The Global Self-Care Federation

We are a federation of associations and manufacturers of nonprescription medicines on all continents representing responsible self-care and self-medication

[Business at OECD @BusinessatOECD]

🧠 Today, we organised an event on "The Socio-Economic Value of Self-Care: Evidence & Policy Implications for @OECD Health Systems", supported by @Opella & @Selfcarefed_org.

Speakers included @FIP_org's @DrCDuggan, @OECD_Social's Frederico Guanais, #GSCF's Greg Perry & more showcased tangible economic & social benefits for health systems including perspectives from a sectoral industry case-study, as well as embedding preventive self-care as a core component of health system design.

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

As the @aesgp Annual Meeting in Berlin kicked off, the core challenge was clear: How do we build a safe, sustainable, and effective #selfcare ecosystem for Europe?

Moving from regional strategy to real-world health outcomes means tackling three high-stakes priorities head-on:

👉 Agile Regulation: We need regulatory frameworks that absorb geopolitical shifts and healthcare pressures without suffocating innovation.
👉 The Green Balance: We must navigate critical environmental transitions without compromising affordability or market competitiveness.
👉 The #Pharmacy Powerhouse: Community pharmacists are Europe’s most trusted, accessible health asset. Unlocking their full potential is non-negotiable for achieving better health outcomes.

Strategic alignment gets us on the map, but empowering our frontline players and regulators is what actually moves the needle. Happy to be in Berlin to engage in those discussions and contribute the future of self-care.

#AESGP62AM #globalhealth #environmentalsustainability

[Health Policy Watch @HealthPolicyW]

Men’s health is still largely missing from the global health agenda — despite shorter life expectancy, higher suicide rates and major preventable #NCD risks among men worldwide.

A new Global Action on Men’s Health report, launched alongside the#WHA79 with the Global Self-Care Federation, calls for prevention, self-care, health literacy and male-responsive services to be embedded in policy — not as a rival to women’s health, but as part of health for all. 🌍⚖️

✍️@stefancanderson
@globalmenhealth @Selfcarefed_org @Movember
@wef @roinnslainte @pbmenshealth #WHA79 #MensHealth #GlobalHealth #UniversalHealthCoverage #HealthEquity #PublicHealthPolic

[Health Policy Watch @HealthPolicyW]

A new report launched alongside WHA79 calls for men’s health to be embedded in policy, self-care, prevention, health literacy, workforce training & research — without taking attention away from women’s health.

✍️@stefancanderson
@Selfcarefed_org

https://t.co/azcyBWHa95

[World Patients Alliance @WorldPatients]

At the 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧’𝐬 High-Level Roundtable Dinner in Geneva, 𝐃𝐫. 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐢, 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐏𝐀, emphasized that self-care begins with informed and empowered patients. He highlighted the need to recognize patients as active partners in prevention, early intervention, and long-term disease management.

@AndrewRSpiegel @PennyCowan4 @Selfcarefed_org

[Int Society of Nephrology @ISNkidneycare]

🦷 ISN co-signed the statement 12.5, led by @IADR, calling for integrating oral health into primary healthcare to strengthen prevention, early detection, and management of chronic diseases through person-centered, prevention-focused care aligned with the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan.

#KidneyHealthMatters #WHA79

[austen el-osta @austenelosta]

Men’s #selfcare is a major blind spot in global health policy. The new Global Action on Men's Health report calls for male-responsive services, better health literacy, workforce training & stronger policy action to tackle preventable disease & improve health outcomes for men worldwide. 👇
https://t.co/TX8yWWpzrT

@Selfcarefed_org @ImperialSCARU @SCObservatory @SelfCare4UHC @globalselfcare @SelfCareForum @ISFglobal @SelfCareChamp @ImperialSPH @Imperial_PCPH

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

Today is #WorldNoTobaccoDay 🚭

Despite awareness of the harms of tobacco, cessation remains challenging due to the addictive nature of nicotine.

The use of nicotine replacement therapy (#NRT) significantly increases quit rates compared to placebo or no treatment, establishing it as a key pharmacological tool within comprehensive tobacco control strategies.

This is a prime example of #selfcare in primary prevention among disease-free smokers by reducing the risk of tobacco-related #NCDs.

#TobaccoExposed

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

Today we celebrate International Nurses Day.

Nurses are the ultimate champions of #selfcare, providing patients with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to manage their own health and increase levels of health literacy across societies.

Together, we can improve health outcomes and deliver the trusted, person-centred primary care that can transform health systems and address our world’s biggest health challenges.

#IND2026 #OurNursesOurFuture

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

On March 3rd, together with the Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt, we hosted the first ever Geneva Global Self-Care Forum. 🌐

Watch the highlights video with insights from the Forum and the High-Level Dinner to see why #selfcare should be a pillar of sustainable health systems globally.

#globalhealth #geneva #healthforall @FIP_org @IAPOvoice @WHOFoundation @WHO @Haleon_health

[austen el-osta @austenelosta]

At the inaugural Geneva Global Self-Care Forum to reflect on what we can do collectively to help people live longer, healthier & happier lives. We're obsessing about #selfcare because it really matters.
@Selfcarefed_org @ImperialSCARU
@ISFglobal @SelfCareForum @Haleon_health

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

Last week in Geneva, we wrapped up the #EB158 with an overarching message: evidence-based and equity-focused self-care is key to accelerating progress toward #UHC, when supported by strong health systems.

On the first day of EB158, GSCF co-hosted a breakfast roundtable with @BCIU and @Bayer to mark the launch of our new white paper, “Unlocking Self-Care for Global Health Progress.”

