Gary Connors, partner at Oliver Wight looks at why the pharmaceutical sector is lagging behind other sectors in removing plastic from their products and processes?
It remains common practice amongst pharmaceutical manufacturers that single-use plastics are being used extensively in the manufacture of their products and it is common knowledge that this practice is not sustainable. Why then, is the industry struggling to address the problem? Why is it that an industry that does so much to heal the people on our planet do so little to heal the planet itself?
The answer lies partially in the way the industry is regulated. Incredible care is taken to ensure that all manufacturers adhere to current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). These are laid out in regulations and guidelines that cover much more than manufacturing. The spectrum of topics from clinical practices (used in drug development) and laboratory (used in quality control testing) are all covered. Adhering to these practices assures the patient that the product they are taking is safe and effective. This is a good thing; this is why these regulators exist. However, some of the practices prescribed in the regulations and guidance are contrary to what you might consider Good Sustainability Practices. There is little guidance on this from the regulators.