Inhalers and the Environment: Pollution, Plastics and Policy

Abstract

The effects of the climate crisis have been well established with the first global efforts to address the issue made over 30 years ago. The global healthcare sector is a large contributor to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the recent focus on the respiratory care sector. However, recent directives to address these emissions include ‘blanket unconsented switching’ of stable respiratory patients from pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) to dry powder inhalers (DPIs), which has the potential to cause a multitude of serious consequences for the patient. This article reviews the broad consequences and provides recommendations to encourage an environmentally friendly patient-centered approach without causing harm to the patient