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Sustainable medicines use in clinical practice - a clinical pharmacological view on ecopharmacostewardship
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  • Elizabeth Adeyeye,
  • Benjamin New ,
  • Fangyue Chen,
  • Spoorthy Kulkarni,
  • Marie Fisk (Associate Senior Editor),
  • Jamie Coleman
Elizabeth Adeyeye
Barts Health NHS Trust

Corresponding Author:elizabeth.adeyeye@nhs.net

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Benjamin New
Ninewells Hospital and Medical School
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Fangyue Chen
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Spoorthy Kulkarni
University of Cambridge
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Marie Fisk (Associate Senior Editor)
University of Cambridge
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Jamie Coleman
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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Abstract

Climate change continues to pose a dangerous threat to human health. However, not only is health impacted by this crisis, healthcare itself adds to the problem, through significant contributions to green house gas emissions. In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) is responsible for an estimated 4% of the overall national carbon footprint. Medicines account for a quarter of this and whilst they are vital in in health now, through sustainable use they can also positively influence the environmental health of the future. In this review, we explore how clinical pharmacologists and other health care professionals can practice sustainable medicines use or eco-pharmaco-stewardship. We will discuss current and near future environmental practices within the NHS, which we suspect will resonate with other health systems. We will suggest approaches for championing eco-pharmaco-stewardship in drug manufacturing, clinical practices and patient use, to achieve a more a sustainable healthcare system.
14 Sep 2021Submitted to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
15 Sep 2021Submission Checks Completed
15 Sep 2021Assigned to Editor
17 Sep 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
19 Oct 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Oct 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
02 Nov 20211st Revision Received
03 Nov 2021Submission Checks Completed
03 Nov 2021Assigned to Editor
03 Nov 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Nov 2021Editorial Decision: Accept