Health system sustainability | GSK

Building a common approach to measuring the climate and nature impacts of patient care.

We need a shared understanding of the environmental footprint of healthcare that supports patient access to the treatments and care they need.

This means considering both product level factors (including carbon, water, packaging and waste) which can be captured through a product Life Cycle Assessments (LCA); and care pathway factors, such as frequency and location of treatment and impact on patient outcomes which may lead to avoided emissions elsewhere in the healthcare system, for example by reducing hospitalisation.

Recognising the added value of medicines and vaccines that have a sustainability benefit.

The allocation of health budgets and decisions made to recognise and promote the value of sustainability will determine our collective ability to innovate and scale new solutions.

Medicines and vaccines are currently evaluated for their impact on patient outcomes and cost. But for products with a potential for having a high environmental impact, like metered dose inhalers (MDIs), systems also need to consider how to recognise any environmental benefits which may arise from the choice of medicine used or the impact it has on the carbon footprint of the patient care pathway.

Regulatory approval of more sustainable healthcare solutions.

We need fast and safe development and regulatory approval to get more sustainable innovations to patients.

Many changes to pharmaceutical products, processes and packaging require approval from medicines regulators. For example, transitioning to a lower global warming potential propellant in inhalers, switching to electronic patient information instead of paper leaflets and removing PVC from packaging to increase recyclability. Alignment and harmonisation across regulators would help to overcome challenges due the current need for separate reviews and approvals from multiple regulatory authorities globally.

Good practice on health system promotion of sustainable technologies and treatment approaches.

Achieving sustainability benefits can depend on healthcare professional and patient uptake. We can make better use of the tools already at our disposal to optimise patient care and improve control of symptoms.

For example, in respiratory disease, optimising patients’ maintenance therapy to improve control of symptoms and reduce the need for higher carbon rescue/reliever medications and encouraging the use of existing low carbon treatment options, such as dry powder inhalers (DPIs), where clinically appropriate.