Introduction: Medicines are the most widely used healthcare intervention in the world as they save lives and improve the health outcomes of many people. However, the manufacture and consumption of pharmaceuticals can result in active pharmaceutical ingredients accumulating in ecosystems. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. This includes significantly reducing the release of potentially harmful chemicals into the air, water and soil to minimise their adverse impacts on the environment and on animal and human health.
Methods: This workshop will provide attendees with a fun and stimulating active learning experience. Attendees will spend time exploring and debating concepts and arguments relating to medicines, environmental sustainability and the role of pharmacy and pharmacists. Attendees will be stepped through a debate format, presented with some background information and provided with the moot before being let loose on the internet to forage for relevant information and plan their arguments in two smaller groups. The ensuing facilitated 20-minute debate will use a standard debating format and will include a post-debate debrief. No prior knowledge is required or expected in order to participate in this session. The moot will be announced at the start of the workshop.
Results: These will be revealed during the debate. They will depend on the avenues of enquiry that the affirmative and opposing teams use during the debate.
Conclusion: Attendees will reflect on their learning relating to pharmacy-related environmental sustainability as a group. The session will end with individuals completing a short reflection on their takeaways from this session.