This article is based on a presentation given by Dr Martin Henman at the joint PSI/ICCPE educational sessions held earlier this summer. The sessions around pharmacy and the influenza pandemic were held under the auspices of the Expert Pharmacy Advisory Taskforce, which comprises representatives of the PSI, IPU, academic pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, HSE pharmacists and public health doctors. The taskforce was established to advise and inform Government and the Health Services of the relevant issues, and to support pharmacists in their role. The taskforce is fortunate in having Pamela Logan from the IPU as a member as Pamela has been nominated to represent European community pharmacists on the European Scientific Working group on Influenza (ESWI).