(Finance) – The great transformation process that increasingly characterizes the role of the pharmacy and the pharmacist, considered by Italians as a professional to turn to for the management of their health. This is the theme at the center of the conference “Sustainability in the pharmaceutical world. The social, environmental and economic value” promoted by Chiesi Italy And Federfarma, held today at the Rome Chamber of Commerce.
The theme of sustainability in its various directions, social, economic and environmental, and investments in pharmaceutical innovation, takes on a particular centrality with a view to improving the living conditions of patients. Furthermore, in this context, the close correlation between pollution, climate change and respiratory diseases is increasingly evident. IRC Italia, the International Respiratory Coalitionhighlighted these issues to stimulate a response from the institutions in “Manifesto for better respiratory health care”. Significant, in this sense, is the Economist Impact report entitled “Cleaner air, clearer lungs, better lives: exploring the intersection of air quality, health inequalities and lung health” with food for thought also on socio-economic disparities.
“The pharmaceutical industry has already begun to face a transition path towards the choice of more sustainable solutions, first of all the reduction of environmental impact and the management of pharmaceutical waste. As a Government – he said Vannia Gava, Deputy Minister of the Environment and Energy Security – we intend to support investments with the leverage of public spending to encourage growth and employment, but above all to allow private entities to invest in our country, create jobs and produce added value. We have the sums from the PNRR that we must direct towards projects that bring wealth, we are at the beginning of a new programming of community funds and we have the possibility of reforming the country with a legislative horizon by simplifying the rules, streamlining the tax system and speeding up justice. We want and can do it with the discussion and contribution of trade associations, businesses and industrial organizations”.
“Covid has taught us how important social networks are. It is clear and evident – he declared Marcello Gemmato, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health – that during the pandemic there was a lack of local healthcare. It is essential to make the drug accessible to avoid a direct side effect or hospitalization and therefore a use of greater resources by the National Health System.”
“We need companies that invest and innovate. In this sense – he stated Walter Rizzetto, President of the Labor Commission of the Chamber of Deputies – it is necessary to modify the regulatory framework to meet a continuously evolving market. Life expectancy is increasing and this phenomenon raises the issue of the demand for medicines with a view to improving the well-being of citizens. Innovation is fundamental and in this sense sustainability takes on an increasingly central role.”
“I urge the pharmaceutical industries to consider the research aspect in order to offer greater protection to the elderly population – he observed Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life –. Furthermore, I would like to underline the importance of pharmacies, places of assistance close to citizens. It would be useful to think about broadening their tasks with a view to avoiding improper stays in hospitals and overcrowding in emergency rooms.”
“Patient care and well-being of our collaborators, environmental protection, development of local communities and collaborative dialogue with our stakeholders. There are four – he declared Raffaello Innocenti, CEO of Chiesi Italia – the specific common benefit purposes that, as a common Benefit Company, we have chosen to indicate in our Articles of Association and which represent the distinctive ways in which Chiesi intends to create shared value in the long term. The projects presented therefore respond to four directives that represent Chiesi’s commitment: a transparent and patient-centred approach, sustainable growth based on measurable objectives, creation of shared value and equal opportunities for a diverse workforce.”
“Today’s conference – he said Andrea Mandelli, President of the Federation of Italian Pharmacists’ Orders (FOFI) – represents an important opportunity for necessary reflection. The world of pharmacies is strongly committed to the topic of sustainability. There are many initiatives already active, one of which is the collection and recycling of medicines. In this context, therefore, the role of the pharmacist is central as he can give life to citizen awareness and training campaigns.”
“To ensure patient protection, – Roberto Tobia, National Secretary of Federfarma – it is necessary to put the citizen at the center who prefers to be cared for at home rather than in the emergency room, favoring integrated home care. To this end, it is necessary to involve an interdisciplinary team in the area, giving life to the pharmacy of the future to contribute to patient care, starting from the area of prevention and screening, while at the same time training citizens on central issues such as sustainability” .
Among others, they took part in the conference Luca De Grassi, President of Federfarma Friuli-Venezia Giulia And Marta Schifone, Social Affairs Commission, Chamber of Deputies.
The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Climatic and socio-economic factors can, in fact, have an impact on the health and well-being of patients. For this reason, Chiesi has set itself ambitious objectives, moving to the stricter “Net Zero Emissions” standard and aiming to achieve zero net direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 (scope 1 and 2) and zero net GHG emissions indirect by 2035 (scope 3). During the event they were three projects created by Chiesi Italia were presented which reflect concrete commitment in the social, economic and environmental fields: Path of Breath, Recover and Breathe, Sustainable Pharmacy.
Breathing Path – The “Sentiero del Spiro” is a 4 km naturalistic-educational route, created on the slopes of Col di Lana, a mountain in the Dolomites, which embodies Chiesi Italia’s approach to sustainability and shared value, in line with the commitment to achieve Zero CO2 Emissions by 2035. The objective is to raise awareness of correct lifestyles and the importance of taking care of one’s health. In this sense, the 10,000 new trees planted will contribute to the absorption of climate-changing gas emissions, improving the protection of soil stability and the conservation of biodiversity, after the Vaia Storm which in 2018 caused over 16 million people to crash to the ground of trees. The project was co-created together with the Health Department of the Veneto Region, implemented by Veneto Agricoltura and the Veneto Forestry Corps, promoted by Chiesi Italia with the Veneto Region and in collaboration with Veneto Agricoltura, Veneto Region Forestry Services, Municipality of Livillalongo, Federasma Allergies.
Recover and Breathe – It is the first pilot project in the European Union for the collection and disposal of used respiratory inhalers. “Recover and Breathe” raises awareness of the correct use of respiratory inhalers, urging people with respiratory diseases to take care of their health and the environment in which they live, not leaving their medicines in the unsorted garbage. The organized collection of inhalers within pharmacies and their certified waste-to-energy treatment make it possible to limit the effect of the dispersion of HFA propellant gas residues contained in the sprays, aluminum and plastic components, also generating clean electricity for the regional network . In nine months of the project, 4 out of 10 patients returned their used inhaler to the pharmacy and 30,225 spray and powder inhalers were collected, not only from Chiesi, but from all the pharmaceutical companies on the market. The project was created by Chiesi Italia and Federfarma, in synergy with the Friuli Region, is sponsored by FIMMG (Italian Federation of Family Doctors), SNAMI (National Autonomous Union of Italian Doctors) and FOFI (Federation of Italian Pharmacists Orders), and takes advantage of of the collaboration of Assinde and Gruppo EcoEridania, companies specialized in the collection and disposal of pharmaceutical products.
The Sustainable Pharmacy – The Sustainable Pharmacy is a project born in the Consumer Healthcare Division of Chiesi Italia, with the aim of accompanying pharmacies on a sustainability path, starting from the measurement of their impact on CO2 emissions and the definition of virtuous practices for improvement. The project was started in 2022 by Chiesi Italia and CEF (Cooperativa Esercenti Farmacia) with the strategic and technical support of NATIVA. Thanks to the involvement of a group of pilot pharmacies on the national territory, it was possible to measure the main sources of climate-altering emissions from the pharmacy (the so-called hotspots, identified by magnitude, degree of control and accessibility to improvement solutions) and identify solutions to reduce the emissions, working to develop a culture on the topic of carbon neutrality.