Partner for Public Health, Patient Education and Community-Based Research

Association of Pharmacists of the Nišava–Pirot Region (Serbia) is a professional, non-profit organization representing community pharmacists in southeastern Serbia. As a patient-centred pharmaceutical association, we aim to contribute to improving healthcare outcomes, strengthening the role of community pharmacists, and supporting innovative, evidence-based, and sustainable health systems.

Currently, we are implementing the PharmWaste project, which focuses on promoting the rational management of pharmaceutical waste in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Croatia, funded under the Erasmus+ programme. Through this project, we have strengthened our capacity for cross-border collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and public awareness activities, and we are fully capable and available for international cooperation in research, education, and implementation projects. We have extensive experience in public health promotion, patient education, antimicrobial stewardship, drug utilisation research, optimisation of pharmacotherapy, and pharmaceutical care, as well as active participation in national and international research and educational projects.

Within Horizon Europe Health projects, our association can contribute through:

• Medication review and drug utilisation analysis

• Advisory support on rational medicine use

• Monitoring of adverse drug reactions and treatment adherence

• Management of pharmaceutical waste

• Facilitating access to community pharmacies and pharmacists for data collection and harmonisation of pharmaceutical services

• Strengthening interprofessional communication in patient-centred care

• Supporting patient education, prevention, and awareness campaigns

• Participation in implementation, dissemination, and exploitation activities

• Contribution to qualitative and quantitative research related to medicine use, health literacy, prevention, and primary healthcare

Partnership Interests

We are interested in joining Horizon Europe consortia as either an associated or full partner, particularly in projects focused on:

• Public health and disease prevention

• Healthcare workforce development

• Environmental health and patient safety

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

• Digital health adoption in clinical and community pharmacy practice