[1] The Alliance unites dentistry, medicine, nursing, physical therapy and pharmacy through their representative international organizations, the International Council of Nurses (ICN),[2] the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP),[3] World Physiotherapy,[4] the FDI World Dental Federation[5] and the World Medical Association (WMA).
The Alliance operates under the philosophy that by working in collaboration, instead of along parallel tracks, the patient and health care system benefit.
[7] Since the creation of the alliance the WHPA has taken active and leading roles in fostering patient safety, advocating a positive practice environment in the health care setting, human resource issues, regulation of the health professions, human rights in medicine, producing a core competency framework for international health consultants and discussing the future of healthcare.
Other activities have involved combating counterfeit medicines, condemning the stigma associated with mental illness, multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis and tobacco.
The WHPA Secretariat is hosted at the FDI World Dental Federation in Geneva, Switzerland.