Pharmaceutical Pollution Initiative
Accelerating our transition to the sustainable use of medicines in human healthcare through a system-wide collaboration approach.
Pharmaceutical usage in healthcare is increasing globally, accompanied by rising levels of environmental pollution. Evidence is mounting of the harmful impacts this can have on ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Despite efforts to tackle this issue from the pharmaceutical, healthcare and environmental sectors, progress to date has been limited.
Our initiative takes a fresh approach to finding solutions. We are looking at the big picture, to try to understand the complex societal systems driving pharmaceutical pollution from healthcare. We believe that change will only be possible if it considers the whole system and the needs and interests of every person and organisation within it.
We are working with representatives from across the pharmaceutical, healthcare and environmental sectors to develop pragmatic recommendations for action across the system. Once this is in place, we hope to mobilise and harness the academic community to expedite change through developing an action-oriented engaged research and impact programme.
For more information about the UK healthcare-derived pharmaceutical system, please see our call-to-action paper.
To me the most exciting part of this initiative has been seeing such high levels of enthusiasm from all sectors.
Everyone recognises that this is an issue that needs to be resolved – clearly we need to take action for the sake of our planet, but finding sustainable solutions is also key to the long-term future of the pharmaceutical, healthcare and water industries which have crucial roles in maintaining our health and economy.
The scale of change required here is such that these organisations will need support in identifying and implementing solutions. Universities are in a great position to support this through collaborative research programmes, and that’s what we want to create through our network.
Read more from Dr Kelly Thornber
Dr Kelly Thornber
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