Throughout EB, we also delivered statements across key agenda items, including:
- Noncommunicable diseases: https://t.co/WuK99L1Lqc
- Universal Health Coverage: https://t.co/4BsNPs5t92
- Antimicrobial resistance: https://t.co/fQCVLxH7KA
- Maternal and child nutrition: https://t.co/ewREtfOHSe

Thank you to our partners and stakeholders for your continued engagement and support, which enables us to reinforce hashtag#selfcare on the agenda as part of stronger, more resilient health systems.

🔴 Read the report here: https://t.co/KPANopda8I

#NCDs #AMR @WHO #globalhealth #HealthForAllByAll

[World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific @WHOWPRO]

We thank all our partners who attended the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in #Fiji. Their engagement, insight and commitment were truly energizing.

Ranging from NGOs and CSOs to foundations, academia and student associations, our partners connect institutions with the lived realities of our communities. They bring expertise and innovation to where it’s needed most. And help turn policies into action.

At #RCM76 this was abundantly clear.

From tackling hypertension, alcohol control and HIV to emergency preparedness, climate change and health systems resilience – our partners helped keep our discussions grounded in reality.

Because only through partnerships in health can we truly achieve #HealthForAll.

@RD_WPRO, @IFMSA, @FIP_org, @WoncaWorld, @ICNurses, @wfsaorg, @fdiworlddental, @Selfcarefed_org, @gmleunghku

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

Happy #UHCDay!

Better self-care policy is essential to achieving not only a healthier world, but also Universal Health Coverage.

Our new white paper provides fresh insights, data, and policy recommendations to help governments, development partners, and industry translate global commitments into tangible, measurable actions, advancing progress toward the 2027 UNHLM on UHC and the 2030 SDG targets.

🔍Read it here: https://t.co/m1tGYDk6N9

#UHC #HealthForAll #HealthForAllByAll @WHO @UHC2030 #SDGs #globalhealth @Bayer @BCIU

[Business at OECD @BusinessatOECD]

⚕️ Next week, we hold the 2025 edition of our Health Forum on "#Healthcare's Competitive Future".

For panel 3 on financing #health different: investing in #impact not #illness, speakers include @Sanofi, @JNJInnovMed, @Selfcarefed_org, @OECD, @OHENews & @Philips.

🔎 Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/C6gRkmQyu2

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

As we look ahead to the 2027 UNHLM on UHC and the 2030 SDGs deadline, there is no time to waste.

This is why we have teamed up with @Bayer and @BCIU to develop a white paper on how #selfcare can

-Accelerate the adoption of UHC,
-Lessen the global burden of #NCDs and
-Support health systems resilience.

Read the report now and stay tuned for insights from our high level roundtable on the 11th of December!

💡https://t.co/m1tGYDk6N9

#UHC #HealthForAll #HealthForAllByAll @WHO @UHC2030 #SDGs #globalhealth

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

🔄 The fight against #AMR demands a holistic strategy.

NPAs and robust #selfcare initiatives are not secondary measures—they are critical cornerstones of a successful global response.

Policymakers and health systems must:

👉Ensure wide access to infection control and hygiene tools.
👉Support community-level education on effective self-care.
👉Integrate NPAs into primary health care and stewardship programs.

By enabling individuals to manage minor infections and hygiene effectively, we protect the efficacy of prescription antibiotics for generations to come.

🤝Join us in advocating for this essential shift. Read our brief for more insights: https://t.co/wLVxVmLseF

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

🚰The persistence of drug-resistant pathogens is severely exacerbated in LMICs due to sub-optimal WASH infrastructure.

Non-prescription antimicrobials like hand soaps and disinfectants are essential tools in these settings. They embed #selfcare practices like effective handwashing into everyday life, reducing infection frequency and lowering the overall demand for antibiotics.

The use of Non-Prescription Antimicrobials represents an untapped opportunity to reduce unnecessary prescription antibiotic use, prevent infections and strengthen AMR stewardship at the community level.

🌎Read our brief on NPAs: https://t.co/wLVxVmLseF

#LMICs #WASH #InfectionControl #GlobalEquity #AMR

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

🤝 Empowering individuals is key to sustainable #AMR containment.

Our opinion piece highlights how effective #selfcare practices, supported by non-prescription antimicrobials, can dramatically reinforce our health systems via:

⏰Reducing pressure: Self-care frees up over 2.8 billion physician hours annually, allowing doctors to focus on serious cases.

💰Saving resources: Self-care interventions can bring potential healthcare savings exceeding $179 billion annually.

🫂Championing communities: Community healthcare workers are instrumental in promoting proper hygiene and educating on the correct use of antimicrobials, bridging knowledge gaps.

Self-care isn't just about personal well-being - it's a critical component of resilient, sustainable healthcare infrastructure.

🌟Read more here: https://t.co/XW8YbbEuNX

#WAAW2025 #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance

[The Global Self-Care Federation @Selfcarefed_org]

Today marks the beginning of the WHO AMR Awareness Week under the theme of “Act now: protect our present, secure our future”.

With #AMR associated with 4.71 million deaths globally in 2021, and potentially costing the world economy $100 trillion by 2050, we need a 360-degree strategy.

The solution starts with prevention and #selfcare. Non-prescription antimicrobials (NPAs)—like antiseptic creams, hand washes, and disinfectants—are essential frontline defenses.

Learn more about it in our article by DG Greg Perry with Prof Sabiha Essack’s review here: https://t.co/XW8YbbEuNX

#WAAW2025 #AMR #AntimicrobialResistance