Background and Objective
Sustainable Pharmacy is a framework for the integration of sustainable development of the pharmaceutical and health sciences. It focuses on the interconnectedness of the development, treatment, and perception of disease with its underlying causes, which are embedded in the social systems in which people live. Systems thinking helps to identify leverage points for action with the goal of increasing the possibility of health and well-being for present and future generations through effective prevention, medical and non-medical treatment of disease. Some of the major challenges for our societies today are pharmaceutical issues such as multi-resistant bacteria in antibiotic production, pharmaceutical residues in the environment that affect entire ecosystems, and vaccine campaigns etc. These challenges can and should be tackled from different angles and areas.
In this 4th Summer School on Sustainable Pharmacy topics special attention will be given to areas not taught in during the regular study program. These are e.g. drug quality and the role of excipients. Environmental, regulatory and legal aspects will also be discussed as well as pharmacoepidemiology and global aspects of sustainable pharmacy, including production areas outside Europe and health systems of sub-Sahara Africa.
Our aim is to bring together young scientists from different disciplines who are already working on aspects of sustainability in the context of health and health sciences or who are interested in doing so in their future research or teaching activities. We want to provide a community platform for future (research) projects by promoting a common understanding of sustainable development and its potentials and threats in the context of pharmacy and health in general.