World Pharmacists Day 2025
- Written by Heather Archbold
- Posted: 25 September 2025
- 1 min read
Today, Thursday 25th September 2025, is World Pharmacists Day and this year the theme is ‘Think Health, Think Pharmacist’.
Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals available. We believe that pharmacists and their teams are best placed to recognise the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer in the regular customer base that they support. From back pain, to indigestion, to nausea there are many reasons to visit a pharmacist when experiencing the first signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Equipped with the right skills, pharmacists and their teams can recommend that patients visit their GP if they suspect pancreatic cancer.
Last year, we re-launched our accredited pharmacy E-learning module, educating pharmacists and their teams on the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer and how to recognise these in the patients that they support. This module has since been hosted on multiple platforms, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society who are the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists.
Our E-learning module can be accessed here: Pharmacist E-learning
“Community Pharmacy is now well acknowledged as a cornerstone of equitable NHS Care. As the most accessible delivery point of healthcare, with innumerable daily contacts, care interactions and conversations, this is why evidence indicates that improving earlier pancreatic cancer diagnoses requires the Community Pharmacy team. Earlier diagnoses saves lives and improves treatment outcomes. This training resource, provided by Pancreatic Cancer Action, who have long championed the role and expertise of Community Pharmacy Teams including the wider pharmacy profession now embedded across the NHS footprint, helps provide the knowledge and expertise needed. Please do take some time to complete the online learning module, so that together we will help save lives.”
Hear from our Pharmacist Ambassador, Ade Williams:
Whilst pharmacists are key to early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, they also play a crucial role in a patient’s treatment and care during and following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
Pancreatic cancer patients and survivors are likely prescribed Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT). PERT is prescribed to support digestion in patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PIE), a common side effect of pancreatic cancer. There are currently ongoing supply issues surrounding PERT under the product brands of Creon®, Nutrizym® and Pancrex®. Unfortunately, these shortages are likely to continue until the end of 2026. These shortages have caused stress, anxiety and inconvenience for patients and their families, and pharmacists have been pivotal in supporting patients through these medicine shortages. To find out more about these shortages and for advice on navigating them, please visit: PERT Advice.