FIP: pharmaceutical industry must be environmentalized

The pharmaceutical industry may soon be seeing drastic changes in its environmental protocol as recently highlighted by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).

On Tuesday, as United Nations leaders met to talk about climate change, the FIP released “Green Pharmacy Practice: Taking Responsibility for the Environmental Impact of Medicines," which documents the negative environmental impact pharmaceuticals have on the planet. 

“This document is intended to increase awareness in our profession of what can be done at ground level and higher to protect our environment, and through that, the health of our communities," Eeva Teräsalmi, co-chair of the FIP Working Group on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment, said. "It could also be used to remind policymakers to consider the valuable role pharmacists can play in this issue."

The report describes the many ways in which pharmaceutical drugs infiltrate our water supply and ultimately find their way back into our soil and atmosphere. The FIP also presents their research on how taking better responsibility for the management and disposal of these drugs can significantly minimize their effects on the environment.

“Through this reference document, FIP is supporting full engagement of the pharmacy profession in reducing the environmental impact of medicines," FIP authors reported. "Pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists can provide meaningful leadership in this area where leadership is desperately needed. This is a great opportunity for the profession."