Pharmacy Reports

Pharmaceutical waste management: sources, environmental impacts, and sustainable solutions

2025-06-02T05:34:31+00:00

Pharmaceutical waste represents a growing global environmental and public health challenge requiring urgent attention across healthcare systems worldwide. This review examines the sources, environmental impacts, and management strategies for pharmaceutical waste based recent studies across six continents. Healthcare facilities generate the largest volumes of pharmaceutical waste, with hospitals producing 1,150-5,967 grams daily and specialized units contributing disproportionately high amounts. Community and household sources add significant distributed waste through improper disposal practices, with up to 95% of households maintaining unused medication inventories. Environmental impacts include widespread contamination affecting 96% of disposal pathways inappropriately, creating multiple exposure routes through terrestrial (49%), drainage (21%), and aquatic systems (25%). Antimicrobial resistance development represents a critical consequence, with 60% of environmental bacterial isolates demonstrating extended-spectrum β-lactamase production. Effective management strategies encompass source reduction achieving 1.9 kg CO2-equivalent climate benefits annually, hospital recycling programs generating $415,000 net value while diverting 461,000 medication units from incineration, and advanced treatment technologies reducing antibiotic concentrations to 0.002-0.68 mg/kg in recovered materials. Implementation success requires integrated approaches combining prevention, technology solutions, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory frameworks. Urgent action is needed to establish comprehensive pharmaceutical waste management systems that protect environmental and public health while achieving economic sustainability.

Banana-derived excipients: drug release, performance, and stability

2025-09-15T11:06:55+00:00

Banana-derived excipients have garnered increasing attention due to their potential as natural, sustainable alternatives in pharmaceutical formulations. This study systematically reviewed the effectiveness and compatibility of banana-based excipients compared to conventional synthetic and natural counterparts. A comprehensive literature review was conducted following the PICOS framework, covering studies published between 2013 and 2024. Data extraction focused on physicochemical characterization, functional performance, and drug release properties of banana-derived excipients across various dosage forms. The results indicate that banana starch and crude banana powder exhibit promising binding, disintegrant, and mucoadhesive properties. Their performance in pharmaceutical formulations was comparable to widely used excipients such as maize starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and microcrystalline cellulose. Notably, banana-derived excipients demonstrated sustained-release effects and potential bioavailability enhancement. However, a lack of standardization in processing methods and limited stability data highlight the need for further research to ensure reproducibility and regulatory compliance. Despite their advantages, challenges remain in optimizing formulations and understanding long-term interactions with drug compounds. Future studies should focus on in vivo validation and stability assessments to enhance the adoption of banana-based excipients in pharmaceutical applications. This research contributes to the growing field of sustainable pharmaceutical development by advocating for the integration of environmentally friendly excipients into modern drug formulations.

Public knowledge and awareness of appropriate antibiotic use in Indonesia: A review of regional patterns and misconceptions

2025-09-15T11:06:35+00:00

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is one of the major contributors to the rising incidence of antimicrobial resistance. Public knowledge plays a critical role in shaping appropriate antibiotic use behaviors. This review aims to assess the level of knowledge and awareness regarding antibiotics among communities across selected regions in Indonesia and identified persistent misconceptions. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2020-2025. Cross-sectional studies examining public antibiotic knowledge in Indonesian populations were included. Quality assessment was performed using the CASP Checklist for cross-sectional studies. A total of ten articles met the eligibility criteria, each representing different provinces in Indonesia. All studies employed questionnaires as their primary data collection instruments. The review findings indicate that public knowledge and awareness of antibiotics remain moderate. Persistent misconceptions included beliefs that antibiotics treat viral infections, cold and cough symptoms, and fever. Non-prescription antibiotic procurement rates ranged from 40-52%, while 50-74% discontinued treatment when feeling better. To address these issues, targeted educational interventions are necessary, involving both active and passive dissemination strategies and engagement with healthcare professionals. Increasing public understanding of antibiotic use is expected to contribute to the reduction of antimicrobial resistance in Indonesia.

Characteristics and evaluation of potential drug interactions among HIV/AIDS outpatients: a retrospective study at primary health center in a North Lampung regency, Indonesia

2025-09-15T11:05:48+00:00

People living with HIV/AIDS require lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) and frequently experience complications and comorbidities that raise the risk of drug-drug interactions. This study aimed to characterize the patients, describe their medication use, and identify potential drug interactions among HIV/AIDS patients at a primary health center in North Lampung Regency. We performed a retrospective, descriptive review of medical records from January to December 2024. All eligible HIV/AIDS patients (N = 31) were included via total sampling. Drug interaction screening used the Lexicomp® application and Stockley’s Drug Interactions. The results showed that most HIV/AIDS patients were male (74.19%), aged 36–45 years (41.93%), and classified as WHO clinical stage I (38.70%). The first‑line ART regimen TLE (tenofovir + lamivudine + efavirenz) was prescribed to 54.8% of patients. A total of 35 potential interactions were identified: 65.7% were moderate pharmacokinetic, 28.6% minor pharmacokinetic, and 5.7% pharmacodynamic (2.9% major and 2.9% moderate). Moderate pharmacokinetic interactions predominated, underscoring the importance of proactive screening and ongoing medication review by pharmacists to prevent adverse events and optimize therapy in HIV/AIDS care.

How do French patients perceive the environmental impact of drugs?

2025-10-11T05:13:53+00:00

Medications account for nearly one-third of healthcare-related greenhouse gas emissions in France, yet their environmental impact remains largely overlooked in public discourse. This study aimed to explore how patients with chronic illnesses perceive their medications’ ecological footprint and identify opportunities for a more sustainable pharmaceutical model supported by patient engagement. An anonymous survey was conducted via an online survey among French adults with chronic illnesses (asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic myeloid leukaemia) to explore their awareness and attitudes regarding the environmental impact of medications. The 11-item questionnaire was distributed via patient associations and social media over two weeks (October 15–November 1, 2024). Data were analysed using descriptive and comparative statistics; open-ended responses were thematically explored. Nearly 90.0% (n=202) of respondents were willing to choose medications with a lower environmental impact, provided their efficacy and tolerability were equivalent. However, 47.0% (n=104) of patients were unsure if there is a link between environmental impact and medication effectiveness, highlighting a significant lack of clarity on the topic. This uncertainty reinforces the need for accessible and transparent information. Over 88.0% (n=199) of participants wished to be informed about the environmental footprint of their treatments, favouring labelling on medication packaging. While most patients were willing to act individually—by returning unused medications or choosing greener options—only 68.7% (n=155) reported using recycling programs, a rate below the national documented average of 81.0%. Patients also expressed a strong desire for systemic change: 87.0% (n=195) supported the inclusion of environmental criteria in national medication evaluation policies, and they also expected the pharmaceutical industry to invest in sustainability, while remaining cautious about potential economic trade-offs. In conclusion, patients are open to contributing to a more sustainable healthcare model, but a lack of clear, trustworthy information and accessible environmental options hinders their willingness. Public institutions, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies must work together to support this shift by raising awareness and making sustainable choices visible, credible, and actionable within the patient care pathway.