The extent of drugs being wasted in hospitals is the theme of a vast project initiated in France by the Pharmacy Club of the French Committee for Sustainable Development in Health (C2DS), co-designed and co-supported by the network of 14 regional Observatories for Medicines, Medical Devices and Therapeutic Innovation (RESOMEDIT).
Scope: pharmacy for internal use in hospital and voluntary care units
The aim is to record all medicines discarded for 7 consecutive days between the 27 November 2024 and 9 February 2025 in a standardised national document in order to :
- produce a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the waste from medicinal products disposed of;
- identify the reasons for the disposal of such waste (expiry date, alteration, loss of product safety information, patient’s personal treatment, etc.);
- estimate the associated economic impact and carbon footprint;
- propose actions for improvement to reduce waste from medicinal products.
Reducing pharmaceutical waste in hospitals has a number of co-benefits:
Environmental
- Medicines account for a major proportion of a hospital’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing pharmaceutical waste mechanically reduces the carbon footprint of both the drugs and the organisation.
- Pollution of the environment (water, air, land) by the active substances in medicines is increasingly well documented, as is the pollution generated by waste incineration. Reducing pharmaceutical waste means reducing the direct and indirect environmental impact of healthcare activities. This action is particularly in line with the French National Health-Environment Plan.
Economic
- Over-consumption of medicines, misuse, iatrogeny and waste represent a significant cost to society. The National Health Fund’s annual report forecasts savings of €425 million on medicines by 2025. Reducing drug waste is a substantial source of financial savings.
- By weighing waste medicines, it is possible to start thinking about a new recovery/disposal route.
Social
- Waste is no longer tolerated by healthcare workers. This on-site action is designed to raise awareness among all those involved in the hospital’s medication circuit. Measuring in order to reduce this waste re-instills common sense into the organisation and the professions.
RESOMEDIT brings together France’s 14 regional Observatories for Medicines, Medical Devices and Therapeutic Innovation (OMéDITs). The OMéDITs are information, assessment and scientific expertise structures managed by the Ministry of Health.
C2DS is a network of 916 public and private healthcare establishments committed to sustainable development.
