%0 Journal Article
%T Attitudes toward Environmentally Friendly Medicines: A Survey of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Students
%A Ahmed K. Mansour
%A Salim R. Al-Harbi
%A Yasser F. Qureshi
%J Annals of Pharmacy Education, Safety, and Public Health Advocacy
%@ 3108-4850
%D 2023
%V 3
%N 1
%R 10.51847/r0GWhltTVv
%P 202-210
%X This study aimed to examine the preferences of university students in Gothenburg, Sweden, regarding medicines with varying environmental impacts relative to their effectiveness, and to determine whether prior exposure to information about the environmental risks of pharmaceuticals influences these preferences. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out among students enrolled in various programs at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. A total of 704 students were provided with both oral and written explanations about the study at the conclusion of a lecture and invited to participate (response rate: 83.5%). The survey included questions about knowledge of medicines’ environmental impact and two hypothetical scenarios offering medicines for the treatment or relief of minor human ailments.

Overall, 53.3% of participants (pharmacy students: 57.8%) reported having received information on the environmental effects of medicines, and 79.6% (pharmacy students: 80.6%) expressed concern about such effects. About 20% (pharmacy students: 9.0%) cited the university as their information source. Students generally favored medicines that were least effective but most environmentally friendly. Pharmacy students consistently rated the most environmentally harmful medicines higher than medical or health care students. Despite receiving similar information about environmental impacts, pharmacy students were less inclined to prefer environmentally friendly medicines with lower effectiveness. Pharmacy students rated medicines higher overall than other student groups, even while acknowledging their potential environmental harm.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/attitudes-toward-environmentally-friendly-medicines-a-survey-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences-studen-qwpbofleb4d59y2