Link to EAHP Statements

• Section 2 - Selection, Procurement and Distribution: Statements - 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
• Section 6 - Education and Research: Statement - 6.4

ACPE UAN: 0475-0000-23-007-L04-P - A knowledge-based activity 

Abstract

We all know about the benefits medicines can provide to our patients. This benefit is the highest priority in any decision we make around purchase and supply of medicines. Availability of the drug is the key for any drug treatment. Other priorities in the decision to put a drug in the formulary have always been safety issues and pharmacoeconomical reasons. But we are not living on an island and can just focus on the outcome of our patients alone. Climate change is a fact and we had to learn that health systems and so also hospitals have a great impact on climate change in producing a carbon footprint which is big. Discussions about carbon footprints are still controversial. It is always some kind of "what can we do if others do nothing or do worse“. We have to overcome those points and just take action in our own field. To be able to act we have to know the facts around the carbon footprint of hospitals, hospital pharmacies, medicines, to name a few. When we put the carbon footprint issue in our basis for decision-making the first step into a green medicines supply chain management is done. Another point where practice can influence the carbon footprint of hospitals is just pure logistic. This does not only focus on the in-hospital supply chains but also the ordering process of hospital pharmacies at pharmaceutical industry and the out-hospital supply chains and logistics. The speakers will give an overview about the impacts of different contributions to the carbon footprint of health systems and how we could include those in our decision-making process with the goal to positively influence the impact of hospitals to climate change. They will also show the role hospital pharmacist can take in this process and how to develop green practices around medicines.

Learning objectives

After the session, the participant should be able to

• List the different aspects of carbon footprints of health systems, including hospitals and hospital pharmacies
• Discuss the different measures to positively influence the impact of health systems to climate change
• Discuss possible measures regarding the supply chain of medicines

Educational need addressed

Climate change is real. Hospital pharmacists can have an impact on climate change. They should be able to discuss the impact of supply chain management, formulary decisions and the possibilities to influence the carbon footprint of hospitals.

Keywords: Climate change, green house gas, carbon footprint, sustainability, medicines procurement, medicines supply chain, formulary decision-making