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Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment
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Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 40346

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Simona Gabriela Bungau

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Interests: medicine; pharmacology; antidiabetic drugs; metabolism; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Lotfi Aleya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS 6249), Université de Franche-Comté, F-25030 Besançon, France
Interests: medicine; public health; environmental health/ecology; one health; pharmacy; pharmacology; sustainability; medicine; clinical trials; experimental studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This volume aims to include works and research that address issues regarding the sustainability of the public health system and of the pharmaceutical system (which includes both state and private pharmacies), respectively the health of the environment, possibly with correlations between the three mentioned above. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on two of the particular sustainable aspects of the "One health" concept, recognizing that the health of people is connected to the health of the environment.

Prof. Dr. Simona Gabriela Bungau
Prof. Dr. Lotfi Aleya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable public health system
  • sustainable pharmacy
  • environmental health
  • sustainable “One health”
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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24 pages, 2007 KiB  
Article
Attitudes and Considerations towards Pharmaceuticals-Related Environmental Issues among Finnish Population
by Lasse Alajärvi, Johanna Timonen, Piia Lavikainen and Janne Martikainen
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12930; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212930 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4560
Abstract
A number of policy recommendations identify the general public as a key participant in environmentally sustainable pharmaceutical policies. However, research into pharmaceuticals-related environmental issues from the population perspective is scarce. We studied the awareness among Finnish adults (n = 2030) of pharmaceutical [...] Read more.
A number of policy recommendations identify the general public as a key participant in environmentally sustainable pharmaceutical policies. However, research into pharmaceuticals-related environmental issues from the population perspective is scarce. We studied the awareness among Finnish adults (n = 2030) of pharmaceutical residues in Finnish waterways, their perceived environmental sources, views on pharmaceuticals-related environmental issues, and their association with background characteristics. Of the respondents, 89.5% were aware of the presence of pharmaceuticals in Finnish waterways. Wastewaters from the pharmaceutical industry were most frequently, and pharmaceuticals excreted by humans least frequently, considered a major environmental source of pharmaceuticals. The vast majority of the respondents were worried about the environmental and health impact of pharmaceutical residues and emphasized issues such as the importance of environmentally sustainable actions by pharmaceutical companies and the recyclability of the pharmaceutical packaging materials. Age, education, use of prescription medicines, and environmental attitude were associated with awareness of pharmaceutical residues, while gender, age, education level, and environmental attitude were associated most frequently with pharmaceuticals-related environmental considerations. These results indicate a need for improved communication about the environmental effects of pharmaceuticals and the significance of different pharmaceutical emission sources in order to promote a more environmentally friendly, effective pharmaceutical policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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13 pages, 2829 KiB  
Article
Research on Pharmaceutical Product Life Cycle Patterns for Sustainable Growth
by Fumio Teramae, Tomohiro Makino, Shintaro Sengoku, Yeongjoo Lim, Takashi Natori and Kota Kodama
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8938; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218938 - 27 Oct 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5859
Abstract
An important agenda of pharmaceutical companies is the establishment of therapeutic area strategies, drug modality, and geographic strategies for research and development. It is worthwhile to understand the changes in therapeutic area, modality and internationalization of the top-selling pharmaceutical drugs over the past. [...] Read more.
An important agenda of pharmaceutical companies is the establishment of therapeutic area strategies, drug modality, and geographic strategies for research and development. It is worthwhile to understand the changes in therapeutic area, modality and internationalization of the top-selling pharmaceutical drugs over the past. Hence, the purposes of this study are to investigate changes in therapeutic area, modality and internationalization of the top-selling drugs and to identify their life cycle patterns. We compared the top-selling drugs between 2011 and 2017, and found that the percentages of nichebuster cancer drugs and home region-oriented drugs have increased whereas the proportions of traditional blockbuster cardiovascular drugs and global drugs have decreased. We compared product life cycle patterns via a Kruskal–Wallis test, and identified the features of product life cycle patterns per therapeutic area and modality. We performed a case study on drugs in the same class with the same pharmacological mechanism but found no differences across cases. Our results provide insights into therapeutic area strategies that consider life cycle patterns and geographic strategies that consider the competitive advantages of home region-oriented drugs. Finally, we presented new and simple models of life cycle patterns. This approach may help such enterprises establish and maintain sustainable growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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18 pages, 719 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Business Models in Hybrids: A Conceptual Framework for Community Pharmacies’ Business Owners
by Caterina Cavicchi and Emidia Vagnoni
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8125; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198125 - 1 Oct 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7035
Abstract
Community pharmacies have recently been asked to contribute to sustainable healthcare systems through active participation in an integrated model of care and by playing a major educational role for environmental conservation. Therefore, dramatic changes in their institutional context have led to increasing competition [...] Read more.
Community pharmacies have recently been asked to contribute to sustainable healthcare systems through active participation in an integrated model of care and by playing a major educational role for environmental conservation. Therefore, dramatic changes in their institutional context have led to increasing competition in the drugs retail sector and a shift toward a service-oriented business. These factors urge rethinking of the business model of these hybrid organizations, which combine a profit-oriented, social, and more recently addressed, environmental identity. This paper aims at discussing a sustainable business model (SBM) that could allow community pharmacies to contribute to public health through pharmacists’ current role and development of that role. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that human health should be at the center of the sustainable development agenda; the pandemic raises questions about the traditional role of community pharmacies, such as extending patient-oriented services. The SBM for community pharmacies represents an opportunity to enhance their role among the healthcare workforce, especially in a time of global pandemics. In addition, the SBM can support community pharmacies to integrate sustainability in day-to-day pharmacy practice, although it should be customized based on the contextual characteristics of the business and on differences between countries, such as health policies and regulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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13 pages, 3539 KiB  
