Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – The population's evolving health needs, strengthening prevention, the proximity of services, and the sustainability of the National Health Service: these are the central themes of the event "Pharmacy and Health. Prevention, Innovation, and Proximity for Community Well-Being," sponsored by the Lombardy Region, the Regional Council, and the City of Milan, and organized by Federfarma Lombardia and The European House-Ambrosetti, which took place today in the Lombardy capital.
The aging population, the increase in chronic diseases, and the demand for community care are redefining the role of the pharmacy, which is increasingly becoming a point of access to healthcare services and a local health facility focused on prevention, early diagnosis, and supporting residents through treatment. In this context, Lombardy relies on a network of 3.042 pharmacies, including 2.107 urban and 935 rural, over 14 professionals, and approximately 800 residents who visit pharmacies every day, confirming its position as a widespread infrastructure serving community health.
The growing integration of pharmacies into the healthcare system is also reflected in the expansion of services provided throughout the region. As of September 14, 2026, Federfarma Lombardia reports, more than 2 million GP and pediatrician appointments and 2,8 million CUP appointments have been completed, over 4 million colorectal cancer screening kits have been distributed, and more than 3,9 million samples have been collected. 2.982 pharmacies are currently participating in the regional screening program.
These numbers demonstrate how the service pharmacy has now become a structural and consolidated component of the regional social and health service.
"The service pharmacy, launched over 15 years ago, continues to evolve, consolidating the pharmacy's role as a point of reference for citizens and their multiple health needs. While this is now a consolidated reality nationwide, it is even more so at the regional level," stated Annarosa Racca, President of Federfarma Lombardia. "I am particularly proud of the journey we have undertaken together with the Lombardy Region and of the great teamwork that has accompanied us over these years, allowing us to achieve significant results and milestones of great value for citizens. In our facilities, it is possible to receive telemedicine services, have access to a wide range of vaccinations, participate in prevention activities, and even change your doctor easily and immediately. Let's not forget that the dispensing of medications, especially innovative ones, is what characterizes and will always characterize our work. There is no shortage of challenges and opportunities for the future. I am thinking, for example, of therapeutic adherence and medication reconciliation activities, which represent another way to be close to people and offer concrete support, especially for those who are not in need of assistance. to the most vulnerable citizens. And it is in this direction that we must continue to work, strengthening the pharmacy's contribution to health care and addressing the community's needs."
Among the areas that best exemplify the evolution of service pharmacies is vaccination prevention, which in recent years has significantly expanded the contribution of pharmacies to public health strategies and the protection of citizens' health. In Lombardy, the statement continues, there are currently approximately 1.360 vaccination pharmacies. Since the launch of the service, over 1,6 million COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered, in addition to nearly half a million flu shots and more than 28,000 pneumococcal vaccinations for those over 65 in the latest vaccination campaign. The launch of HPV vaccinations by the end of September and the launch of shingles vaccinations by the end of 2026 have also been confirmed. The evolution of service pharmacies is also continuing through technological innovation and the digitalization of care pathways. In the first half of 2026, approximately 2,000 pharmacies provided more than 91,000 telemedicine services. These will be accompanied by further developments, including the project dedicated to self-monitoring diabetes, the progressive introduction of telemedicine consultations in pharmacies, and the completion of the digitalization of prescription processes through the Electronic Health Record.
"Demographic and epidemiological trends today require a rethink on how healthcare services are organized," emphasized Daniela Bianco, partner at The European House – Ambrosetti and head of the Health & Life Sciences Area at Teha Group. "In an increasingly aging society characterized by the rise of chronic diseases, the sustainability of the system will depend not only on available resources, but on the ability to generate better health through care models that identify people's needs early. In this scenario, the service pharmacy represents a concrete example of value-driven organizational innovation."
"Aging, chronic conditions, and new social dynamics require greater attention to prevention, easier access to services, and increasingly personalised solutions. In a word: proximity," emphasized Andrea Mandelli, president of FOFI (Federation of Italian Pharmacists' Associations). "The Lombardy Region has invested strongly in this model, promoting pharmacists as an integral part of the local network. Vaccinations, telemedicine, and support for chronic conditions have progressively expanded the profession's contribution to health care, continuity of care, and the efficiency of the regional health service. The results achieved confirm the value of this approach: strengthening the local community and networking skills and professionalism means better responding to today's healthcare needs and building a more sustainable healthcare system for the future."
Sustainability also requires increasing attention to appropriate care and the efficient use of available resources. In a context characterized by growing chronic conditions—40% of Lombardy residents suffer from at least one chronic disease and 20% from at least two—prevention, treatment adherence, and community-based care represent key levers for generating value for citizens and the system as a whole, emphasize the promoters of the Milanese event. "The sustainability of the healthcare system cannot be viewed solely in terms of cost containment," observed Emanuele Monti, president of the Social Sustainability, Housing, and Family Commission of the Lombardy Regional Council and a member of the Board of Directors of AIFA (Italian Medicines Agency). "The real challenge is to ensure citizens' access to care and innovation, while simultaneously promoting appropriate prescriptions, therapeutic adherence, and increasingly effective care pathways. In this context, the network of community pharmacies represents a strategic resource: identifying healthcare needs early, supporting chronic patients, and promoting greater continuity of care means not only improving health outcomes but also using available resources more efficiently."
"To transform healthcare spending into an investment in health, the path requires standardizing and validating processes and, consequently, measuring health outcomes," concluded Marco Alparone, Vice President and Councilor for Budget of the Lombardy Region and President of the Regions-Health Sector Committee of the Conference of the Regions. "In this process, the service pharmacy represents a fundamental support not only in the provision of services, but also in the development of cognitive services, monitoring, and improving adherence to therapy. The pharmacy, integrated into care pathways, plays a central role in patient care and in measuring the value produced."
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