Climate change is having an increasingly significant impact on people's health. Air pollution, rising temperatures and extreme weather events can lead to a growing number of health challenges and place healthcare systems worldwide under pressure. At the same time, healthcare itself contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. This makes the sustainability of healthcare one of the major challenges of our time.
However, sustainable healthcare is about more than reducing emissions. It is also about how we can promote health, prevent disease and make healthcare systems fit for the future. An increasing number of experts emphasise that sustainability and health are not separate topics, but rather areas that can reinforce one another.
From Measuring to Improving
Across Europe, growing attention is being paid to understanding the environmental impact of medicines and healthcare processes. Efforts are underway to increase harmonisation and transparency, enabling sustainability considerations to play a greater role in healthcare decision-making.1
An important development is the introduction of shared methodologies that allow the impact of medicines to be measured throughout their entire lifecycle.1
Such developments can contribute to a more consistent approach to sustainability across Europe. However, according to various organisations and experts, it is important to look beyond products and processes alone. A truly sustainable healthcare system also requires attention to the way care is organised and delivered.
The Importance of Prevention and Disease Control
One of the most effective ways to reduce pressure on healthcare systems is to prevent people from becoming seriously ill. Prevention, early diagnosis and effective disease control all play an important role in achieving this.2
For chronic conditions, such as respiratory diseases, research shows that effective treatment and appropriate support can help reduce exacerbations and hospital admissions.3 This not only improves patients’ quality of life, but can also contribute to a more efficient use of healthcare resources.2
Scientific publications also indicate that well-controlled chronic diseases may be associated with a lower overall impact on healthcare systems.34
This creates an important synergy: what is beneficial for patients can simultaneously contribute to more sustainable healthcare.
Sustainability as Part of Future-Proof Healthcare
The healthcare systems of the future must be not only accessible and innovative, but also resilient to societal and environmental challenges. This requires collaboration between healthcare professionals, patients, healthcare organisations, policymakers and the pharmaceutical sector.
By viewing sustainability across the entire care pathway, from prevention and treatment to support and self-management, a broader perspective emerges on what sustainable healthcare can mean.2
Not only reducing environmental impact, but also improving health outcomes for people.
Working Together Towards a Healthier Future
At Chiesi, we believe that health, innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand. That is why we actively follow developments in sustainable healthcare and support the dialogue on solutions that benefit both patients and society.
Ultimately, the most sustainable healthcare is not only healthcare that reduces its environmental impact, but also healthcare that helps people stay healthier and enjoy a better quality of life.
References
1 EFPIA. Advancing Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Pharmaceuticals through Standardisation and Harmonisation of Product Carbon Footprint Assessment. 2025.
2 European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) and Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM). Decarbonisation of the Health Sector: A Commentary by EASAC and FEAM. 2021.
3 Agustí A, Kirk A, Panigone S, Crasto De Stefano I, Levy ML. Climate Change and Respiratory Health: Implications for Respiratory Clinicians in Primary and Specialist Care. npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine. 2026.
4 Orlovic M, Tzelis D, Guerra I, et al. Environmental, Healthcare and Societal Impacts of Asthma: A UK Model-Based Assessment. ERJ Open Research. 2024;10:00577-2023.
