The Pharmacists National Union was established by charter of March 27, 1935. By imposition of the Estado Novo, all pharmaceutical associations, including the Lusitanian Pharmaceutical Society, were gathered in this Union. With this incorporation, all the assets of these associations were transferred to the Union. Its first president was Emílio Fragoso.

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The main activities of the Pharmacists National Union were:

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• Key role in the publication of the important laws concerning pharmacy property (Law no. 2125 of March 20, 1965) and the law concerning pharmaceutical practice (Decree-Law no. 48547 of August 27, 1968) containing this law a chapter that is already a true deontological code.

 

• The influence on the publication of the Decree-Law no. 46 997 of May 7, 1966 regarding the mandatory registration to practice pharmacy, the creation of a professional card and specialists’ titles: the Clinical Analysis and the Pharmaceutical Industry Colleges.

 

• Hosting the 1st Portuguese-Spanish Pharmacy Congress in 1950, as well as the Annual Scientific Conference held alternately in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra.



The total of members of the Pharmacists National Union increased progressively resulting in the creation of a professional card, in 1939. Until June 15, 1935 the total number of members registered was 375, including the founding members. In November 1939, 871 members were registered; in 1947 they were already 2 228 and 3 088 members in 1956.