International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Basel Statements: An Analysis of Hospital Pharmacy Practice in the Philippines

This study analyzed the current state of hospital pharmacy practice in the Philippines, using the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FIP) Revised 2014 Basel Statements as a standard. It aimed to identify current practice gaps and priority areas for improvement in order to improve public health outcomes and optimize drug therapy. A descriptive-correlational research approach was used to investigate how hospital demographic variables influence pharmacy practice performance across Basel-defined tiers and thematic themes. Data were collected from 302 hospital pharmacists in diverse regions using an adapted FIP Basel Self-Assessment Tool. The findings suggest that hospital pharmacy services in the country are mostly focused on distributive and dispensing tasks, with minimal adoption of clinical pharmacy and patient-centered services. Significant correlations were found between institutional characteristics—such as hospital service level, hospital type, presence of pharmacy and medical residency programs, number of full-time pharmacists, pharmacy student rotations, and practice setting—and performance in both practice tiers and topics. Medication safety practices, adequate storage and dispensing, contingency planning for pharmaceutical shortages, and the acquisition of high-quality medicines are among our core capabilities. However, significant gaps remain in areas such as clinical informatics integration, engagement in research and human resource development, rational medicine usage monitoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Furthermore, several hospitals reported little engagement from pharmacists in areas such as herbal and dietary supplements, off-label drug use, hazardous pharmaceutical handling, compounding, and quality assurance systems. The study provides relevant information to help drive national initiatives to strengthen pharmacy practices. Its findings highlight the importance of focused, region-specific strategies and regulatory reforms to improve hospital pharmacy services and align with these to global best practices.