To support the pharmaceutical sector in working sustainably the associations Neprofarm, VIG, Bogin and KNMP, together with Partners for Innovation, have drawn up the Inspiration Guide: “Towards a sustainable pharmaceutical value chain”. With this inspiration guide they want to inspire and motivate the sector.

Medicines make an important contribution to society. Every year, around 420 million medicine packs are provided, which means that people do not die, heal, live longer, have less or no pain, or are protected against disease. But medicines also have an impact on the environment. There is a growing awareness in society about climate change, as well as attention for the effects of medicines on the environment and the degree of waste. Work is being done on this within the pharmaceutical chain. In addition to environmental gains, making the chain more sustainable also yields health gains because, for example, antibiotic resistance can be tackled at the source and by reducing CO2 emissions.

The guide provides an overview of the medicine chain from a sustainability perspective and contains current developments and practical examples in this field. All steps in the life cycle of a medicine contain opportunities for sustainability. From the development, production, packaging, transport, distribution, prescription to the use and destruction of medicines.

Realizing a sustainable pharmacy chain can only be achieved through extensive cooperation between the parties that are part of this chain – from the development and approval of medicines, distribution, prescription and use, to waste processing and water purification. This requires a chain-wide and integrated approach, which takes health and safety for the patient first, including costs, security of supply and the environment.

Download the inspiration guide.

With this project we contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations: