The State of Global Air 2024 reports air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, becoming the second leading risk factor for death, including for children under five years. This persistent threat contributes to respiratory illnesses, cancers, and birth defects, often alongside greenhouse gas emissions. The pharmaceutical sector adds to this burden through solvent emissions, volatile organic compounds, and GHGs from manufacturing and patient use. In UK primary care, medicines account for nearly half of healthcare-related emissions, with 13% from metered dose inhalers alone. Pharmacists can help by understanding how medicines and the environment affect each other: how environmental conditions change how medicines/healthcare work (ecokinetics), and how pharmaceuticals impact air, water, and soil quality (ecodynamics). This knowledge helps them make greener choices in prescribing and patient care.
From pollution to solutions: Empowering sustainable pharmacists for climate, health, and environmental stewardship
