The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has released the first global guidelines to support pharmacies to keep on caring for their patients during natural disasters, such as floods, heatwaves and earthquakes.

The document, 'Responding to disasters: Guidelines for pharmacy', describes actions under each of the four phases of an emergency - prevention/risk mitigation, preparation/readiness, response and recovery and contains practical tips and information on preparing the pharmacy in case of specific disaster types, along with a list of medicines to stock for emergency situations.

Dr Régis Vaillancourt, co-chair of FIP's Pharmacy Emergency Management Working Group, which produced the guidelines, said: "The working group was set up in response to an increase in pharmacists around the world requesting help during emergency situations.

"Making these guidelines available to all is one of the ways in which FIP is helping pharmacists to continue to provide safe and effective care, even when bad things happen. Natural disasters have been growing in number as a result of climate change."