The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced the first global framework to help regulators accelerate the transition toward more sustainable pharmaceuticals. Titled Towards a greener pharmaceuticals’ regulatory highway, the document outlines how regulatory systems can support innovation across the entire lifecycle of medicines — from sourcing raw materials to disposal — while maintaining strict standards of quality, safety, efficacy, and equitable access. The framework emphasizes that the challenge now is not whether pharmaceutical decarbonization is possible, but how quickly and equitably it can be implemented globally. It proposes three interconnected pillars: (1) awareness and capacity building (integrating climate literacy into regulatory training), (2) guidance, tools, and standards (improving international alignment on measuring and reporting emissions), and (3) innovation and innovative regulatory pathways (streamlining processes to expedite environmentally beneficial technologies). A central focus is ensuring the transition is just and inclusive, so that sustainability measures do not compromise medicine affordability, supply resilience, or access in low- and middle-income countries.
About the Author
