A new publication co-authored by OHBP steering group member Prof Sharon Pfleger has concluded: “We need a scientifically sound Environmental Sustainability Assessment (ESA) system for pharmaceuticals, with consensus from all stakeholders, which is tiered, robust, harmonised, and adaptable to different contexts.”
The publication in Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy is an output from an international workshop held at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in April 2025, which involved experts from the healthcare and environmental sectors from over 10 European countries. The workshop participants proposed a modular ESA system with several distinct categories, such as carbon emissions, material use, and environmental risks.
There is a clear need for a harmonised ESA approach, and the publication states this must incorporate the following aspects:
- Common definitions and standards on environmentally sustainable and green pharmacy at the EU and global levels, embedded in legislation or regulatory guidance.
- Consistent criteria and associated indicators that are robust, realistic, measurable, and feasible for industry to adopt and implement effectively.
- Scientifically sound methodologies for reporting on indicators, e.g. informed by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) methodologies.
- Transparent, traceable, and accurate data complying with quality standards.
- Structured decision-making tools that reflect stakeholder preferences, e.g. using Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA).
- Effective information exchange between stakeholders across the pharmaceutical lifecycle, enabling open-access ESA databases that are practical and comprehensible.
Find the full publication here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352554126001300