Article
Clostridium difficile Infection Epidemiology over a Period of 8 Years—A Single Centre Study
by Nicoleta Negrut, Delia Carmen Nistor-Cseppento, Shamim Ahmad Khan, Carmen Pantis, Teodor Andrei Maghiar, Octavian Maghiar, Selim Aleya, Marius Rus, Delia Mirela Tit, Lotfi Aleya, Abbas Rahdar and Simona Bungau
Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4439; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114439 - 29 May 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4306
Abstract
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common infectious disease related to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is a current leading cause of morbidity/mortality, with substantial consequences for healthcare services and overall public health. Thus, we performed a retrospective epidemiological study of CDI for a [...] Read more.
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common infectious disease related to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is a current leading cause of morbidity/mortality, with substantial consequences for healthcare services and overall public health. Thus, we performed a retrospective epidemiological study of CDI for a long period (8 years), in an infectious hospital located in north-western Romania, which serves an entire county of the country (617,827 inhabitants). From 2011 to 2018, 877 patients were diagnosed with CDI; the mean incidence of this disease was 2.76 cases/10,000 patient-days, with an increasing trend in the annual incidence until 2016, at which point there was a decrease. The most commonly afflicted were patients in the 75–84 age group, observed in winter and spring. The results show that the antibiotics were administered in 679 (77.42%) subjects, within the last 3 months before CDI, statistically significant more than proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs)—128 (14.60%) and antidepressant medications—60 (6.84%), which were administered during the same period (p < 0.001). No medication was reported in 10 (6.84%) cases of CDI, in the last 3 months of the study. The fatality rate attained 4.1%, tripling in 2018 vs. 2011. CDI became a significant public health conundrum that can, nevertheless, be combatted through a judicious use of antibiotics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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15 pages, 977 KiB  
Article
Sustainability Calculator: A Tool to Assess Sustainability in Cosmetic Products
by Sara Bom, Helena Margarida Ribeiro and Joana Marto
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1437; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041437 - 14 Feb 2020
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 11854
Abstract
Assessing sustainability is extremely necessary and appears as an industrial need and requirement in order to facilitate decision making and to evaluate the impacts of existing strategies, products and technologies. Thus, the main goal of this research was to develop a sustainability calculator [...] Read more.
Assessing sustainability is extremely necessary and appears as an industrial need and requirement in order to facilitate decision making and to evaluate the impacts of existing strategies, products and technologies. Thus, the main goal of this research was to develop a sustainability calculator based on the opinion of experts that work in the different branches of the cosmetic industry, in order to cover the entire life cycle of a cosmetic product. A detailed survey in which all the steps of a cosmetic product life cycle were addressed, was designed and applied to cosmetic professionals. The data obtained with the survey was statistically analysed for the positive and negative impacts of each parameter on sustainability. The analysed data allowed the creation of a Microsoft Excel tool that mirrors the experts’ opinion. A proof of concept was also designed in order to prove the usefulness of the tool. The results show that there are no raw materials and/or packaging materials and practices, that can be considered 100% sustainable. However, with the appropriate strategies, it is possible to drastically decrease the impacts of any type of cosmetic product on sustainability. This is a promising tool that includes the three dimensions of sustainability in a simple, fast, objective and interactive way for the user. Its application will facilitate the work of the formulators and reduce the time of analysis and decision. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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16 pages, 893 KiB  
Review
Hospital Effluents and Wastewater Treatment Plants: A Source of Oxytetracycline and Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria in Seafood
by Bozena McCarthy, Samuel Obeng Apori, Michelle Giltrap, Abhijnan Bhat, James Curtin and Furong Tian
Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13967; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413967 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4799
Abstract
The present study employs a data review on the presence and aggregation of oxytetracycline (OTC) and resistance (AMR) bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and the distribution of the contaminated effluent with the aid of shallow and deep ocean currents. The study aims [...] Read more.
The present study employs a data review on the presence and aggregation of oxytetracycline (OTC) and resistance (AMR) bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and the distribution of the contaminated effluent with the aid of shallow and deep ocean currents. The study aims to determine the fate of OTC and AMR bacteria in seafood, and demonstrate a relationship between AMR levels and human health. This review includes (1) OTC, (2) AMR bacteria, (3) heavy metals in aquatic environments, and their relationship. Few publications describe OCT in surface waters. Although OTC and other tetracyclines were found in 10 countries in relatively low concentrations, the continuous water mass movement poses a contamination risk for mariculture and aquaculture. There are 10 locations showing AMR bacteria in treated and untreated hospital effluent. Special effort was made to define the geography distribution of OTC, AMR bacteria, and heavy metals detected in WWTPs to show the likely dissemination in an aquatic environment. The presence of OTC in surface waters in Asia, USA, and Europe can potentially impact seafood globally with the aid of ocean currents. Moreover, low concentrations of heavy metals exert environmental pressure and contribute to AMR dissemination. Recommended solutions are (1) quantitative analysis of OTC, heavy metals, and AMR bacteria to define their main sources; (2) employing effective technologies in urban and industrial wastewater treatment; and (3) selecting appropriate modelling from Global Ocean Observing System to predict the OTC, heavy metals, and AMR bacteria distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Public Health, Pharmacy and Environment)
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