PHARMECO June 25 Webinar series - Webinar 3 - Steps toward sustainability assessment and regulatory preparedness

This presentation was the third in a series. The webinar focused on the PHARMACO consortium and its efforts towards sustainability and regulatory preparedness in the pharmaceutical industry. The presentation covered three main topics:

• Sustainability Assessment and Steering: Lieselot Boone (UGENT) discussed the need for quantitative assessment methods to verify sustainability efforts in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The assessment relies on a lifecycle thinking approach, including environmental, social, economic, circularity, and criticality aspects. The goal is to integrate these assessments to cover both benefits and burdens.
• Harmonization of LCA Methodologies: Hannah Welsh (TUB) highlighted the importance of consistent methods and tools for environmentally driven decisions in the pharma value chain. She discussed the challenges in achieving harmonization, including differences in goal definitions, functional units, system boundaries, and impact categories. The objective is to develop a stakeholder-accepted lifecycle assessment guideline for pharmaceuticals.
• Regulatory Preparedness: Teresa Meneses Leonardo Alves (RIVM) emphasized the importance of improving regulatory preparedness to adopt more environmentally sustainable products. The approach involves identifying regulatory priorities, running workshops, and preparing policy briefings and summaries. The focus is on efficient regulatory filing, promoting sustainability and circular economy, and addressing regulatory hurdles.