A new era of beauty and wellness showcased at APP2024

The Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference and Trade Exhibition (APP2024) has once again surpassed expectations, casting a brilliant spotlight on the evolving role of beauty and wellness within the pharmacy industry.

As the largest event of its kind in Australia, APP2024 emerged as a critical platform for unveiling groundbreaking trends, products, and advancements, marking a significant shift towards holistic health and beauty solutions in pharmacy settings.

This year’s conference underscored a pivotal transformation; pharmacies are transcending their traditional roles to become comprehensive centers for health and beauty. This shift mirrors a broader trend in consumer behaviour, signalling a growing demand for integrated solutions that cater to both health and aesthetic needs.

Beauty brands and distributors on show at the conference included Bioderma, Chemcorp International, Ego Pharmaceuticals, Kao Australia, La Roche Posay and Cera Ve, McPherson’s Consumer Products, Moogoo Skincare, Pierre Fabre Australia, P&G, Revlon, Alita Sales, VidaCorp and more.

Kos Sclavos AM, APP Chairman, shared his enthusiasm about the event’s success, noting the impressive engagement from attendees. “With 450 trade stands, over 60 sessions, and nearly 7,000 pharmacy colleagues and suppliers in attendance, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

The conference kicked off with a notable announcement from Pharmacy Guild National President, Professor Trent Twomey, revealing a new Heads of Agreement with the Commonwealth regarding the 8CPA. The social event of APP2024 was the ‘Glowchella’ Street Party, a vibrant gathering that attracted over 1,000 guests, showcasing the event’s spirit of community and collaboration.

Guild Pharmacy of the Year winners Capital Chemist Southlands.

A highlight of APP2024 was the announcement of the Guild Pharmacy of the Year, with Capital Chemist Southlands in the ACT taking the prestigious title. Louise Mclean, Pharmacist and co-owner, expressed her gratitude and pride in the achievement. “This recognition is a testament to our dedicated team and their commitment to embracing and celebrating diversity within our community,” she stated.

Capital Chemist Southlands also excelled in the Business Management category, while other awards were distributed across various domains of excellence in pharmacy practice. Amcal Pharmacy Emerton in New South Wales received the Community Engagement award and was the first to win the newly introduced Harm Minimisation category. Narrabri Pharmacy, also in New South Wales, was honored with the Professional Innovation award.

Meanwhile, the 2023 MIMS / Guild Intern of the Year Award was also announced during the conference, with Christian Portelli from Pharmacy 777 Tambrey in Western Australia taking out the coveted award. Christian was proudly nominated by his preceptor who described him as a fantastic intern who has held the pharmacy profession to the highest level and provided exceptional customer service to his patients. Christian graciously accepted his Award in front of hundreds of his pharmacy peers.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the next APP event, scheduled for 20-23 March, 2025, on the Gold Coast, promising another year of innovation, education, and celebration of excellence in pharmacy practice.

Images from the conference below: