Recently, at its General Assembly meeting, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) has elected Clare Fitzell as PGEU President for 2025 and Claude Hostert-Pfeiffer from the Union of Luxembourg Pharmacists (SPL) as PGEU Vice-President. She will start mandate from 1 January 2025.
In her acceptance speech, Ms Fitzell stressed:?”I am truly honoured to have been elected to serve as PGEU President. 2025 will be a crucial year to determine the course of the European Union action on health matters. The upcoming mandates of the newly-elected European Parliament and the next European Commission present an unparalleled opportunity to continue working to keep health at the top of the EU political agenda and to build a strong European Health Union.
“I will work hard to ensure that community pharmacists’ voices are heard by the EU policy-makers, especially during the negotiations on the reform of the EU pharmaceutical legislation that will continue over the next year. We need to ensure a regulatory framework that recognises the role of community pharmacists in the healthcare system and brings real benefits to patients by improving access to medicines and mitigating shortages. Supported by the valuable cooperation of PGEU members, I am determined to work for shaping the future of our profession”.
Ms Fitzell is a qualified pharmacist with over 24 years of experience in community-based practice. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, she has served both as a community pharmacist and a community pharmacy manager. Throughout her career, Clare has undertaken a wide array of roles, gaining extensive experience in pharmacy service delivery, regulatory affairs, and quality management in pharmacy practice. Currently, Clare holds the position as the Head of Strategic Policy at the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU).
