Policy Brief.2017

Water and pharmaceuticals: a shared responsibility

tablet in a glass of Watertablet dissolving in a glass of Water

Pharmaceutical products are essential to our society, and their use is likely to increase due to a growing, ageing population. In sufficient concentrations, pharmaceuticals will impact the
recipient waterbody, although many tools to reduce environmental impact from pharmaceuticals are already available. Combining efforts along the pharmaceutical life cycle – production, procurement, consumption, and wastewater treatment – will be key for sustainable development and lead to increased transparency and understanding between stakeholders.