The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), the Global Self-Care Federation (GSCF), and the International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA) have jointly said that they support an international instrument to end plastics pollution.

Plastics play an essential part in public health “by enabling the availability of safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines for patients around the world”, they said in a joint note.

The greatest potential impact of the instrument will be on medicinal products, where plastic packaging (primary packaging) or a device made from plastic is in direct contact with a medicinal product, or on plastic products used in the manufacturing process.

There are specific considerations for the health industry, due to stringent regulatory rules, to ensure that materials meet rigorous quality, safety, and efficacy standards to protect patient health. 

Changes require time and resources, from industry and from national regulatory agencies, to be implemented, they said, adding that testing and validation of innovative packaging material can take 5-10 years to complete.

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