Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

We already consider possible environmental impacts at an early stage of product development and investigate any potential effects of active ingredients which could enter surface water in human waste. When registering new pharmaceutical products, an environmental risk assessment is required. This is prepared on the basis of studies on environmental impact and ecotoxicological effects. Furthermore, we assess the environmental data for products already on the market and conduct studies to assess the environmental impact.

Assessments to date show that our substances present no risk to mankind where potential exposure via the environment is concerned. Moreover, the concentrations detected in the environment are far too low to have any acute effect on aquatic organisms. With respect to potential long-term effects, we monitor ongoing research in this field and conduct our own studies – for instance, on chronic toxicity in aquatic organisms.

Going beyond the official requirements for the authorisation of medicines, we voluntarily publish information on the environmental classification of pharmaceuticals regarding our existing products via the Swedish Doctors Prescribing Guide (www.fass.se), using the disclosure system of the Swedish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry.