Sustainable healthcare in 2015: What to expect from HCWH Europe

Health Care Without Harm Europe is determined to make 2015 a great year for sustainable healthcare. Last year, we held webinars and workshops, launched publications on endocrine disruptors and nanomedicine and welcomed four new members. Read on to find out what to expect from us in 2015.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2015
 

SAFER MEDICAL DEVICES

This will be an important year to see if the EU will continue allowing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in medical devices. We will focus our work on showing that we have safer alternatives and pushing for safe substitution, as is already happening in many hospitals around Europe. It is time to shift from the voluntary action of a few dedicated hospitals to a mandatory approach. A change in the Medical Device Directive can ensure this. 

Our Safer Medical Devices Database will become an even more valuable resource for medical device procurers and manufacturers in 2015. Information on BPA-free products currently on the European market will be added to the site, accompanying the current list of phthalate-free devices. This will remain a free, publicly-accessible resource.

 

ACTION ON ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS

Our policy work on endocrine disrupting chemicals will continue in 2015. EDCs come in all forms; industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medicines and everyday products. 

In 2015, we will continue pushing, along with other NGOs, for EDCs to be controlled in Europe. Our multilingual EDC leaflet for health professionals is one way to raise awareness, but we will continue working with our members to make our position heard.

 

PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

The issue of pharmaceuticals in the environment is set to be a major campaign for HCWH Europe. We kicked off 2015 with the release of a new guide for doctors on reducing pharmaceutical pollution

We will continue to build momentum on this issue by expanding our  Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Resource Centre to become an all-encompassing, multimedia site with everything you need to know about the issue. The website will also be free and publicly accessible.

 

CLIMATE DEAL

The coming year will be crucial to seal a deal on climate, as the UNFCCC meeting is set to take place in Paris in December. This is our last chance to agree how we want to deal with emission reductions after 2020.

We will work with other NGOs to pressure Europe to increase the EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030 beyond the already agreed, weak 40% level. After the ‘Lima Call for Climate Action’ and the steps announced by the European Union, the United States and China we need real commitment from all sides. We will help spread the news that the health sector is ready and already actively reducing its emissions.

 

CLEANMED EUROPE 2015

Lastly, we are pleased to announce that CleanMed Europe will return in 2015. Europe's leading conference on sustainable healthcare will take place on 21-23 October in Copenhagen.

The last CleanMed Europe conference (Oxford 2013) was a huge success and we look forward to making the 2015 event even better. We will launch the new CleanMed Europe 2015 website and open registration in the coming months.

Update, March 2015. Due to unforeseen funding cuts the CleanMed conference will be cancelled in 2015 and postponed to 2016. Do visit our website again to find out when the next CleanMed conference will be held in Europe.

 

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