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NICE encourages use of greener asthma inhalers

Frances Mortimer
Frances Mortimer • 25 April 2019

"People with asthma will be helped to choose the inhaler that is best for them, and best for the environment, by a new patient decision aid from NICE.

"A new patient decision aid highlights that some inhalers have a much higher carbon footprint than others.

"The aid will help people with asthma, alongside health professionals, to identify which inhalers could meet their needs and control their symptoms.

"Where several inhalers could be viable options, patients can opt for the more environmentally friendly option, which may help to cut the health service’s carbon footprint, in line with the new NHS Long Term Plan.

"It is the first time that NICE has addressed the carbon footprint of a medicine or medical device in one of its publications. The new aid is partially funded by the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU).

"The decision aid also says that all used inhalers should be returned to local pharmacies for environmentally safe disposal, or recycling where available – it directs users to information from Recycle Now, the national recycling campaign."

Full news post on NICE website here.

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