Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Pharmaceuticals Across the Lifecycle: Evidence and Policy-Relevant Recommendations from the ENVIROMED Project

This policy brief presents evidence-based and policy-relevant recommendations from the ENVIROMED project on reducing the environmental footprint of pharmaceuticals across their lifecycle, based on contributions from consortium partners.

Drawing on integrated findings spanning pharmaceutical design, manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and ecotoxicity assessment, the brief highlights opportunities for upstream prevention, process optimisation, and improved environmental risk assessment.

The recommendations are framed in relation to existing European Union policy contexts, including environmental risk assessment, chemicals management, water policy, and sustainable production.

The policy brief adopts a lifecycle perspective, emphasising the role of combining innovation, monitoring, and evidence-based approaches in supporting EU sustainability objectives.