environmental messages in the marketing of pharmaceutical products. The
Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information being developed by
UNEP and International Trade Centre points at third party validation as the most
reliable assurance model for sustainability claims [4]. Klöppfer [5] points to the fact
that an LCA study can only be claimed to be in accordance with the ISO 14040 and
14044 standards if a third party review has been performed, whereas an LCA
published in a peer reviewed scientific journal cannot be claimed to be ISO compliant based on the peer review process alone as this does not follow the requirements for the review process set out in the ISO standards. A third party reviewer
will often have access to more background data, LCA models etc. and have more
time assigned for a review than peer reviewers appointed by a scientific journal.
Therefore, Novo Nordisk supports the use of third party validation as the best way
to ensure validity of the LCA results.
5 The Future of LCA in Healthcare
Novo Nordisk has demonstrated that product carbon footprints provide a basis for
communicating with internal and external audiences about the environmental
impact of pharmaceutical products. There is a great potential for driving further
improvements across the product life cycle of Novo Nordisk current and future
products and LCA will play an increasingly important role in ensuring that the
environmental perspective is present in decision making across the organisation.
In the healthcare sector, LCA can bring valuable knowledge about the environmental impact of treating patients. However, it is important that pharmaceuticals
are considered in a full care pathway perspective—or what Novo Nordisk calls the
‘patient carbon footprint’. The impact from treating patients goes beyond pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Diabetes can lead to complications such as eye
problems, kidney disease, amputations etc. that are also associated with carbon
emissions from hospitalisation, surgeries, frequent visits to clinics etc. This means
that more efficient treatment leads to a reduced carbon emissions related to complications. Methods for quantifying the environmental impact of the patient carbon
footprint are currently being developed [6].
References
1. Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), NHS Sustainable Development Unit, NHS England
Carbon Emissions: Carbon Footprinting Report, 2008.
2. Penny T, Fisher K, Collins M, Allison C, Greenhouse Gas Accounting Sector Guidance for
Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices, 2012.
Establishing LCA in the Healthcare Sector
93
Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information being developed by
UNEP and International Trade Centre points at third party validation as the most
reliable assurance model for sustainability claims [4]. Klöppfer [5] points to the fact
that an LCA study can only be claimed to be in accordance with the ISO 14040 and
14044 standards if a third party review has been performed, whereas an LCA
published in a peer reviewed scientific journal cannot be claimed to be ISO compliant based on the peer review process alone as this does not follow the requirements for the review process set out in the ISO standards. A third party reviewer
will often have access to more background data, LCA models etc. and have more
time assigned for a review than peer reviewers appointed by a scientific journal.
Therefore, Novo Nordisk supports the use of third party validation as the best way
to ensure validity of the LCA results.
5 The Future of LCA in Healthcare
Novo Nordisk has demonstrated that product carbon footprints provide a basis for
communicating with internal and external audiences about the environmental
impact of pharmaceutical products. There is a great potential for driving further
improvements across the product life cycle of Novo Nordisk current and future
products and LCA will play an increasingly important role in ensuring that the
environmental perspective is present in decision making across the organisation.
In the healthcare sector, LCA can bring valuable knowledge about the environmental impact of treating patients. However, it is important that pharmaceuticals
are considered in a full care pathway perspective—or what Novo Nordisk calls the
‘patient carbon footprint’. The impact from treating patients goes beyond pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Diabetes can lead to complications such as eye
problems, kidney disease, amputations etc. that are also associated with carbon
emissions from hospitalisation, surgeries, frequent visits to clinics etc. This means
that more efficient treatment leads to a reduced carbon emissions related to complications. Methods for quantifying the environmental impact of the patient carbon
footprint are currently being developed [6].
References
1. Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), NHS Sustainable Development Unit, NHS England
Carbon Emissions: Carbon Footprinting Report, 2008.
2. Penny T, Fisher K, Collins M, Allison C, Greenhouse Gas Accounting Sector Guidance for
Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices, 2012.
Establishing LCA in the Healthcare Sector
93