10/07/2025
The safe elimination of pharmaceutical (and lab) waste is a critical component of the pharmaceutical life cycle; but it remains, at best, an afterthought for funders, researchers and policymakers, leaving many communities exposed to preventable environmental and public health risks.
In this commentary, just out in the BMJ Global Health, we argue that the neglect of last-mile pharmaceutical (and laboratory) waste management in global public health debates is a considerable health, ecological and social challenge, and that it is imperative to act now to mitigate risks to public health and the environment, to reduce health inequities, and to build a sustainable future for global health and the environment.
You may read the full paper here: https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/7/e019544.
Below, I copy-paste the Summary Box:
Last-mile pharmaceutical waste is generated at the level of the community, healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical outlets and markets, and animal husbandry.
Inappropriate elimination methods result in the presence of pharmaceutical residues in the environment, with possible—and often unreported or undetected—adverse effects on ecosystems, communities and public health.
Last-mile pharmaceutical waste management remains, at best, an afterthought in global public health, leaving many vulnerable populations exposed to preventable environmental and public health risks.
Last-mile pharmaceutical waste management constitutes a considerable health, ecological and social challenge, requiring an interdisciplinary and integrated systems approach. It is imperative to act now to build a sustainable future for global health and the environment.
Have a nice reading! With best regards,
Raffaella Ravinetto
Pharmaceutical Public Health
Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium
