Assessing the environmental impact of medicines in Italy using data from the Italian Medicines Agency.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

This study builds on the environmental risk analysis presented in the 2022 National Report on Medicines Use in Italy by the Italian Medicines Agency and aims to assess the environmental risk posed by medicines in Italy and its regions.

Methods

The analysis selected 90 medicines based on three criteria: high utilization, low predicted no effect concentration (PNEC), and inclusion or candidacy for the European Watch List. For each medicine, the environmental risk was computed as the ratio between the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) and the PNEC. The PEC was derived following the approach of the Swedish Association of Pharmaceutical Industries and Italian drug utilization data. The risk was classified high if the ratio was greater than 10 and moderate if greater

SUBMITTER: Giunchi V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12035592 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature