Sustainable pharmacy practice – what is the role of community pharmacies?

Sustainability has become a central concern across all sectors of healthcare, and pharmacy practice is no exception. As accessible healthcare providers, community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to contribute to sustainable development goals through responsible medication management, waste reduction, and patient education. Environmental impacts from pharmaceutical production, distribution, and disposal are increasingly recognized, and policy measures are being introduced to mitigate these effects. 

This webinar aims to explore the concept of sustainability in pharmacy practice, highlight relevant policy initiatives, and discuss the evolving role of community pharmacists in promoting environmentally responsible pharmacotherapy. By bringing together stakeholders from across the pharmaceutical field, we hope to inspire practical actions and collaborative strategies that support a more sustainable future in healthcare.

The aim of the webinar is to

• describe sustainability in pharmacy practice,
• describe and discuss policy measures taken to improve sustainability in pharmacy practice,
• discuss community pharmacists’ role in enhancing sustainability, especially environmental sustainability, and
• propose directions on how community pharmacists can work towards sustainability in practice.

Target groups: community pharmacists, decision makers, authorities, pharmaceutical sector stakeholders, researchers, students, all interested in pharmaceutical policy issues.

Organizers: pharmaceutical policy researchers from the Universities of Copenhagen, Eastern Finland, Iceland, Oslo, Uppsala, and Tartu. The Webinar is organized within the NordicPharmaTrain-collaboration between 10 Nordic partner universities and 5 affiliated Baltic universities.

Please note that the event time follows the time in Finland and Estonia. The webinar starts at 12:00 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and at 10:00 in Iceland.

Programme

Chair: Daisy Volmer, University of Tartu, Estonia

13:00 Opening remarks & welcome by the chair

13:10 Sustainable pharmacy: dimensions, legislation, and policy measures, Mia Siven, Associate Professor of Sustainable Pharmacy, University of Helsinki

13:30 The role of community pharmacists in environmental sustainability: evidence from Sweden, Helle Håkonsen, Associate Professor, University of Gothenburg

13:45 Questions and comments for the first speakers

Short break and stretch 

14:00 Research on different aspects related to community pharmacies and environmental sustainability:

• Citizen perspective: Sustainable pharmacy from the public’s perspective. Lasse Alajärvi, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Eastern Finland
• Pharmacist perspective: Enhancing rational pharmacotherapy and sustainability
  • How improving adherence to medication can increase sustainability, Hanna Keidong, PhD student, University of Tartu
  • Education by community pharmacists on rational use of medication: the example of sleeping medication, Anna-Birna Almarsdóttir, Professor, University of Iceland and University of Copenhagen
  • Sustainability in pharmacy practice: the example of electronic patient information leaflets, Trine Graabæk, Associate Professor, University of Southern Denmark
• Medication wastage: why is it generated and what does it cost? Mella Louhisalmi, PhD, Researcher, University of Eastern Finland

15:00 Discussion

Chair: Daisy Volmer, University of Tartu, Estonia

Sharing experiences and thoughts within small groups and general discussion with all participants.

16:00 Closing remarks and end of the webinar

Registration

Please register by 13.4. A link to participation online will be sent to all registered.

Welcome!