Pharmacy professionals and trainees are increasingly concerned about the health impacts of climate change, yet most receive little or no formal training and face significant obstacles to taking action within their professional roles, according to a recent global survey.
Climate change presents increasing challenges to health systems globally, and pharmacists are vital contributors to mitigation, adaptation and environmentally sustainable medicines use. However, evidence regarding their perceptions, training and behaviours in this domain remains limited.
A recent cross-sectional survey, published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, aimed to characterise the global pharmacy workforce’s preparedness to address climate-related health impacts and environmental sustainability within their practice.
The survey captured demographic characteristics, prior training, perceptions of climate impacts, anticipated effects on pharmacy practice and actions taken to advance sustainability.
Pharmacy professionals, students and postgraduate trainees were recruited internationally between June 2023 and March 2024. A total of 440 participants from 24 countries responded, of whom 330 completed all questions.
Most respondents were practising pharmacists (67.4%) working in hospital, academic or community settings, and the majority resided in high-income countries.
High concern but low readiness for climate change health impact
More than half of respondents (57.2%) reported no prior training in climate change, environmental sustainability or how these link to health. Despite this, most were at least somewhat familiar with climate-related health risks, and 55.1% reported being very worried about climate change’s impact on global health. Levels of concern tended to increase with greater self-reported training.
Respondents expected that climate change would notably influence pharmacy practice in their regions over the next decade, primarily through effects on respiratory health, mental health, heat-related illnesses and greater pressure on health systems.
Almost one-third of pharmacists (31%) considered it critically important to take individual action, while a larger proportion (52.5%) stressed the need for institutional and systemic measures.
Only a subset reported taking professional steps related to sustainability, including promoting environmentally sustainable workplace practices, providing education, or engaging in related research.
Major barriers to action included lack of knowledge, uncertainty about effective actions, limited time and insufficient organisational support. Desired facilitators included continuing professional education, pharmacy-specific sustainability toolkits and clearer guidance within practice protocols.
What next?
The survey underscored the importance of integrating climate-health competencies into pharmacy training programmes and establishing coordinated, system-wide strategies and practical tools to support sustainable medicines use and reduce healthcare’s environmental footprint.
The authors noted that enhanced education, improved professional development pathways, stronger organisational leadership and clearer policies would be essential to advancing sustainable, climate-resilient pharmacy practice in the future.
Reference
Blackburn H et al. Addressing climate change and environmental sustainability in pharmacy: pharmacists’ perceptions, training, and behaviours. Int J Pharm Pract 2025;Nov 4:riaf087.
