Roundtable on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment

Date

4 December 2025

Time

14:00-17:00

Location

University Foundation 11 Rue d'Egmont 1000 Brussels - Belgium

Type of Event

Roundtable

On invitation only

Organisation

EUCOPE–Egmont

The EUCOPE–Egmont roundtable brought together EU institutions, industry, regulators, academia, healthcare professionals and patient representatives to discuss how to reduce the environmental footprint of pharmaceuticals while safeguarding patient access and European competitiveness. Discussions highlighted the complexity of pharmaceutical pollution, the limits of current monitoring and treatment technologies, and the ethical constraints of substituting essential medicines. Participants stressed the need for stronger environmental risk assessment by design, better data and measurement, early stakeholder engagement, and closer cooperation across health, environmental and industrial policy silos. The debate underscored broad support for pragmatic, proportionate regulation and sustained multi-stakeholder dialogue to advance a One Health approach without undermining innovation or patient care.

 

(Photo credit: Canva teams)