Environmental and human health are interconnected, and as champions of public health, Viatris recognizes the need to facilitate access to medicines while upholding environmental stewardship. We believe environmental regulations should be science-based and targeted, addressing the true causes of environmental concerns. We are committed to partnering to find creative solutions that balance the need for environmental protection with the need for continued availability of essential medicines.
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Economic Models to Sustain Access to Medicines

The off-patent medicine industry faces a unique dilemma while undertaking efforts to minimize environmental impact. Unlike in other industries, medicines are generally purchased by governments at prices that are not allowed to fluctuate. At the same time, manufacturers face implementation costs as they update production facilities and processes to comply with new, ambitious environmental policies. When costs rise and manufacturers cannot make a proportionate adjustment to prices, certain products could become commercially unviable, increasing the likelihood of medicine shortages. We believe that policymakers should factor financing measures into environmental regulations to ensure manufacturing changes can be sustainably implemented.

The Importance of Thoughtful Regulation

An independent analysis commissioned by Viatris found that if manufacturers bore 100% of the cost of adapting to a proposed regulation, it would increase production costs by 4,5%, enough to result in returns for 24% of products assessed falling below the cost of production. The report offers solutions for how environmental concerns can be addressed in an economically sustainable way.

See the full report

Stakeholder Collaboration

Creating lasting and impactful change requires collaboration. Viatris partners and engages with governments, non-profit organisations, and industry groups to advance environmental progress in a meaningful and science-based way.
Memberships and Partnerships

Sources of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE)

There is increasing concern about the impact of pharmaceutical ingredients entering the environment. The main ways in which active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the environment is through natural patient excretion and the improper disposal of medicines by consumers. A substantially smaller contribution stems from the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, making up less than 2% overall.1 To achieve the greatest environmental impact while protecting access to medicine, regulations should be based on scientific research and a holistic view of the medicine lifecycle. Regulations that disproportionately target medicine production over more significant sources of PiE could have a negative impact on the cost and availability of medicine and do little to reduce the environmental impact.

Partnering on PiE

Since pharmaceuticals can enter the environment at various stages of a medicine’s lifecycle, there is no one solution, and stakeholders must work collaboratively to be effective. Viatris has partnered with the European Commission, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to undertake several efforts to reduce environmental impact at manufacturing, reduce the risk of APIs in discharge water and to support appropriate use and disposal of unused medicine.
Learn more about our partnerships

We recognize that some of the most significant contributors to pharmaceuticals in the environment are the improper use and disposal of medicines. Patients may be unaware that a large degree of the environmental impact of a medicine depends on their actions, such as when discarding of unused medicines in sinks or toilets. Viatris supports the EU's and Member States' campaigns to raise awareness among patients on appropriate use, storage and disposal of medicines.
Learn more about the MedsDisposal campaign

Progress Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly significant threat to global public health, compromising our ability to prevent and treat a wide range of infections. According to the WHO, the main drivers of AMR include the misuse of antibiotics, agriculture, and lack of awareness. While it is well established that medicines production has a very minor impact on PiE and AMR, we are committed to doing our part. In response to the UN’s 2016 call to action, the AMR Industry Alliance (AMRIA) was formed, joining over 100 biotech, diagnostic, generics, and research-based pharmaceutical companies to provide sustainable solutions. The AMRIA has developed the Common Antibiotic Manufacturing Framework (CMAF) and Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) targets, which member companies commit to meeting.

The AMR Industry Alliance (AMRIA) is an example of efficient and effective collaboration and progress on a major public health challenge. Rather than creating a parallel set of standards, we believe that policymakers can be most effective by working with industry through partnerships like the AMRIA, and helping other players achieve industry baselines that proactive, more advanced companies have set.

Viatris remains committed to addressing AMR and advancing appropriate access to antimicrobials.

Learn more about how Viatris is addressing AMR
1. Nordic Life Science