Jorge Batista

Could you introduce yourself briefly?

Hello everyone! My name is Jorge Batista, and I am a Portuguese pharmacist by training, living in Brussels at the moment. I am currently working in PGEU - the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union, as a Professional Affairs Advisor, and I am also doing a Ph.D in International Health, Specialising in Health Policies and Development.

What is your academic background + engaging initiatives when you were a student?

When I was a Pharmacy student, I first joined my local students associations, in the area of training and education. It was very interesting to me, especially because we were starting to develop training programs on soft skills. I had the honor to be amongst the first Portuguese EPSA trainers, delivering trainings on soft-skills for pharmacy students. I soon became more involved at the National level and then at the European level, as I was part of the EPSA Team between 2012 and 2014, as Educational Affairs Coordinator and Vice-President of Education. This experience shaped my interest in health policies and international affairs, which have since then have been linked with my professional career.

Could you please detail your position and missions at the moment? What were your previous work experiences?

At PGEU - the European organisation that represents community pharmacists - I work at the core of professional development, following up on the European and national developments in the area of pharmacy and health in general, and supporting members on the development of the profession. This is highly tied with the implementation of pharmacy services - advanced healthcare interventions led by pharmacists with the aim of improving patients health and producing positive health outcomes. Before joining PGEU I worked for the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society - the regulatory authority for the profession of pharmacists in Portugal (the Chamber) - as Secretary General, International Affairs Lead, and Pharmacist responsible for the Continuous Professional Development Program. This experience at the national level was essential to broaden the horizons about possible pharmaceutical interventions.

A particular health policy topic you are interested in and why?

I especially like the topic of vaccination, since this is an added value that pharmacists can take in broadening their scope of intervention, thus contributing to protecting public health. It is clear now more than ever that vaccines are an essential tool to prevent diseases and this particular health policy area is of great importance.